(Reuters) — Foxconn, a key manufacturer of Apple devices, has been found excluding married women from assembly jobs at its flagship smartphone plant in India, according to a report published by Reuters.

This practice contradicts the codes of conduct of both Foxconn and Apple, explicitly discriminating based on marital status. The Reuters investigation, published on Tuesday, revealed that Foxconn rejects job applications from married women due to their “greater family responsibilities compared to unmarried counterparts.”

The report highlighted that the smartphone manufacturer systematically excludes married women from job opportunities at its main iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Foxconn justified this policy by citing “more issues post-marriage.”

Numerous former and current employees from over a dozen Foxconn hiring agencies across India confirmed this practice to Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity. They cited family duties, pregnancy, higher absenteeism, and the jewellery worn by married Hindu women as reasons for not hiring married women.

However, the ban is not absolute. Three former Foxconn HR executives told Reuters that the company relaxes its policy during high-production periods when it faces labour shortages.

Additionally, the report revealed that some hiring agencies assist female candidates in concealing their marital status to secure jobs.