Foxconn faces scrutiny over hiring practices in India

Govt launches inquiry on claims of excluding married women; Foxconn chairman refutes allegations

NEW DELHI:

Foxconn's chairman, Young Liu, defended the company's hiring practices on Saturday after reports emerged that the Apple supplier rejects married women for iPhone assembly jobs in India. This response came following a Reuters investigation that led the Indian government to order inquiries into the matter.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new hostel complex for workers near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Liu emphasised that Foxconn hires employees regardless of gender, highlighting the significant contributions of married women in the workforce. The hostel complex, which will house 18,720 female Foxconn workers, is situated close to the iPhone manufacturing facility.

The Reuters report, published in June, revealed that Foxconn allegedly excluded married women from employment at its primary iPhone assembly plant in India, citing their greater family responsibilities compared to unmarried women. Although Foxconn admitted to some lapses in its hiring practices in 2022, the company strongly denied any claims of employment discrimination.

The report sparked widespread discussions, including television debates and newspaper editorials. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government directed Tamil Nadu to submit a detailed report and dispatched labour officials to the iPhone factory to investigate the claims. The findings of these investigations have not yet been made public.

According to Foxconn, its main iPhone factory in India employs 41,281 people, with women making up 33,360 of the workforce. Among these women, approximately 2,750, or 8%, are married. However, the company did not specify how many of these women work in iPhone assembly, the area where the alleged discrimination was reported.

Foxconn has been expanding its operations in India, producing iPhones and other smartphone products, with future plans to venture into AirPods and chip manufacturing. During his visit to India, Liu met with Prime Minister Modi and other top officials to discuss Foxconn's investment plans.