The Indian government has requested a comprehensive report from the Tamil Nadu state following media allegations that Apple supplier Foxconn has been rejecting married women for iPhone assembly positions. A Reuters investigation suggested that Foxconn excluded married women from jobs at its main iPhone plant near Chennai, citing their greater family responsibilities compared to unmarried women.

The federal labour ministry emphasized that the law prohibits any discrimination in recruiting men and women workers. Foxconn has denied the allegations, asserting that it does not practice employment discrimination based on marital status. Both Apple and the Tamil Nadu state government did not respond to Reuters' requests for comments. The BBC has also sought a response from the Tamil Nadu labour department.

Foxconn, which started its first factory in Tamil Nadu in 2017, has been rapidly expanding its operations in India. In 2023, it began assembling the iPhone 15 in Tamil Nadu and earlier in the year, partnered with Google to manufacture Pixel smartphones in the state.

Foxconn claimed that 25% of the women hired in a recent recruitment drive were married and acknowledged that 20 job advertisements were removed in 2022 because they did not meet company standards. The discriminatory practices detailed in the Reuters investigation reportedly occurred in 2023 and 2024.

Foxconn stated it takes corrective actions, including terminating hiring agencies, when issues are identified. Rights activists expressed concern over the reports of the firm’s hiring practices, noting the significant employment opportunities Foxconn’s factories offer.

The Reuters report, based on interviews with numerous employees and Foxconn hiring agencies, indicated that hiring agents and Foxconn HR sources cited family duties, pregnancy, and higher absenteeism as reasons for not hiring married women.

Foxconn has previously faced scrutiny over its labor practices. In 2018, a US-based rights group accused the company of overworking and underpaying temporary workers at its factory in China that manufactured products for Amazon. In 2022, Foxconn's iPhone factory in China witnessed worker protests over unpaid dues.