Overtime work at Foxconn still beyond China’s legal limits

Apple supplier Foxconn has improved factory conditions since a series of worker suicides drew attention to the company’s labor practices in 2010, but workers still do more overtime than permitted by Chinese labor law, an audit of its operations has found.

Foxconn is “not in compliance” with Chinese law allowing only 36 hours of overtime a month, according to an inspection by the Fair Labor Association, a monitoring group brought in by Apple to help the company improve working conditions. FLA’s report is its final verification that Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industries, is adhering to earlier agreed upon plans to improve working conditions. Although overtime remains a problem, the company made progress reducing working hours and improved factory facilities by building additional exits and toilets. After this, FLA said it “expects . . . Apple will continue to monitor compliance at Foxconn.”