Apple supplier Foxconn says 25% new hires are married women, nearly 70% of workforce women

By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Jun 27, 2024, 4:37 PM IST

Foxconn, the manufacturer of Apple iPhones, has reportedly informed the government that 25% of its new hires are married women. The company also stated that its safety protocol, which mandates that all employees refrain from wearing metal regardless of gender or religion, is not discriminatory.

Foxconn, the company that makes Apple iPhones, has notified the government that 25% of its recent recruits are married women and that its safety protocol—which forbids employees of any gender or religion from wearing metal—does not discriminate.

According to reports, Foxconn said that such requirements are not part of its policy and that rumours that it is "not hiring married women" may have come from those who were turned down for employment. The company made these statements in an informal meeting with the government.

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According to media reports, the Ministry of Labour and Employment on Wednesday requested a thorough report from the Tamil Nadu labour department about the ban on married women working at the Foxconn India Apple iPhone Plant.

"Foxconn has made it clear that married women make about 25% of the most recent hires. This would imply that around one-third of all women are wed," according to one of the insiders who spoke to news agency PTI, "This ratio compares favourably to any factory in this sector currently operating in India."

About 70% of the workforce at the Foxconn facility is female, and the plant in Tamil Nadu is the biggest employer of women in the nation, employing up to 45,000 people overall during busy times, according to the company. According to the corporation, there is a "entirely slanted" conversation about Hindu married women being discriminated against for wearing metal jewellery and decorations. The government and industry both acknowledge that wearing metal in factories poses a safety risk.

For safety reasons, no one wearing metal is allowed to work on the shop floor and this is a prevalent practice in several industries. According to sources, the company has stated that the media report is based on anecdotal comments by 5-10 people or potential job seekers.

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