The Maharashtra Labour Department investigation has revealed that Ernst & Young (EY) office in Pune, which employed the 26-year-old Anna Sebastian, who died allegedly due to "overwhelming workload", was operating without a mandatory registration under the state's Shops and Establishments Act.
Pune Additional Labour Commissioner, Shailendra Pol, whose team inspected the EY office, told news agency Reuters, "The company applied for registration with the labour department only in February 2024 and we rejected it because it had not applied since 2007 when it started this office." He added that the multinational company had been given seven days to explain the lapse.
According to the law, the maximum working hours for adults are nine hours per day and 48 hours per week. If non-compliance results in an accident causing serious bodily injury or death of a worker, it could lead to imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to ₹5 lakh or both.
Anna Sebastian, a young chartered accountant (CA) from Kerala, worked at EY Pune for four months. She died on July 20. Her death sparked a nationwide debate on work-life balance, mental health, and corporate accountability.
The tax consultancy major issued a statement expressing deep sadness over the death. The statement came after a heart-wrenching letter written by Anna's mother went viral on social media, alleging that EY's work culture and excessive workload contributed to her daughter's death. In the letter, Anna's mother detailed her struggles with anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress due to an overwhelming workload, citing instances where her manager prioritised work over employee well-being.
EY's response acknowledged Anna's brief tenure at the firm and expressed condolences to the bereaved family. EY stated, "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." The firm assured that it has provided assistance to the family and will continue to do so.
