Key Points
- An investigative report alleged that Foxconn discriminated against married women when hiring workers.
- The company’s president denied the allegations.
- New Delhi has ordered an investigation into the allegations.
The head of a company that supplies products for Apple has denied reports that he is denying married women iPhone assembly jobs in India.
The Indian government has ordered investigations into allegations that Apple supplier Foxconn systematically excluded married women from jobs at its main iPhone assembly plant in India on the grounds that they had more responsibility families than their single counterparts.
“Foxconn hires regardless of gender, but women make up a large part of our workforce here,” Foxconn Chairman Young Liu said at the opening ceremony of a hostel complex for its employees in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
“I emphasize that married women contribute greatly to the efforts we make here,” he added, making his first comments since the investigation.
Liu did not respond to media questions at the hostel complex that the state government considers “exclusive” to Foxconn’s 18,720 female workers. The multi-story hostel buildings are located near the iPhone manufacturing plant.
What does Foxconn say about gender discrimination?
Foxconn acknowledged some deficiencies in hiring practices in 2022 and said it worked to resolve the issues, but added that it “vigorously refutes allegations of employment discrimination.”
The story sparked television debates and newspaper editorials in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s federal government has ordered Tamil Nadu to provide a “detailed report” on the matter, and its labor officials also visited the iPhone factory to question the executives.
New Delhi has not yet released any findings.
Foxconn told labor officials that its main iPhone factory in India employs 41,281 people, including 33,360 women. Of these women, about 2,750, or about 8 percent, were married.
It did not break down the workforce by specific areas such as iPhone assembly, where Reuters reported discrimination was taking place.
In recent years, Foxconn has expanded into India, where it makes iPhones and products for other smartphone brands, and plans to move into manufacturing AirPods and chips.
Liu met with Modi and many senior Indian officials during his ongoing visit and discussed Foxconn’s investment plans.
