This is what EY says about the death of the 26-year-old CA due to work overload

Ernst & Young issued a statement on Wednesday after the death of a 26-year-old accountant, allegedly due to extreme work pressure at the firm, went viral on social media, shining a spotlight on work-related stress.

“We are deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian’s tragic and untimely death in July 2024,” EY said.

Read the statement here

EY has been in contact with the plaintiff and supporting her since her death, but only now has the family decided to write to the company and complain about the “excessive workload”.

EY announced it will continue to improve workplaces and ensure healthy workplaces in its offices across the country.

Anna Sebastian Perayil, who passed her CA exams in 2023, worked at EY's Pune office for four months before she succumbed. Her mother wrote to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani this month, pointing out the “glorification” of overwork at the multinational consulting firm.

“Anna was part of the audit team at SR Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a short period of four months and joined the firm on March 18, 2024. That her promising career has ended in this tragic way is an irreparable loss for all of us,” EY said in the statement.

It went on to say that no measure could compensate for the family's loss, but that the company had provided all possible support and would continue to do so.

“We receive the family's correspondence with utmost sincerity and humility. The wellbeing of all employees is of paramount importance to us and we will continue to look for ways to provide and improve a healthy workplace for our 100,000 employees in EY member firms in India,” it added.