Months after a Reuters report alleged that Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn had excluded married women from assembly jobs at its Tamil Nadu iPhone plant, Foxconn’s chairperson Young Liu has come to the defence of the company’s hiring practices, claiming that Foxconn hired “regardless of gender.” Speaking during the inauguration of a women-only hostel complex for its workers in Sriperumbudur near Chennai, Liu said on Saturday, August 17, that married women played a vital role in the company’s success in India.

After the Reuters report came out, Foxconn had acknowledged some lapses in its hiring practices in 2022, but denied any ongoing discrimination. In a statement, the company said it “vigorously refutes allegations of employment discrimination based on marital status, gender, religion or any other form.” The company confirmed that its main iPhone factory in India employs 41,281 people, with 33,360 being women, of whom 2,750 (about 8%) are married.

The Union labour ministry had ordered a probe and sought a detailed report from the Tamil Nadu government regarding the alleged lapses in Foxconn’s hiring practices. However, the regional labour commission of Chennai had cleared Foxconn of discrimination and in the report submitted to the Ministry, said that there is no evidence supporting claims of discrimination against married women in Foxconn’s hiring process. The report has not yet been made public.

But this is the first time Young Liu has commented on the Reuters report. “Women make up a big part of our workforce here, and I’d emphasise that married women greatly contribute to the efforts of what we are doing here,” Liu said during the ceremony. He handed over keys to several women workers as part of the event. 

“Living in dormitories is not customary in many of our locations worldwide, but it is part of building a support system. In many instances, we hire people who have never lived in small towns or big cities. When they come to our manufacturing campuses, they have to live with thousands of young people just like them, whom they’ve never met,” Liu said. 

He added that many employees in Taiwan also chose to stay in dormitories for various reasons, such as avoiding long commutes or finding safe and affordable housing. “Perhaps living away from home represents independence and a way of exploring opportunities,” he said.