NHRC issues notice TN govt over gender discrimination in Foxconn hiring

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought detailed reports from the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government over media reports which alleged that Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn has been excluding married women from assembly jobs at its iPhone plant in the southern state.

Foxconn meanwhile has reportedly told the government that 25 per cent of its new hires are married women.

NHRC, a statutory body, has given a week’s time to the central labour secretary and chief secretary of Tamil Nadu government to file a detailed report on the alleged discrimination by the iPhone maker. It took suo motu cognizance of the matter.

“The NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that Foxconn, a major manufacturer of Apple devices, has systematically excluded married women from jobs at its iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, raise a serious issue of discrimination against married women causing the violation of the right to equality and equal opportunity. Therefore, the commission has issued notices to the secretary, Union Ministry of Labour and Employment and the chief secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu calling for a detailed report in the matter within one week,” said the human rights body in a statement on Monday. 

It added, “Issuing the notices, the Commission has noted the fact that gender equality is not only required in the Indian Constitution but the international treaty and covenants. It is the obligation of the state authorities to ensure that all companies follow the norms and regulations relating to labour laws and the right to health and dignity to any individual, including women, who are working in the supply chain of any production unit of the private sector.”

According to media reports last week, it was revealed that only unmarried women were eligible for assembly jobs 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 by NHRC further said. 

Previously on June 26, the central labour ministry had also sought a detailed report from the Tamil Nadu labour department over the matter.