After EY Pune employee Anna Sebastian’s death, Centre takes up complaint

Union minister of state Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday said the labour ministry has taken up the complaint and is investigating into the death of 26-year-old employee of Ernst & Young (EY), Pune.
Anna Sebastian Perayil, who succumbed to work-related stress as claimed by her mother in an email to EY India boss Rajiv Memani, was a chartered accountant (CA) from Kerala.
“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,” the Union minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises and labour and employment posted on X.
Also Read | EY India boss on employee Anna Sebastian Perayil’s death: ‘Don’t believe work pressure claimed her life’
Shobha Karandlaje was responding to a post by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who called the woman’s death very sad and “disturbing at many levels”. The former Union minister also sought a probe into her family’s allegations of an exploitative work environment at EY India.
“This is very sad but also disturbing at many levels. I rqst Govt of India @mansukhmandviya @ShobhaBJP to investigate these allegations made by the mother of unsafe and exploitative work environment that claimed the life of young , full of future Anna Sebastian,” Rajeev Chandrasekhar posted.
Anna Sebastian Perayil, who passed her CA exams in 2023, worked at EY Pune office for four months before she succumbed. Her mother, Anita Augustine, this month wrote to EY India chairman Rajiv Memani flagging the “glorification” of overwork at the multinational consulting firm.
In its statement, EY on Wednesday said it was “deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian’s tragic and untimely passing in July 2024”.
Since the death, EY has been in touch with the family, helping them but it is only now that her family has chosen to write to the company, complaining about the “excessive workload”.
EY said it would continue to improve and provide a healthy workplace in its offices throughout the country.
“Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us,” the EY said in the statement.
It went on to state that while no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, the firm has provided all the assistance and will continue to do so.
“We are taking the family’s correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility. We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 100,000 people across EY member firms in India,” it added.