The statement, which cited allegations, further claims that the corporation “does not hire married women because of cultural issues and societal pressure”.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) announced on Monday that it had sent letters to the Tamil Nadu government and the Union Labour Ministry regarding allegations that a major electronic device company has “systematically excluded” married women from employment at its Sriperumbudur assembly facility.
Gender equality is mandated not only by the Indian Constitution but also by international treaties and covenants, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which forbid discrimination based on gender in any form of employment. This is why the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued the notices.
The National Human Rights Commission has taken “suo motu cognisance of media reports that Foxconn, a major manufacturer of Apple devices has systematically excluded married women from job at its iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu” , it stated.
The NHRC, India, has taken suo motu cognizance of allegations of discrimination made by Foxconn, a significant Apple product manufacturer, against married women seeking employment at its Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, assembly factory.
See https://t.co/8bDwOBWXMB for more details. tweet.com/uaNmHIHNv6
July 1, 2024 — NHRC India (@India_NHRC)
A former HR officer at Foxconn claims that the corporation has provided “verbal directions” to the Indian hiring agencies regarding this matter. Citing allegations, the statement also claimed that the organisation “does not hire married women because of cultural issues and societal pressure”.
According to recent reports, Foxconn, the company that makes Apple iPhones, has told the government that 25% of its new workers are married women and that its safety protocol—which forbids employees of any gender or religion from wearing metal—does not discriminate.
Foxconn replied that such requirements are not part of its policy and that these accusations may have been made by those who were not hired, according to an informal message the company shared with the government following rumours that it was not recruiting married women, the sources earlier said.
In its statement, the Commission noted that, if accurate, the information in the media raises a major concern about discrimination against married women, which results in the denial of their right to equality and equal opportunity.
As a result, the Commission sent letters to the chief secretary of the Tamil Nadu government and the secretary of the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, requesting a thorough report within a week, according to the statement.
According to the statement, state authorities have a duty to make sure that all businesses abide by labour laws, norms, and the right to health and dignity for all people, including women, who work in the supply chain of any private sector production unit.
According to media sources published on June 26, the corporation chatted with a number of job seekers between January 2023 and May 2024, and it also looked over its candidate information brochure.
“It was discovered that the company’s advertisements made no mention of the fact that only single women were qualified for assembly jobs. The news article also included a WhatsApp conversation between a married applicant and the employer’s employment agency, in which the candidate inquired about the income and childcare benefits provided by the company, to which the response was “married not allowed.” According to the statement, “The company denied any allegations of employment discrimination on the basis of marital status, gender, religion, or any other basis.”