The Union government has requested a detailed report from the Labour Department of Tamil Nadu government over media reports claiming that married women are not being allowed to work at Foxconn India’s factory that makes Apple iPhones. The development comes after a Reuters report found that married women who sought jobs at Foxconn were not even allowed to enter the premises and were asked about their marital status by the security guard, which violates Apple’s and Foxconn’s own policies that prohibit discrimination in their supply chains.

The Labour Ministry, in a press release on Wednesday, June 26, said that Section 5 of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, clearly stipulates that no discrimination should be made while recruiting men and women workers. As the Tamil Nadu government is the appropriate authority for the enforcement and administration of the provisions of this Act, the report has been sought from the state government.

At the same time, the office of the Regional Chief Labour Commissioner has also been directed to furnish a factual report to the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Taiwan-headquartered electronics giant Foxconn produces iPhones for Apple at its factory in Sriperumbudur near Chennai. The report cited the company’s former and current employees saying that family duties, pregnancy and higher absenteeism are some of the reasons why Foxconn did not hire married women at the plant located at Sriperumbudur.

(With inputs from IANS)