The Regional Labour Commissioner of the Ministry of Labour in Chennai recently released a report stating that there was no evidence that Foxconn used discriminatory recruiting methods.
It all started when a Reuters investigation found that Foxconn deliberately avoided hiring married women for assembly jobs at its main Indian iPhone plant. According to Reuters, Foxconn avoided hiring married women since they had family responsibilities, were more likely to become pregnant, and had higher absence rates. According to the publication, Foxconn has been known to relax this technique during peak production periods. The Labour Ministry then launched an investigation into the charges.
On July 1, a five-member team from the regional labour department inspected the Foxconn facility near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Many of the company’s directors and HR personnel were questioned.
The Labour Ministry’s regional labour commissioner has now exonerated Foxconn of any bias in the recruitment process, citing a lack of evidence to the contrary.According to sources, the Ministry of Labour and Employment forwarded a complaint from Tamil Nadu’s Labour Department to the National Human Rights Commission.
The inquiry team reportedly spoke with 21 married women employees, who affirmed that they had not faced discrimination in terms of compensation or promotions. They agreed to receiving maternity and other benefits in compliance with Tamil Nadu’s labour rules.
Foxconn had previously rejected similar charges of discrimination, stating that 25 percent of its new hires were married women.
