Ernst & Young

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Authorities in two Indian states that are driving its economic growth are drafting tighter workplace rules and inspections to protect white collar employees following the death of a young executive at global consultancy Ernst & Young (EY), which her family blamed on overwork.

Deloitte recently laid off around 250 advisory staff members in the UK, while EY's annual report on Thursday revealed a reduction of 2,450 employees over the past fiscal year, a first in 14 years

Several of the fired employees expressed disbelief, arguing they were unaware they were breaking any rules and that their intention was merely to attend interesting sessions

The global consulting firm, EY, is expected to assist the electric two-wheeler maker in various service-related areas with a focus on streamlining business processes and optimising inventory

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday stressed on the need to ensure that labour laws are strictly adhered to in all sectors of the country. Employees are subjected to restless work, threats of dismissal and denial of labour rights in some sectors including the IT sector in the country, he told the state Assembly. The Chief Minister was replying to a Calling Attention motion moved in the House regarding the recent death of Anna Sebastian, a 26-year-old chartered accountant who allegedly died due to work-related stress four months after joining Ernst & Young (EY) in Pune. It is necessary to ensure that labour laws are strictly followed in all sectors of the country. Vijayan stated that the lease agreement signed with the companies operating in the IT parks in the state stipulates that all labour laws in the state must be followed. "If these conditions are not complied with, employees can seek action according to the existing legal provisions," he pointed out. Although .

The recent death of EY employee Anna Sebastian Perayil, which led to a widespread discussion about work-life balance, prompts major firms to reform their work cultures amid allegations of exploitation

The law caps the maximum working hours for adults at nine hours each day and 48 hours each week

The ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerala on Monday lashed out at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over her statement on the recent death of a young CA professional employed with audit major EY, and demanded her apology. Anna Sebastian Perayil, who cracked the tough Chartered Accountant exam in 2023 and worked at Ernst and Young, Pune office for four months, died in July. According to a letter her mother wrote to the EY India Chairman, Perayil was overworked with a "backbreaking" load as a new employee that affected her "physically, emotionally, and mentally". In an event held at Chennai on Saturday, Sitharaman had in an apparent reference to the incident, said families should teach the children to handle pressure through divinity. "What should families teach--whatever you study and the job you do, you should have the inner strength to handle that pressure and this can be achieved through divinity only. "Believe in God, we need to have God's grace. Seek God,

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday spoke with the parents of Anna Sebastian Perayil, who died due to alleged extreme work pressure at Ernst & Young, and assured them that he will fight for the cause of improving working conditions for the millions of professionals in India. Gandhi spoke with the parents of Anna Sebastian via a video call arranged by the Chairman of All India Professionals' Congress (AIPC) Praveen Chakravarty who visited their home in Kochi. He offered his sympathies at Anna's sudden and tragic demise and lauded the family's courage and selflessness to speak up at this extremely difficult moment about this issue in the larger interest of improving working conditions for the millions of professionals in India, a statement issued by the AIPC said. Gandhi assured them that he will fight for this cause in his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition, it said. Gandhi also instructed the AIPC Chairman to create an awareness movement in Anna's .

'Completely alien to our culture', says Rajiv Memani after letter written by grieving mother of deceased employee creates controversy

Anna Sebastian Perayil died in July: Mother blames 'backbreaking work' at company

Real change, and not condolences, is what is needed and India Inc must take steps, including setting clear work-life 'boundaries' and holding leaders responsible for toxic work environments, to foster a healthier workplace culture, RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka said on Thursday. Reacting to the death of a 26-year-old chartered accountant, who worked with Ernst & Young, allegedly due to extreme work pressure at the firm, Goenka listed six actions, in a post on X, for India Inc to take urgently "following Anna Sebastian Perayil's of EYs tragic death to foster a healthier workplace culture". He called for implementation of mental health programmes, manageable workloads, and wellness initiatives to prioritise well-being, while also recommending support to new hires by offering mentorship to help employees adjust to new roles and environments. Asking corporates to tackle burnout, Goenka called them to "end the glorification of overwork; reward efficiency, not long ...

Highlighting the condition of employees in private firms across India, TMC MP Saket Gokhale has called for an urgent investigation into the working conditions at EY

The tragic death of an EY employee has sparked social media discussions about the importance of work-life balance and burnout, which, according to a McKinsey report, is a greater concern for Asians

In a letter to EY India Chairman Anna Sebastian Perayil's mother said her daughter passed away due to excessive workload

The report also stated that though the Indian AI market was at a nascent stage, it was expected to mirror the global AI market growth rate of 25-35 per cent over the next 3-4 years

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2024-25

The report said to enhance global competitiveness of exporters and offset the cost disabilities, govt should introduce a special credit package with fiscal incentives for the e-commerce export sector

The court also said that the firms, along with the partners, are also liable to reply to the ICAI notices