Labour officials recently visited a Foxconn factory near Chennai to investigate the company’s hiring practices following reports of discrimination against married women in iPhone assembly jobs. A team of five from the federal government’s regional labour department conducted inquiries at the facility on July 1, meeting with company directors and human resources personnel, according to A. Narasaiah, the regional labour commissioner.
Foxconn has not yet responded to requests for comment, and Apple did not address queries about the visit from Reuters. The investigation was prompted by government directives to compile detailed reports on the issue following a Reuters investigation into employment practices at the plant.
“We are gathering information and have requested the company to provide documents such as company policies, recruitment practices, and proof of compliance with labour laws, including details on maternity and retirement benefits,” Narasaiah stated. “Foxconn has assured us that they do not engage in discriminatory practices.”
Narasaiah revealed that Foxconn employs a total of 41,281 individuals at the Chennai plant, with 33,360 of them being women. Approximately 8% of these women, or 2,750, are married, according to Foxconn’s submission. However, specific figures for iPhone assembly, where discrimination was reported, were not disclosed by Foxconn.
Labour inspectors reportedly interviewed 40 married women within the plant premises, none of whom raised concerns about discrimination. There are currently no plans to question Foxconn’s third-party hiring agents, who handle candidate scouting and interviews.
A recent Reuters investigation highlighted that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from iPhone assembly roles, citing reasons such as family responsibilities, pregnancy, and higher absenteeism. The report also noted that during peak production periods, Foxconn relaxed these restrictions.
The issue has sparked widespread debate across media platforms and drawn calls from opposition figures and women’s groups, urging further investigation into the matter. Both Apple and Foxconn acknowledged previous lapses in hiring practices but did not address allegations from 2023 and 2024, as documented in the Reuters report.
Foxconn, known formally as Hon Hai Precision Industry, has denied allegations of employment discrimination based on marital status or gender. Apple reiterated its commitment to non-discriminatory hiring practices across its supply chain, with regular audits to uphold standards, despite no legal prohibition against marital status discrimination in Indian employment law.
