Foxconn hiring: NHRC sends notice to Centre, Tamil Nadu govt over ‘bias’ against married women at iPhone maker’s plant

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued notices to the Union Labour Ministry and the Tamil Nadu government over reports of gender discrimination in jobs by Foxconn, a major manufacturer of Apple devices, at its iPhone assembly plant in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur.

The human rights watchdog issued the notices after taking suo motu cognisance of media reports that Foxconn “has systematically excluded married women from jobs at its iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu”.

A former human resource executive at Foxconn had alleged that “verbal directions” were given to the recruitment agencies in this regard.

Citing reports, the NHRC said the company “does not hire married women because of cultural issues and societal pressure”.

According to a report by news agency PTI citing sources, Foxconn had informed the government that 25 per cent of its new hires are married women and its safety protocol, which requires all employees to avoid wearing metal irrespective of gender or religion, is not discriminatory.

The content of the media reports, if true, raises a serious issue of discrimination against married women causing the violation of the right to equality and equal opportunity, said the NHRC in its statement.

Seeking a detailed report within one week, the Commission has issued notices to the secretary, Union ministry of labour and employment, and the chief Secretary, government of Tamil Nadu.

As per media reports carried on June 26, a number of job seekers in the company were spoken to during the period January 2023 to May 2024 and the candidate information pamphlet of the company was examined, it said.

“It was revealed that only unmarried women were eligible for assembly job while there was no mention in this regard in the advertisements made by the company. A WhatsApp chat between a married candidate and the hiring agency of the company was also quoted in the news report stating that when the candidate asked about the salary and childcare facility offered by the company, the response was 'married not allowed'. The company, reportedly, refuted the allegations of discrimination in employment based on marital status, gender, religion or any other form,” the statement said.

The NHRC also noted that gender equality is not only required in the Indian Constitution, but the international treaties and covenants, viz., International Covenant Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights also provide non-discrimination on the ground of gender in any form of employment.

(With inputs from PTI)