Shashi Tharoor, a prominent Congress leader, expressed his concern following the tragic death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a chartered accountant from Kerala employed at Ernst & Young (EY). In a heartfelt message shared on social media platform X, Tharoor recounted his emotional conversation with Anna’s father, Sibi Joseph, describing it as “heartrending.”
Anna, who passed away due to cardiac arrest, had endured four months of relentless stress, reportedly working seven-day weeks with 14-hour shifts at EY, according to her family. Tharoor emphasized that such inhumane working conditions need immediate legislative intervention. He announced his intention to advocate for a fixed work calendar in Parliament, which would ensure no employee, whether in the private or public sector, works more than eight hours a day, five days a week.
“Inhumanity at the workplace must be legislated out of existence with stringent punishments for offenders,” Tharoor declared, stressing that human rights should extend to the workplace as well. He vowed to address the issue in the upcoming session of Parliament.
Anna’s death on June 20, attributed to cardiac arrest, has raised significant concerns about workplace culture and excessive workloads. In an open letter, Anna’s mother detailed her daughter’s struggles with stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness due to her overwhelming workload. She highlighted instances where managers prioritized work over the well-being of employees, leaving Anna physically and mentally exhausted. Anna, who was working as part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, an EY Global member firm, faced severe pressure, often working late into the night and on weekends.
The tragic incident has sparked conversations about the need for better employee protections and healthier work environments.
