Taking suo motu cognizance of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India about the death of 26-year-old chartered accountant Anna Sebastian Perayil, from Kerala in Pune on July 20, 2024, who allegedly died due to extreme work pressure, has issued notice to Union ministry of Labour and Employment, seeking detailed report in the matter within four weeks. She had joined the Ernst & Young company four months back. The Commission has also sought outcome of the investigation steps being taken and proposed to be taken to check repetition of such incidents in future.
Reportedly, the mother of the girl had written a letter to the employer claiming that long hours of work had taken a heavy toll on her daughter’s physical, emotional and mental health, a charge denied by the company.
The Commission observed that the reports, if true, raise serious issues regarding challenges faced by young citizens at work, suffering from mental stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep, adversely affecting their physical and mental health while chasing impractical targets and timelines resulting in grave violations of their human rights. It is the prime duty of every employer to provide a safe, secure and positive environment to its employees. They must ensure that everyone working with them is treated with dignity and fairness.
The Commission further emphasized that businesses should take accountability for human rights issues and regularly update and revise their work and employment policies and regulations to ensure alignment with global human rights standards. The painful death of the young employee indicates that there is an immediate need to take steps by all stakeholders in this regard to stop such incidents in the country.
It may be recalled that recently, the Commission also took suo motu cognizance of reports regarding alleged unfair practices at workplace by two multinational companies in Haryana and Tamil Nadu. Both matters are under consideration before the Commission.
