EY India ‘saddened’ after employee’s death due to work stress; netizens say, ‘Capitalism lives because the workers die’

Ernst & Young (EY), one of the Big Four accounting firms, has issued a statement following the tragic death of their 26-year-old employee, Anna Sebastian Perayil, from Pune.

A Chartered Accountant (CA) from Kerala, Anna was part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi. Perayil had worked at the EY Pune office for four months before she succumbed. The mother of the deceased young woman had sent a mail to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani flagging the ‘glorification’ of overwork at the multinational consulting firm.

Also Read: SEBI employees complain to govt about ‘toxic work culture’, say ‘public humiliation’ a norm in meetings: Report

The comapny's statement read, “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. While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so.” 

‘Typical corporate response’

Meanwhile, the reactions have garnered social media reactions. A user wrote in a post on X, “The news coming from Pune of EY employee is so shattering. But getting an idea of toxicity one face at big 4 is not surprising to me. Senior professionals makes the culture so bad and difficult. You give your days and nights and still they will be unsatisfied.”

Another one said, “26-year-old EY Pune employee succumbs to 'work stress' 4 months after joining. Mother writes to Firm's India boss. We need laws which protect people from Narayana Murthy kind of bosses who think that employees are slaves.”

Also Read: Finding your calm in a toxic work environment

A user pointed out, “Capitalism lives because the workers die. EY Pune employee, 26, died due to work stress. No one from company attended her funeral.”

“Typical corporate response for EY episode would be not to improve its work culture, but to check health of employees to make sure they are fit enough to be exploited,” said a user.

Another user commented, “EY PUNE or any other company should focus towards creating a comfortable environment and not a toxic environment, the government should bring some changes to the policies, like 8 working hours, employees should take at least two days off in a week.”

“EY Pune employee died due to work-related stress. This is a wake-up call for all companies and the government to prioritize mental health and work-life balance. No job is worth more than a life,” wrote a user.

The incident was brought to attention when the CA's mother wrote a letter to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani regarding her daughter's death. In her poignant message, she also noted that no representatives from EY attended the funeral.

Steps to address toxic work culture in India

In India, there are several ways to report a toxic work culture:

1. Report to the Employer or Internal Complaints Committee (ICC): If your company has an ICC, you can report the issue directly to them. If harassment persists or if the employer fails to take action, you can submit a formal complaint with the ICC.

2. File a Complaint with the Ministry of Labour & Employment: You can file a complaint either online through the CPGRAMS Portal or in person.

3. File a Police Complaint: If you have sufficient evidence, you can lodge a complaint with the police. In severe cases, you may also file a civil suit or a criminal complaint under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

What EY said in a statement on employee's death

“We are deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian's tragic and untimely passing in July 2024, and our deepest condolences go to the bereaved family.

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. While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress 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."