The Ministry of Labour, Government of India, has requested a comprehensive report from the Tamil Nadu government regarding the hiring practices at Foxconn’s iPhone plant in the state. This request comes after a Reuters report revealed that Foxconn avoids hiring married women at its plant.
The Ministry has pointed out Section 5 of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, which prohibits discrimination against men and women in hiring practices and must be enforced by the state government. As a result, the Ministry has urged the Tamil Nadu government to investigate the matter and provide a detailed report.
According to the Reuters report, Foxconn allegedly refrains from hiring married women due to concerns about their commitment to family and domestic responsibilities affecting productivity. Additionally, the company cited issues related to wearing jewellery as per Hindu traditions, which may hinder work and pose security risks.
The report also suggests that certain recruitment agencies working for Foxconn may have concealed the marital status of women candidates to help them secure employment at the plant.
In 2022, both Apple and Foxconn acknowledged issues with their recruitment process and promised to address them. However, the recent Reuters report implies that the hiring practices have not changed.
It’s worth noting that Apple had previously advocated for changes to India’s labour laws to support local production. The company had pushed for amendments to labour regulations to align factory shifts with working hours in China.
