Why Married Women Were 'Systematically Excluded' From Working At Chennai iPhone Plant?

Chennai: A recent investigation by Reuters has uncovered that Foxconn, a major supplier for Apple, has been systematically excluding married women from jobs at its main iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, India. Despite Apple and Foxconn acknowledging lapses in hiring practices in 2022, this discriminatory practice continued into 2023 and 2024. In response, Apple stated that all their associated suppliers, including Foxconn, hire employees without any discrimination.

The exclusion of married women was reportedly based on the belief that they have more family responsibilities compared to unmarried women. S. Paul, a former human resources executive at Foxconn India, explained that hiring married women was seen as risky due to "cultural issues" and societal pressures. Paul stated, "Many issues arise post-marriage, including the likelihood of having babies." These views were supported by 17 employees from various hiring agencies and four current and former Foxconn HR executives. Additionally, factors like family duties, pregnancy, higher absenteeism, and even the jewellery worn by married Hindu women were cited as reasons for not hiring them.

In response to the investigation, the Indian government has taken action. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has requested a detailed report from the Tamil Nadu state government. The Ministry of Labour and Employment cited the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976, which prohibits discrimination in hiring based on gender. Apple denied any discrimination at its supplier's factories, stating that it maintains "the highest supply chain standards in the industry." Foxconn also denied the allegations, asserting that it does not discriminate based on marital status, gender, religion, or any other form. Foxconn claimed that nearly 25% of the women hired in its latest recruitment drive were married, though specific numbers were not provided.

Apple told Reuters it upholds the “highest supply chain standards in the industry,” and noted that Foxconn employs some married women in India.

“When concerns about hiring practices were first raised in 2022 we immediately took action and worked with our supplier to conduct monthly audits to identify issues and ensure that our high standards are upheld,” Apple said in a statement. “All of our suppliers in India hire married women, including Foxconn.”

In a statement, Foxconn said it “vigorously refutes allegations of employment discrimination based on marital status, gender, religion or any other form.”

The Reuters investigation involved over 20 trips to Sriperumbudur between January 2023 and May 2024. Reporters spoke with numerous job seekers about their experiences and reviewed various job ads and candidate information pamphlets. They discovered that several third-party recruiters were explicitly stating that only unmarried women were eligible for assembly jobs, a fact not mentioned in the official job ads.

In its defence, Foxconn noted that it had enhanced its management process for hiring agencies in 2022, identifying and correcting four agencies that posted discriminatory ads. The company claimed to have removed more than 20 such ads following these corrective actions.