Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES), a Pune-based labour union for IT employees, has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding an independent and thorough investigation into the death of Anna Sebastian, a 26-year-old Chartered Accountant employed at Ernst & Young (EY) in the city, allegedly due to extreme work pressure.
Harpreet Singh Saluja, President of NITES, wrote in the letter, "This heartbreaking event has shaken the IT and finance sector, raising serious concerns about the mental health and safety of employees in high-pressure corporate environments. It is deeply concerning that no representatives from the company attended her funeral, demonstrating a stark disregard for the value of human life and the well-being of their employees. Such incidents not only point to a toxic work culture but also highlight the urgent need for systematic changes to prevent further loss of life."
"We respectfully urge the Ministry of Home Affairs to initiate an independent and thorough investigation into this incident. We believe an impartial inquiry will bring much-needed clarity regarding the work conditions and practices at EY, as well as ensure that those responsible for creating an unhealthy and hazardous work environment are held accountable. Furthermore, the investigation should focus on whether the company complied with the legal and ethical obligations to ensure the mental health and safety of its employees," Saluja added.
Meanwhile, EY has issued a statement.
"We are deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian's tragic and untimely passing in July 2024," EY said. Since the death, EY has been in touch with the family, helping them, but it is only now that her family has chosen to write to the company, complaining about the "excessive workload". EY said it would continue to improve and provide a healthy workplace in its offices throughout the country.
"Anna was a part of the Audit team at SR Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us," EY said in the statement.
It went on to state that while no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, the firm has provided all the assistance and will continue to do so.
"We are taking the family's correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility. We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 100,000 people across EY member firms in India," it added.
