EY India finally breaks silence over 26-year-old employee's death due to 'work stress'

Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old Chartered Accountant, seemed to have a promising future ahead. But in the early hours of July 20, 2024, her journey was tragically cut short, leaving behind a grieving family and serious questions about the work culture at one of the world’s biggest firms. Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, shared an unsettling email sent to EY India boss Rajiv Memani, accusing the company of pushing her daughter to the brink with relentless work pressure.

Anna had only been at EY member firm S R Batliboi for four months, but those months were filled with long hours, late-night calls, and missed weekends. Anita recounted how Anna's assistant manager once called her late at night, giving her an impossible task to complete by the next morning. “You can work at night; that’s what we all do,” was the dismissive response she received when she expressed her concerns. Tragically, her complaints of chest constriction went unnoticed by the firm.

Following the heartbreaking event, EY India expressed their sorrow, calling Anna’s death an "irreparable loss for all." In a statement, they assured that they had provided support to the family during their time of distress. However, the firm’s promises to “improve the workplace” for its employees came only after Anita’s scathing letter, which called out the “glorification of overwork.”

While the exact cause of Anna’s death remains unclear, her mother hopes it will serve as a wake-up call for the firm to prioritise the health and well-being of its employees. Whether this will lead to lasting change at EY remains to be seen.