Govt probing allegations by EY employee’s mom about firm’s work culture
EY India later issued a statement describing Anna’s death as an “irreparable loss” to the firm. Photo: Bloomberg
The government on Thursday said it has started a “thorough investigation” of allegations made by the mother of Anna Sebastian Perayil of exploitative work environment at EY India.
Perayil, who was a part of the audit team at SR Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune died in July. Her mother, Anita Augustine, wrote a letter to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani and blamed “backbreaking work” at the company for her death.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil,” Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Labour & Employment, wrote on X on Thursday.
“A thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is underway. We are committed to ensuring justice & @LabourMinistry has officially taken up the complaint,” said Karandlaje.
She wrote this on a X post by former union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar who had shared a news article on Perayil and called the death “disturbing at many levels”.
“I rqst Govt of India @mansukhmandviya @ShobhaBJP to investigate these allegations made by the mother of unsafe and exploitative work environment that claimed the life of young , full of future Anna Sebastian Perayil,” Chandrasekhar wrote.
“Anna would return to her room utterly exhausted, sometimes collapsing on the bed without even changing her clothes, only to be bombarded with messages asking for more reports. She was putting in her best efforts, working very hard to meet the deadlines,” said Augustine in her letter that has become viral on social media.
EY India has issued a statement saying that Anna’s death was an “irreparable loss” to the company. “That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us,” it said.
“While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so,” said the company.
First Published: Sep 19 2024 | 1:16 PM IST