Inside the tragic final hours of a young Ernst and Young employee who was found dead in her senior office in Sydney, after Friday night work drinks went terribly wrong
- EY staff member found dead in Sydney office after drinking on the job
- Police don’t think 33-year-old man’s death is ‘suspicious’ and suspect self-harm
- Woman discovered Saturday night during peak audit season after midnight
- Do you know more about this story? Email [email protected]
- For 24-hour confidential support in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14
A young member of staff who met colleagues for drinks at work in an exclusive bar was found tragically dead just hours after returning to the office in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The 33-year-old was spotted at the Sydney headquarters of accounting firm Ernst & Young, sending shockwaves through the industry, now in the midst of peak auditing season, where some of the brightest number crunchers of the county strive to meet the deadlines of their high-powered clients. .
Daily Mail Australia understands that police suspect the woman took her own life and the circumstances are “not suspicious” but investigations are still ongoing to determine what happened after her last drink at CBD’s Ivy nightclub on Friday. .
The woman found dead at Ernst and Young’s head office in Sydney had spent two hours earlier in the evening at Sydney’s glitzy watering hole, the Ivy nightclub (pictured)
The woman, whose identity and position at the firm remain a mystery, arrived at the bar around 5:30 p.m. Friday to join her colleagues at an event organized by the accounting giant’s social club.
He spent the next two hours there, leaving just before 7:30 pm to walk back to his office.
It has been alleged that staff escorted her out of the venue due to excessive alcohol consumption, The Australian reported.
But security cameras seen by investigators once she returned to 200 George Street at Circular Quay, overlooking Sydney Harbour, do not suggest she was noticeably intoxicated.
It is also unclear if the employee returned to the skyscraper to continue working until the night or if she was there for another reason.
In recent years, Ernst & Young, now known under its trading name EY, has faced criticism along with other large accounting firms (KPMG, Deloitte and PWC) for its extreme working hours and competitive cooperative culture.
The woman returned to Ernst and Young’s head office in Sydney (pictured) around 7:30pm on Friday. She was found dead hours later.
Last year, an email from the heads of EY’s Hong Kong financial services team exposed their grueling “peak season work protocol and expectations”. It is not suggested that the same edict be applied in Australia.
“Staff must start work at 9:30 am and finish no earlier than 11:30 pm,” the email said.
‘I think midnight is common in high seasons, it depends on self-discipline and responsibility.
“For the weekends, I hope that at least one day we spend the whole day (from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm) in the office.”
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that EY is responsible for the tragic death of the worker.
Police and ambulance crews were called to the Ernst and Young office at 12:20 a.m. Saturday, where they discovered the woman’s body.
The management of the company is now prepared to carry out a ‘comprehensive and wide-ranging internal review encompassing health and safety, security and social events as it pertains to our staff’.
EY CEO and regional managing partner David Larocca said the company’s employees were being counseled about the tragedy.
“Our Director of Mental Health will be part of an ongoing review and has been instrumental over the weekend in providing ongoing advice and guidance,” he said.
‘Advice has been offered to all staff and team members.’
EY is also assisting the police with their ongoing investigation while a coroner’s report is prepared.
“Our hearts go out to the family and we have reached out to offer our support and condolences,” Larocca said.
For 24-hour confidential support in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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