Chennai/IBNS: Apple supplier Foxconn has instructed its recruitment agencies in India to eliminate references to age, gender, marital status, and the company name in job advertisements, Reuters reported, citing its sources.

According to the report, the directive comes after a June 25 Reuters investigation revealed discriminatory hiring practices at Foxconn's primary iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, where married women were often excluded from jobs except during peak production periods. 

Foxconn, which employs thousands of women at the facility, relies on third-party vendors to scout and screen candidates, who are ultimately hired by the company.

Reuters' review of job ads from these agencies, posted between January 2023 and May 2024, found several specifying eligibility only for unmarried women within certain age ranges—violating anti-discrimination policies upheld by both Foxconn and Apple. 

In response to the exposé, Foxconn’s HR team reportedly directed its Indian vendors to standardize recruitment practices using templates aligned with company policies.

Recruiters were also told to avoid speaking to the media and warned of contract termination if they used Foxconn’s name in ads, Reuters reported, citing multiple agency sources. 

“The instructions were clear: no mentions of marital status, age, or gender in job ads,” one hiring agent, who spoke anonymously for fear of repercussions, told Reuters. 

Although Foxconn and Apple declined to comment on whether restrictions against married women had been lifted, both companies have previously stated that married women are eligible for employment at Foxconn’s Indian facilities.

Recent job ads reviewed by Reuters reflect these changes, omitting details about age, gender, or marital status, and instead highlighting benefits like air-conditioned workplaces, free transport, canteen facilities, free hostel accommodations, and a monthly salary of Rs 14,974. 

During a site visit in October, Reuters examined multiple ads in Tamil and on WhatsApp, finding them consistent with the new guidelines.

While the employer was not explicitly named, hiring agents confirmed that these roles were for Foxconn’s smartphone assembly lines. 

The controversy has attracted scrutiny from India’s federal and state governments.

Following Reuters’ investigation, labour officials visited the Sriperumbudur facility in July to probe hiring practices.

However, the findings of these inquiries have not been made public, with Tamil Nadu state officials rejecting a Reuters request for the investigation report, citing confidentiality. 

Foxconn Chairman Young Liu addressed the issue during an August visit to India, praising the contributions of married women to the company’s operations.

Liu also met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss Foxconn’s investment plans, as India emerges as a key alternative manufacturing hub to China amid US-China tensions.