Ernst & Young Pune employee, 26, dies due to 'work pressure'; mother writes to firm | Read FULL letter here
A 26-year-old EY employee in Pune tragically passed away due to an alleged 'overwhelming workload,' prompting her mother to write a heartfelt letter to EY India's chairman, highlighting the need for work-life balance and support for new employees.
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FollowA 26-year-old employee of international consulting company Ernst & Young (EY) in Pune died from a "overwhelming workload," according to her mother. Anna Sebastian Perayil had just been a chartered accountant at EY for four months when she died from work-related stress, according to her mother, Anita Augustine, in a letter to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani.
Anna's mother wrote in her letter that Ernst & Young was her daughter's first employer and that she was excited to work there. But after just four months, she gave up due to "excessive workload." Anna worked late into the night and on weekends, returned to her paying guest accommodation completely exhausted on most days, and was burdened with “backbreaking work” as a newcomer, the letter claimed.
No one from Ernst & Young attended her funeral, Anna’s mother said in her heartbreaking letter.
"Anna was a school and college top performer, excelled in extracurricular activities, and completed her CA examinations with distinction. She worked relentlessly at EY, giving her all to satisfy the demands made of her. However, the workload, unfamiliar atmosphere, and long hours took their toll on her physically, emotionally, and mentally," Anita Augustine said in her letter to EY India's chairman.
She stated that Anna began working at EY Pune on March 19, 2024. She died on July 20, only four months later. The team that joined at EY was one where several employees had already resigned due to excessive workload.
“The team manager told her, ‘Anna, you must stick around and change everyone's opinion about our team.’ My child didn't realize she would pay for that with her life,” her mother said, adding that the company and her manager showed no consideration for a new employee who had moved away from her hometown and was struggling to adjust in a new city where she did not know the people or the language.
“No one from EY attended Anna's funeral… After her funeral, I reached out to her managers, but I received no reply. How can a company that speaks of values and human rights fail to show up for one of its own in their final moments?” her mother asked.
Her death should “serve as a wake-up call for EY,” Augustine said, adding a stern message for the chairman: “I hope this letter reaches you with the gravity it deserves.”
With the help of her letter, Anita Augustine also aimed to spread awareness, saying: “I hope my child’s experience leads to real change so that no other family has to endure the grief and trauma we are going through.”
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