26-Year-Old EY Pune Employee Dies Due to ‘Work Stress,’ Mother Pens Heartfelt Letter to Firm’s India Boss
26-Year-Old EY Pune Employee Dies Due to ‘Work Stress,’ Mother Pens Heartfelt Letter to Firm’s India Boss
Anna Sebastian Perayil, a young Chartered Accountant, tragically passed away four months after joining EY Pune. Her mother blames the company’s work culture for her daughter’s untimely death.
A 26-year-old Chartered Accountant, Anna Sebastian Perayil, who had recently joined EY Pune, one of the Big Four accounting firms, died due to what her family described as extreme work stress. Just four months into her role, Perayil’s mother, Anita Augustine, wrote a heart-wrenching letter to the company’s India head, Rajiv Memani, criticizing EY’s work culture and its apparent disregard for employee well-being.
Anna, a CA from Kerala, started working at EY Pune in March 2024. It was her first job, and she dedicated herself to meeting the high demands placed upon her. However, the relentless workload took a heavy toll on her physical and mental health, as she struggled with anxiety, sleeplessness and stress, according to her mother.
In her letter, Augustine described how her daughter was “burdened with backbreaking work” and how many of her colleagues had resigned due to the intense pressure. Despite this, Anna’s manager urged her to “stick around” and prove herself. The stress was compounded when her manager rescheduled meetings during cricket matches and assigned work late in the day, making it nearly impossible for Anna to find any respite.
One particularly troubling incident, recounted by Augustine, involved a task being assigned late at night with a deadline for the following morning, leaving Anna with no time to rest. When she expressed her concerns, she was told, “You can work at night; that’s what we all do.” This pattern of late-night tasks and weekend work pushed Anna to her breaking point.
Despite her deteriorating condition, Anna was determined to learn and grow in her role, refusing to quit even when her family urged her to. She often returned home exhausted, sometimes collapsing from fatigue. “She was a fighter, not someone who gave up easily,” her mother said, but the overwhelming workload eventually proved too much for her to bear.
In her letter, Augustine accused EY of “glorifying overwork” and lamented how her daughter, being new to the organization and environment, felt overwhelmed by both her assigned and unassigned tasks. She explained that Anna did not have the experience to push back or set boundaries, leading her to push herself beyond her limits.
Augustine’s letter also highlighted the stark difference between the company’s human rights statements and the harsh reality her daughter experienced. She called on the company to reflect on its work culture and take meaningful steps to prioritize employee health and well-being.
Adding to the family’s grief, Augustine noted that none of Anna’s colleagues from EY Pune attended her funeral, a fact that deeply hurt the family. Even after the funeral, Augustine’s attempts to reach out to her daughter’s managers went unanswered.
While the exact cause of Anna’s death remains unclear, her mother revealed that in the weeks leading up to her passing, she had complained of chest pain. A hospital visit ruled out any serious heart issues, and Anna was prescribed antacids for stress-related symptoms. Despite these reassurances, Anna died on July 20, 2024.
Her mother concluded the letter by calling for Anna’s death to serve as a “wake-up call” for the company, urging EY to reconsider its work practices and ensure the well-being of its employees.
