Union Labour Ministry to investigate death of young CA amid allegations of work-related stress

PTC Web Desk: The Union Labour Ministry has started an investigation into the death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, a chartered accountant at Ernst and Young (EY) India, Pune, following public outrage over allegations that work-related stress led to her untimely death. Anna, who had recently joined the Pune office of EY India, died in July 2024, just four months into her job.

Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje expressed deep sorrow over Anna’s death, and said a thorough probe into the accusations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment was underway. In a post on X, she reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to justice: "Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. A thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is underway. We are committed to ensuring justice & @LabourMinistry has officially taken up the complaint. @mansukhmandviya."

The minister’s response came after BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed concern, calling Anna’s death “disturbing at many levels” and urging an inquiry into the family's claims that the company’s culture pushed employees to overwork.

Her mother's heartbreaking letter

In a letter addressed to EY India chairman, Anna's mother Anita Augustine shared her grief and frustration. In the heartfelt note, she described her daughter’s tragic journey from an ambitious, high-achieving student to a victim of unbearable work pressure. "Anna was thrilled to have joined such a prestigious firm, but just four months later, our world collapsed when she passed away. She was only 26," Anita wrote.

Anita recounted how, despite being unwell, Anna pushed herself to attend work and meet deadlines. During a family visit for Anna’s Chartered Accountancy convocation in Pune in early July, they took her to a hospital due to chest pains. While her tests showed no severe issues, doctors advised her to rest. Yet, Anna felt compelled to continue working, even on the day of her convocation.

"It was my daughter’s dream to take us to her convocation with her hard-earned money. Even during those days, she couldn’t relax due to work pressure," her mother wrote. Anita recalled that Anna worked late into the night, often collapsing in exhaustion, only to be asked for more reports the next day. Her attempts to voice her concerns were met with dismissive responses, with her assistant manager telling her, "You can work at night, that’s what we all do."

Despite the family’s advice to quit, Anna wanted to continue learning and gaining experience. Sadly, the mounting stress proved too overwhelming, and she died on July 20, 2024.

The family expressed their deep disappointment that no representative from EY attended Anna’s funeral, adding to their sorrow. "Anna deserved better, and so do all employees working under such conditions," her mother wrote, hoping her daughter’s death would bring about meaningful change.

EY’s response

Ernst & Young India released a statement, expressing profound sadness over Anna’s death and offering condolences to the grieving family. "We are deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian’s tragic and untimely passing. While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all assistance we can in this distressing time and will continue to do so," the statement read.

The company assured that it was taking the family’s concerns seriously and highlighted the importance of employee well-being. "We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve our workplace for our 1,00,000 people across EY member firms in India," the company added.