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Apple device maker Foxconn is one of the companies that avoids hiring some people at its iPhone manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. A recent investigation by Reuters revealed that Foxconn is not hiring women because they are married. They argue that married women have family responsibilities and wearing gold jewelery makes it difficult for them to work.
Married women do not get jobs
Two sisters named Parvati and Janaki faced this discrimination directly. Both were in their 20s and had come from a nearby village. In March 2023, she saw Foxconn's job advertisement on WhatsApp and landed there. On reaching there, the guard asked him if he was married. Parvati said, 'We both got married, so we didn't get work.' According to reports, the rickshaw puller who took them there also said that married women are not getting jobs there.
Many reasons for not getting a job
These things are the former manager working in Foxconn India S. Paul also said. He said Foxconn executives verbally tell hiring companies not to hire married women. According to Paul, who will leave Foxconn in August 2023, the company believes that married women have more domestic responsibilities and may have children, which may make them less available in the office.
Jewelry can cause electric shock
According to Reuters, several people at Foxconn and its affiliated employment companies have said why the discrimination actually occurs. He says married Hindu women wear traditional ornaments like toe rings and necklaces, which can cause problems in the workplace. In fact, these ornaments pose a risk of electric shock or theft, creating security problems, the report said.
According to reports, this is not an entirely strict rule and sometimes, especially when large quantities of goods are to be made, even married women are employed. But this happens very rarely. Some job placement companies even help women get jobs by asking them not to disclose that they are married.
The discrimination has been going on for two years
Both Apple and Foxconn are aware of the allegations. He admitted that there were mistakes in his recruitment process for 2022 and also tried to make improvements. But a Reuters investigation found that the discrimination actually continued in 2023 and 2024.
Although laws in India do not directly prohibit discrimination on the basis of marriage, both Apple and Foxconn state in their policies that it cannot. Apple says it follows best practices when working with manufacturing companies, and Foxconn employs some married women in India.