Anita Augustine, the mother of CA Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old Ernst & Young (EY) employee who allegedly died due to work-related stress, has accused the company of releasing her daughter’s final settlement only after intense media scrutiny.
According to Anita, EY did not initially fulfil its commitment to pay Anna’s dues, including compensation outlined in her employment contract.
In her letter, Anita Augustine described Anna as “full of life, dreams, and excitement for the future” and lamented that her daughter’s first job, which initially brought her so much joy, ended in such a devastating tragedy.
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Anna’s father, Sibi Joseph, in an interview with news agency IANS, shared that his daughter was under immense pressure, “hardly getting any sleep and unable to eat properly” due to the overwhelming workload. Despite their advice to resign, Anna was determined to continue working at the “reputed firm.” Joseph revealed that Anna often worked past midnight, particularly while auditing Bajaj Auto, and would return to her accommodation around 1:30 am. She frequently voiced her concerns about her work situation to her parents, who even took her to a cardiologist. While the doctor found her physically healthy, they confirmed she lacked adequate sleep and proper nutrition.
Anna passed away on July 20, 2024, after succumbing to what her family described as extreme work pressure. Despite the family’s deep sense of loss, they have decided not to pursue legal action against the company, as the letter written by her mother to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani was meant to prevent such incidents from happening to others. The letter condemned the “glorification of overwork” at EY and called for a reassessment of the firm’s work culture.
Anna’s Final Settlement and Media Attention
Anita Augustine claims that EY released her daughter’s final settlement only on September 18, two months after Anna’s death, following media pressure. According to her, Anna’s offer letter stated that in the event of her death, the company would pay three times her last drawn CTC (Cost to Company), which amounted to ₹28.5 lakh. Anita stated that this amount was only paid after extensive media coverage of the issue.
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In contrast, EY’s affiliate S R Batliboi, where Anna worked in Pune, claimed to the Maharashtra labour department that it had already deposited ₹28.5 lakh as part of her employment for the period from March 11, 2024, to July 19, 2024.
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The firm also claimed that it had provided double remuneration and compensatory offs for extra work. However, Anita refuted these claims, asserting that the payment was made under the company’s clause for an employee’s demise, not as compensation for additional work.
Anna’s father confirmed that despite her deteriorating health, she had continued working, even reporting to the office on her last day, July 20, to resolve an issue with her laptop. Mobile chat records between Anna and her manager, shared by the family, supported this claim.
Following Anna’s death, the Union Labour Ministry launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her demise. Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed that the investigation was ongoing, and necessary action would be taken based on its findings. Shobha Karandlaje, Deputy Labour Minister, stated that a thorough probe into allegations of an “unsafe and exploitative work environment” was underway.
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In response to the tragic incident, Rajiv Memani denied that work pressure was responsible for Anna’s death, asserting that EY, with over 100,000 employees in India, does not believe excessive work demands could lead to such an outcome.
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EY also released a statement expressing sorrow over Anna’s passing and committed to exploring ways to improve and maintain a healthy work environment.
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