What you need to know
- The world's largest iPhone factory is suspending recruitment.
- It's because of COVID lockdowns imposed in the city of Zhengzhou.
- Production reportedly remains unchanged at the sites.
The world's largest iPhone factory has reportedly suspended recruitment following a COVID-19 lockdown in the city of Zhengzhou.
As reported by SCMP:
The world's largest iPhone factory, operated by Foxconn Technology Group at its vast manufacturing complex in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, has suspended the recruitment of new workers after the local government imposed a seven-day lockdown as part of Covid-19 control measures.
The measures come in response to a total number of 14 new cases in the city, with the lockdown expected to last until Tuesday. Measures include working from home and remote learning for school children online. According to posts from various hiring agencies on social media, Foxconn has frozen its hiring process of assembly line personnel "until further notice."
It comes within hours of reports the company had been asked to step up its recruitment of employees early for the iPhone 14 because Apple is worried about COVID disruption. The company is offering large cash incentives to employees who refer new recruits, as well as bonuses for new recruits themselves.
Zhengzhou has been operating a closed-loop system for workers that allows them to move between the factory and their dormitories but not elsewhere. Foxconn told Reuters on Wednesday that production remained "unchanged" at the facility. The plant is responsible for making 60-80% of all the world's iPhones, including its current best iPhone, the iPhone 13.
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