EY employee death: Centre launches probe into ‘work environment’ at firm; family says Anna collapsed at home on July 20

The deceased 26-year-old employee Anna Sebastian Perayil’s mother had alleged in a letter to the India head of EY Rajiv Memani that her daughter died due to “work pressure” at the firm.

On Thursday, Anna’s family said she had collapsed after reaching home from office on July 20, and was declared “dead on arrival” at the hospital.

“On July 20, Anna returned home from the office late in the evening and suddenly collapsed. She was taken to the hospital where the doctors declared her dead… Before that she had no  health issues,” the family told The Indian Express.

The family’s clarification about Anna’s death comes amid speculation she allegedly died by suicide. In the letter to Memani, Anita Augustine highlighted the alleged difficulties her daughter underwent during her four month tenure at the firm and that she succumbed to “work pressure”.

The firm had denied the allegations and promised to continue to take steps to make the firm’s work environment healthier.

Anita Augustine had alleged that there was an exploitative work environment at EY.

Augustine had said her daughter was always a fighter right from childhood through to her academic years, where she excelled in everything she did. “She was a school topper, and a college topper, excelled in extracurricular activities, and passed her CA exams with distinction.”

Stating that her daughter put in her best at EY but was weighed down by the workload, Augustine said, “Anna worked tirelessly at EY, giving it her all to meet the demands placed on her. However, the workload, new environment, and long hours took a toll on her physically, emotionally, and mentally. She began experiencing anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress soon after joining. But she kept pushing herself, believing that hard work and perseverance were the keys to success.”

Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said, “Whether it is a white-collar job or any other job, worker or employee at any level… if a country’s citizen dies, then we obviously feel sad about it. An investigation is underway in the matter and steps will be taken on the basis of the investigation.”

— With PTI inputs