Mother of EY Employee Alleges That Daughter Died Due to Work Related Stress

The mother of an employee of Ernst & Young India, who passed away due to cardiac arrest in July 2024, has written a soul-stirring letter to the company’s manager. In the letter, she claimed that her daughter died of overwork and work-related stress.

Anita Augustine wrote that her daughter Anna Sebastian Perayil completed her chartered accountancy (CA) exams on November 23 last year, and joined EY Pune on March 19.

“EY was her first job, and she was thrilled to be part of such a prestigious company. But four months later, on July 20th, 2024, my world collapsed when I received the devastating news that Anna had passed away. She was just 26 years old,” she wrote.

Anna was told that the team she joined had seen many people leave due to excess work pressure, however, her manager asked her to stick around to break that perception. Anna believed that hardwork and perseverance were the keys to success.”

“She worked tirelessly at EY, giving 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,” Ms Augustine recalled.

She began experiencing chest constriction in July. Her ECG results were normal, but the cardiologist told her family that she was not getting sufficient sleep and she was eating late at night. They prescribed antacids for her.

Anita has urged the management of Ernst & Young to show some consideration to new employees and to reflect upon their work culture that seems to glorify overworking. Her death should be a wake-up call for the company. She urges them to prioritise the health and wellness of the employees.

“Anna’s experience sheds light on a work culture that seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human beings behind the roles. This is not just about my daughter, it's about every young professional who joins EY filled with hopes and dreams, only to be crushed under the weight of unrealistic expectations”, she rightly wrote.

May Anna’s story inspire us to look into our hectic work culture. Her touching story makes us reflect on crucial subjects like work-life balance and toxic work culture. Our mental health and physical health should take priority over extreme work pressures.

Surprisingly, no one from Anna’s company attended her funeral, which the family found to be very hurtful.

“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. My Anna is no longer with us, but her story can still make a difference,” the poignant letter concluded.

Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday said the labour ministry has taken up the complaint and is investigating the case of the 26-year-old employee of Ernst & Young (EY), Pune.