Fixed calendar for workplaces: Shashi Tharoor speaks to EY worker's father

Shashi Tharoor said he would propose legislation in Parliament for a fixed calendar to regulate working hours across all workplaces.

In Short

• Tharoor says he had heartrending conversation with father of EY worker
• Says he will propose a law dealing with 'inhumanity' in workplaces
• 26-year-old EY employee died due to 'excessive workload'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday shared the "heartrending" conversation he had with the father of the Ernst and Young employee who died allegedly due to work pressure and said he would propose legislation dealing with "inhumanity" in workplaces in the next session of Parliament.

In a post on X, Tharoor said Sibi Joseph, the father of Anna Sebastian Perayil, suggested to him to propose legislation in Parliament for a fixed calendar to regulate working hours across all workplaces.

"He suggested, and I agreed, that I raise the issue of legislating, through Parliament, a fixed calendar for all workplaces, whether in the private sector or the public, that would not exceed eight hours a day, five days a week," Tharoor tweeted.

Anna Sebastian Perayil, who joined E&Y India in March, died on July 20 after complaining of exhaustion. The incident came to light earlier this week after her mother Anita Augustine's open letter to the company went viral, in which she alleged that Anna was subjected to "extreme work pressure".

Stressing that "human rights do not stop at the workplace", Tharoor said, "Inhumanity at the workplace must be legislated out of existence with stringent punishment and fines for offenders. Will raise this matter at the first opportunity during the next session of parliament."

The incident triggered widespread outrage on social media, especially over the fact that no one from E&Y attended the funeral of the employee. Ernst and Young India chairperson Rajiv Memani also came under heavy criticism after he denied the claim that "work pressure" was behind the death of the employee.

Taking cognisance of the incident, the Centre has launched a probe into the circumstances that led to the death of Anna Sebastian. "A thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is underway," Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje said earlier this week.