Foxconn, the leading maker of Apple devices, is reportedly following hiring practices that allow it to avoid giving jobs to certain workers at its iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. A recent investigation by Reuters revealed that Foxconn systematically excludes married women from its workforce, citing family responsibilities and traditional jewellery as barriers to their employment.

Two sisters, Parvati and Janaki, both 20 years old, from a nearby village experienced this discrimination firsthand. They went to the Foxconn plant in March 2023 after seeing a job advertisement on WhatsApp. When they reached there, a security guard asked them if they were married. “We did not get the job because we are both married,” Parvati said. Even the auto-rickshaw driver who took them there warned them that married women were not hired, the report said.

Former Foxconn India HR executive S. Paul confirmed these claims, saying that Foxconn’s management verbally instructs recruitment agencies to avoid recruiting married women. According to Paul, who left Foxconn in August 2023, the company believes that married women are more likely to face family obligations and have children, which can lead to higher absenteeism.

This exclusion policy was confirmed by multiple sources at Foxconn and its associated recruitment agencies. According to a Reuters report, they expressed concerns about traditional jewellery worn by married Hindu women, such as metal rings and necklaces, which could interfere with the manufacturing process due to electrostatic discharge or create security issues related to theft.

According to the report, although Foxconn’s policy is not absolute and married women have been hired during peak production times, these instances are exceptions, not the norm. Some agencies have even helped candidates hide their marital status in order to get a job.

In response to these allegations, Apple and Foxconn admitted lapses in their hiring practices during 2022 and claimed to have taken corrective measures. However, a Reuters investigation revealed that such discriminatory practices continued through 2023 and 2024.

Although Indian laws do not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on marital status, both Apple and Foxconn’s codes of conduct prohibit such practices. Apple insisted it maintains the “highest supply chain standards in the industry” and said Foxconn employs some married women in India.

The revelation comes at a time when the Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to attract multinational investment to boost the economy and improve labour standards. The exclusion of married women from job opportunities at Foxconn challenges these efforts and highlights the complexities that corporations face in aligning their global standards with local practices.