The Ernst & Young (EY) office in Pune, one of whose young employees lost her life due to overwork, operated since 2007 without a state permit that regulates work hours. This was revealed during the Labour Commissioner’s inspection of the company office in Pune’s Yerwada on Monday.
The company, which has been running since 2007, does not have a Shop Act license but it applied for it online in February this year, India Today TV reported citing sources. After the death of 26-year-old Chartered Accountant (CA) Anna Sebastian Perayil, the Labour Commissionerate inspected the company office in Pune’s Yerwada.
A licence under the Shop Act is a legal requirement under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act. This Act regulates work conditions, including employee rights, working hours, wages and safety. Firms and businesses have to obtain this licence from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to operate legally.
Additional Labour Commissioner Shailendra Pol said, “Our officials visited the premises and made several observations. The company has been given seven days to respond to those findings.”
He added that the report on events surrounding the 26-year-old CA’s death in July will be prepared and submitted to the state labour commissioner within a week, following which it will be forwarded to the Centre for further review.
The Union Labour Ministry has sought information from state officials on the death of the EY employee. Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters on Monday that the government will act on the basis of this report, which is likely in around a week.
He added that reports from the police and the post mortem will also come in and the government will also speak to the company. On July 20, 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil passed away due to “work stress,” as per her mother Anita Augustine.
Perayil joined EY India’s Pune office as an audit executive on March 18 this year and worked till July 19. Augustine sent a letter to EY India chairman Rajiv Memani, questioning the firm’s work culture. She claimed in the letter that the extended working hours took a toll on her daughter and that no one from the company attended Anna’s funeral.
