Foxconn ‘not hiring married women’ at iPhone plant in India: Government to check hiring practices

A team of the labour department has visited the Foxconn’s iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu and questioned company executives about their hiring practices for iPhone assembly jobs, a report has said. The development comes days after the Apple supplier was reported to have “systematically excluded” married women from jobs at the factory.
Citing A. Narasaiah, the regional labour commissioner, news agency Reuters reported that a five-member team visited the plant on July 1 and spoke to company directors and human resources officials on the alleged discrimination by Foxconn.
“We are collecting information, and have asked the company to submit documents like company policies, recruitment policies” as well as evidence of compliance with labour laws and information on maternity and retirement benefits, Narasaiah said, adding, “They told us they are not discriminating.”
Notably, the inquiries come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government asked state officials to provide detailed reports on the matter.

Citing Foxconn, Narasaiah said that the company employs 41,281 people, including 33,360 women. Of these, some 2,750, or about 8%, were married. However, Foxconn did not provide details on the staffing figures into specific areas such as iPhone assembly, where Reuters reported about the discrimination.
As per the commissioner, the labour inspectors interviewed 40 married women inside the plant, who raised no concerns about discrimination.
Earlier this week, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognisance of reported discrimination by Foxconn and issued notices to the Union ministry of labour and employment and Tamil Nadu government.
It has been alleged that a former HR executive at Foxconn, India gave verbal directions to the hiring agencies in this regard.
“It is the obligation of the state authorities to ensure that all companies follow the norms and regulations relating to labour laws and the right to health and dignity to any individual, including women, who are working in the supply chain of any production unit of the private sector,” NHRC said.