Systematic discrimination was discovered at Foxconn's main iPhone assembly plant in India. At the plant, married women are routinely excluded from job opportunities, according to a report by Reuters. It suggests that this practice is driven by perceived family responsibilities and societal pressures. However, it contradicts the company’s publicly stated commitments to non-discriminatory hiring. Despite corporate policies from both Apple and Foxconn that prohibit discrimination based on marital status, the investigation reveals that these practices have persisted through 2023 and 2024.
The report highlights the story of two sisters Parvathi and Janaki, who are in their 20s. They faced disappointment at Foxconn's iPhone factory in southern India. In March 2023, after seeing job ads on WhatsApp, they arrived for interviews but were turned away by a security officer at the main gate. The officer's question, "Are you married?" led to their rejection. Parvathi later shared, “We didn’t get the jobs as we both are married,” adding that even the auto-rickshaw driver warned them about Foxconn's hiring bias against married women.
The report reveals that Foxconn systematically excludes married women from jobs at its main iPhone assembly plant in India. According to the report, S. Paul, a former HR executive at Foxconn India, confirmed this practice, citing "cultural issues" and societal pressures. According to Paul, Foxconn believes married women pose "risk factors" due to family responsibilities and potential pregnancies. The report claims that Paul's claims were supported by 17 employees from various Foxconn hiring agencies and four current and former HR executives. They cited family duties, pregnancy, and higher absenteeism as reasons for the discrimination. Additionally, they mentioned that jewelry worn by married Hindu women could interfere with production processes.
The report claims that the exclusion of married women isn't absolute, it is relaxed during high-production periods. In such cases, hiring agencies may help candidates conceal their marital status to secure jobs. Foxconn and Apple acknowledged lapses in hiring practices in 2022 and claimed to have addressed these issues, though discriminatory practices persisted in 2023 and 2024.
As cited in the report, Apple stated it maintains "the highest supply chain standards" and employs married women in India. Foxconn denied allegations of employment discrimination. Both companies highlighted their efforts to improve hiring practices and adherence to their respective codes of conduct, which prohibit discrimination based on marital status, gender, and other factors. Business Today has reached out to Apple to know if they were aware of any such practices. Indian law doesn't prohibit discrimination based on marital status in private-sector hiring. However, such practices may conflict with fundamental rights to trade and occupation. Cultural factors, such as the wearing of traditional jewellery by married Hindu women, complicate the issue, as these ornaments are believed to interfere with manufacturing processes.