No one from company attended funeral, says father of Anna Sebastian who died from work stress

Kochi: The father of Anna Sebastian, a young accountant who recently passed away, has said that the excessive workload at Ernst and Young (EY) in Pune contributed to her death. A letter from Anna's mother to the CEO of EY is currently being discussed on social media platforms.

EY is the fourth-largest multinational accounting firm in India. However, after starting her job there, Anna Sebastian faced such a heavy workload that her father, Sibi Joseph, said she could hardly sleep or eat. He also alleged that not a single representative from the company attended her last rites, despite their unit being located in Kochi Infopark.

Anna had achieved her Chartered Accountancy (CA) on her second attempt and secured a job at EY by the end of March, fulfilling her dream of becoming a chartered accountant. As a new employee who found it hard to say 'no,' she often took on extra late-night work. Most of her assignments were given in the evenings, and the manager's meetings were rescheduled around cricket matches. On one occasion, the manager instructed Anna to finish her work overnight, and when she requested more time, her plea was denied.

Anna’s colleagues reported that the work environment was even more challenging than described in her mother’s letter. Anna often expressed her struggles and considered quitting her job, and her parents encouraged her to do so. However, her father noted that she chose to stay, believing her friends' advice that she would gain valuable experience by working there for a year.

Two weeks before her death, Anna was hospitalised for chest pain, which doctors attributed to lack of sleep and irregular eating habits. Due to her demanding schedule, she was unable to spend time with her parents when they attended her CA graduation ceremony in Pune, and her mother had noted in the letter that Anna arrived late for the event.

Her father also said that he received no assistance from the company in getting Anna to the hospital or bringing her home after her death.