Shashi Tharoor calls for 40-hour work week after tragic death of EY employee

In response to the tragic death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, a chartered accountant from Kerala employed at Ernst & Young's (EY) Pune office, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has called for legislative action to enforce a 40-hour work week.

Anna passed away in July, reportedly due to the intense work pressure at the firm, prompting her family to raise concerns about workplace stress. Anna's mother, Anita Augustine, wrote to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani, criticizing the culture of overwork at the company.

In a social media post, Tharoor revealed he had an emotional conversation with Anna's father, Sibi Joseph, who highlighted the extreme working conditions his daughter faced - 14-hour days, seven days a week, during her brief four-month tenure at the company.

Tharoor, who represents Thiruvananthapuram in Parliament, vowed to raise the issue of overwork during the next parliamentary session, advocating for a fixed work schedule across both public and private sectors. "Inhumanity at the workplace must be legislated out of existence with stringent punishment and fines for offenders," he stated, emphasizing the need to protect human rights within workplaces.

Anna’s father, Sibi Joseph, shared that he had advised his daughter to resign due to the grueling work conditions, but she persisted, believing it would offer valuable career experience. He also claimed that despite raising concerns with senior management, no changes were made, and his daughter was compelled to continue working late into the night.

The family expressed their grief not only at her passing but also at the lack of response from the company, revealing that no EY representative attended Anna’s funeral. While they are not pursuing legal action, they hope to prevent others from experiencing similar stress and overwork.

EY responded by expressing deep sorrow over Anna's death and stated that they had been in contact with the family, though it was only after the mother’s viral letter that concerns about excessive workload were formally raised. EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani, in a statement, acknowledged the absence of company representatives at the funeral as a regrettable lapse and assured that the firm prioritizes employee well-being.

Memani, sharing his condolences on LinkedIn, committed to fostering a healthier work environment at EY, saying, "I will personally champion this objective and will not rest until it is achieved."

Meanwhile, the Union government has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Anna’s death, as public attention continues to grow over workplace pressures in the corporate sector.