In an unfortunate incident, a 30-year-old woman in Thailand's Sukhothai collapsed at work and died a day after her manager denied her sick leave request, reported the Bangkok Post. The woman, named May, worked with an electroincs plant named Delta Electronics.
As per the report, May's friend claimed that she had taken sick leave from September 5 to 9, after she was diagnosed with an inflamed large intestine. She had submitted her medical certificates. She was also admitted at hospital for four days.
On September 12, May asked her manager to provide her with more offs, as her condition deteriorated. Her manager sought another medical certificate and denied her request. Scared of losing her job, May went to work on September 13. Within 20 minutes of working, she collapsed and was rushed to a hospital. However, she passed away the following day, as claimed by the deceased's friend.
Victor Cheng, CEO of Delta Electronics, later took to social media and expressed condolences over the emlpoyee's death. In a statement on Facebook, Cheng wrote, “Delta Electronics is deeply saddened by the tragic passing of one of its team members. The company extends its heartfelt thoughts and condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time."
“At Delta Electronics, our people are the foundation of our success, and we are devastated by this loss. Our priority is to provide unwavering support to the employee’s family at this trying time,” it further read.
The company further stated that it has launched a thorough investigation to establish the facts
"The company has launched a comprehensive investigation to establish the facts surrounding this incident. Delta Electronics remains committed to transparency and responsibility and will keep all relevant parties informed as more information becomes available", it said.
The company urged the public not to 'speculate further and provide privacy to the family'.
"Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, further details cannot be provided at this time. Delta Electronics appreciates the public’s patience and understanding and respectfully requests the public not to speculate further and instead provide privacy for the family during this sensitive period,” the statement further read.
Rising concerns about work-life balance
It is pertinent to note that the incident occurs at a time when there are rising discourses about work-life balance.
On September 24, i.e., Tuesday, a 45-year-old woman collapsed at work and died after falling off a chair at her office in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. She was reportedly under work stress, as per her collegues.
Moreover, the tragic death of 26-year-old chartered accountant Anna Sebastian Perayil from EY in Pune, earlier this month, has also sparked discussions on lack of work-life balance in corporate culture.
