Synopsis: A new private member bill in the Kerala Assembly aims to protect private sector employees from the pressures of an “always-on” work culture by legally allowing them to ignore work communications beyond office hours. The bill comes a year after the death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, which ignited a national debate about the mental health risks and stress caused by blurred boundaries between professional and personal life.

The death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, a Keralite working at EY Pune, in July 2024 amid work stress, jolted Kerala into confronting the perils of an “always-on” work culture.

Her death sparked widespread discussion about corporate work culture and the fading boundary between professional duties and personal life, with employers expecting

See Full Page