iPhone maker Foxconn cleared of hiring discrimination charges by regional labour commissioner: Report

The regional labour commissioner, Chennai, has cleared Foxconn of discrimination in hiring process. In its submission to the central labour ministry, the regional labour commissioner said there is no evidence supporting claims of discrimination against married women in the recruitment and employment processes at the Foxconn’s Chennai iPhone factory, Economic Times reported. 

Business Today was unable to verify the report independently. 

A five-member team of the government’s regional labour department visited the Foxconn factory near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on July 1.  

The officials spoke to the company directors and human resources officials, which was confirmed regional labour commissioner A Narasaiah. The officials also questioned the executives about the hiring practices in the company after the Union government asked the Regional Chief Labour Commissioner to provide detailed reports on the matter.  

The official said that Foxconn factory employs 41,281 people, including 33,360 women, of which some 2,750, or about 8 percent, are married. The official said that the labour inspectors interviewed 40 married women inside the plant who raised no concerns about discrimination.   

The investigation comes after an investigative report by Reuters revealed that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from assembly jobs at its main iPhone plant in India. Foxconn HR sources and third-party hiring agents cited family duties, pregnancy and higher absenteeism as reasons for not hiring married women, as per the report.  

Foxconn countered these allegations by claiming that 25 percent of its recent hires are married women. A company official said that the plant employs about 70 percent women, making it the largest female employer in India's manufacturing sector. During peak periods, the plant's workforce can reach up to 45,000 employees.

After the regional labour commissioner’s report, the ministry is awaiting the response from the state government following which it will firm up its observations on the matter for submission to the National Human Rights Commission, the ET report stated.