Foxconn Not Hiring Married Women To Make iPhones In Tamil Nadu: Report
Photo: Reuters/Palani Kumar
BENGALURU, (REUTERS) – A Reuters investigation published on June 25 found that Foxconn has systematically excluded married women from jobs at its main India iPhone plant near Chennai in Tamil Nadu state, on the grounds they have more family responsibilities than their unmarried counterparts.
Foxconn hiring agents and HR sources interviewed by Reuters cited family duties, pregnancy and higher absenteeism as reasons why Foxconn did not hire married women at the plant.
In response to questions from Reuters for its June 25 report, Apple and Foxconn acknowledged lapses in hiring practices in 2022 and said they had worked to address the issues. All the discriminatory practices documented by Reuters at the Sriperumbudur plant, however, took place in 2023 and 2024. The two companies didn’t address the 2023 and 2024 incidents.
Apple said that “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,” adding that all its suppliers, including Foxconn, hire married women.
Foxconn said it “vigorously refutes allegations of employment discrimination based on marital status, gender, religion or any other form.”
Lawyers said Indian law doesn’t bar companies from discriminating in hiring based on marital status. Apple’s and Foxconn’s policies, however, prohibit such hiring practices in their supply chains.
In a statement calling for a probe, the Ministry of Labor and Employment said the law “clearly stipulates that no discrimination (is) to be made while recruiting men and women workers.”
Tamil Nadu state has been asked to submit a “detailed report.”
Anil
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Now every rejected applicant should sue and get $1M Apple Dollars!!!!
June 26, 2024Pradeep Srivastava
/
The following is the latest update on this news of discrimination against married women by Foxconn.
According to trtworld.com, 10 hours ago:
DISCRIMINATION
10 HOURS AGO
India calls for probe as iPhone factory excludes ‘married women’ from jobs
An investigation found that Foxconn has systematically excluded married women from jobs at its iPhone plant in India because they had more family responsibilities than their unmarried counterparts.
REUTERS
Apple and Foxconn acknowledged lapses in hiring practices in 2022.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has said it has asked the Tamil Nadu state to submit a “detailed report” after a Reuters story revealed that Apple supplier Foxconn rejected married women from iPhone assembly jobs in the country.
In a statement on Wednesday calling for the probe, the federal government’s Ministry of Labour and Employment cited the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976, saying the law “clearly stipulates that no discrimination (is) to be made while recruiting men and women workers.”
The ministry said it has requested a detailed report from the Labour Department of Tamil Nadu, the site of a major iPhone factory where Reuters uncovered Foxconn’s practice of shunning married women from jobs.
The Labour Ministry said it also directed the office of the Regional Chief Labour Commissioner to provide a “factual report.”Apple and Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the government statement.
The Tamil Nadu state government did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment outside office hours.
A Reuters investigation published on Tuesday found that Foxconn has systematically excluded married women from jobs at its main India iPhone plant near Chennai in Tamil Nadu state, on the grounds they have more family responsibilities than their unmarried counterparts.
Foxconn hiring agents and HR sources interviewed by Reuters cited family duties, pregnancy and higher absenteeism as reasons why Foxconn did not hire married women at the plant.
Discriminatory practices
The Ministry of Labour “takes note of media reports on married women not being allowed to work at Foxconn India Apple iPhone plant,” the statement said.
Earlier, in response to questions from Reuters for its Tuesday report, Apple and Foxconn acknowledged lapses in hiring practices in 2022 and said they had worked to address the issues.
All the discriminatory practices documented by Reuters at the Sriperumbudur plant, however, took place in 2023 and 2024. The two companies didn’t address the 2023 and 2024 incidents.
Apple said that “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,” adding that all its suppliers, including Foxconn, hire married women.
Foxconn said it “vigorously refutes allegations of employment discrimination based on marital status, gender, religion or any other form.”
Lawyers told Reuters Indian law doesn’t bar companies from discriminating in hiring based on marital status. Apple’s and Foxconn’s policies, however, prohibit such hiring practices in their supply chains.
SOURCE: REUTERS
June 27, 2024