Wells Fargo Worker Dies At Desk, Nobody Notices For Four Days (vice.com) 154
Denise Prudhomme, a 60-year-old Wells Fargo employee, was found dead at her desk four days after clocking in. Apparently, nobody noticed her body because of the secluded location of her cubicle and the fact that many employees were working remotely. VICE reports: Prudhomme last scanned into her office job in Tempe, Arizona, at 7 AM on Friday, and her body was reportedly discovered at 4:55 PM on Tuesday, August 20. Her coworkers did pick up that something weird was going on. They detected a weird smell but assumed it was some kind of plumbing issue.
Prudhomme's cubicle was on the third floor of the building, tucked away from any main thoroughfares that employees would use to travel between departments. On top of that, most employees at the Tempe Wells Fargo location worked remotely, significantly cutting down the chance of someone finding her body.
Tempe police and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner didn't detect any signs of foul play, but the woman's official cause of death remains to be seen. Wells Fargo has said that they're going to look into their internal procedures to make sure employees receive some kind of check-in to make sure they're not, you know, dead.
Prudhomme's cubicle was on the third floor of the building, tucked away from any main thoroughfares that employees would use to travel between departments. On top of that, most employees at the Tempe Wells Fargo location worked remotely, significantly cutting down the chance of someone finding her body.
Tempe police and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner didn't detect any signs of foul play, but the woman's official cause of death remains to be seen. Wells Fargo has said that they're going to look into their internal procedures to make sure employees receive some kind of check-in to make sure they're not, you know, dead.
pay will be back dated to time of death! (Score:5, Funny)
pay will be back dated to time of death!
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pay will be back dated to time of death!
And the Janitorial crew gets a bonus for a little extra cleanup.
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What would you say if you found out the the Wells Fargo janitorial staff are primarily black and brown people?
I would still say the janitorial staff deserves a bonus for extra or extraordinary cleanup work.
*drnb quickly changes his tune* "If anything, they're at fault and should face some consequences for their extreme negligence! If they had done their job properly, they'd have noticed the body on the first night. We should dock their pay for every day the saintly white woman lay undiscovered."
Nope. But your projection of your views onto others was revealing of your inner bigotry.
(As evidenced by his many bigoted and racist posts above.)
Wrong again. The above posts merely point out the GP was essentially complaining about employees who do nothing, and I was pointing out to those with a savior complex looking to manufacture bigotry DEI hires would be among all groups. Those who do useful things and those who do not. That the responsibility for a worker who doe
Re:pay will be back dated to time of death! (Score:5, Funny)
Wells Fargo also stated there will be a 4-day cubicle rental fee charged against her estate, since her employment ended when she died.
Re: pay will be back dated to time of death! (Score:2)
I'm laughing at this in part because of the inventiveness of the absurd, in part because that I can't rule out that this would actually happen.
That, or the organic effluvium/hazardous materials cleanup fees...
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Plus a biohazard cleaning fee.
Re: pay will be back dated to time of death! (Score:2)
Not if her inheritors are smart. You can fire someone for not punching out, but you can't not pay them for the hours they were punched in.
Re: pay will be back dated to time of death! (Score:2)
But you need evidence to prove they weren't working. Which is generally the time card.
Either she's dead or my watch has stopped... (Score:5, Funny)
> Wells Fargo has said that they're going to look into their internal procedures to make sure employees receive some kind of check-in to make sure they're not, you know, dead.
No need. Presumably they'd have noticed there was a problem when she failed to meet her weekly quota of fake accounts opened.
Re: Either she's dead or my watch has stopped... (Score:2)
That's why they'll implement daily quotas; to catch the problem early.
Another benefit of scrums (Score:5, Funny)
Well I guess morning scrums do serve a useful purpose. "Ok, who isn't here? Go check if they are alive."
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A Grave Situation (Score:3, Funny)
Re: A Grave Situation (Score:5, Funny)
It was the graveyard shift.
Re: A Grave Situation (Score:4, Funny)
The commute was killer.
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I vote for this as the best joke of the many from the humor-rich target.
One detail... (Score:5, Funny)
Was there a red stapler involved?
Please tell me there was a red stapler involved.
Sounds like a really swell place to work. (Score:2)
What a great office and a great company. She died at her desk and no one even noticed for four days. There have been lots of stories about working conditions at Wells Fargo, but never anything like this.
Re: Sounds like a really swell place to work. (Score:2)
She got in on a Friday, so two of the days were the weekend.
At least Lumbergh didn't call her to ask her to come in on Saturday...
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Actually I think it's pretty cool that they have such a degree of space and privacy. I can't even do something normal human activities like taking a medicine or supplement without wondering whether my coworkers are making some judgment or assumption.
Re: Sounds like a really swell place to work. (Score:2)
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Yes.
Now if I was having a medical emergency at my desk without help for four days, that would obviously be a bug. Multiple bugs.
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I can't even do something normal human activities like taking a medicine or supplement without wondering whether my coworkers are making some judgment or assumption.
Seriously? I feel you should either address your paranoia, or find a place that employs humans instead of hypocrites.
Re: Sounds like a really swell place to work. (Score:2)
It certainly was a very spooky place, and now it will be haunted by a ghost as well... Whose soul won't rest until it completes it's unfinished job tasks.
The Primecheck-Way2Save-Forex Triangle Grift (Score:2)
Is it really that unusual? (Score:5, Insightful)
At my old employer there were folks in somewhat isolated cubicles, they generally chose those cubicles because they didn't like being disturbed. Assuming they weren't involved in any meetings or urgent email chains I could certainly see them passing away and not getting noticed for a couple days (including over the weekend).
I'm not sure this story is really all that notable.
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It wouldn’t be notable, if not for the storied corrupt behavior of Wells Fargo.
Re:Is it really that unusual? (Score:5, Insightful)
What should be unusual is that no one noticed when she didn't come home.
Unusual no, lots of folks that age are divorced, single, a widow, etc.
I think the (unstated) idea that she would have been living on her own is probably part of what's giving the story legs. Dead at her desk with no one noticing, no loved ones at home wondering where she is, there's a definite air of melancholy driving the story that may or may not reflect reality.
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Unusual no, lots of folks that age are divorced, single, a widow, etc.
I think the (unstated) idea that she would have been living on her own is probably part of what's giving the story legs. Dead at her desk with no one noticing, no loved ones at home wondering where she is, there's a definite air of melancholy driving the story that may or may not reflect reality.
Yeah, it could just be that she chose to live alone and liked it.
And I can picture far worse ways to go than peacefully at a desk.
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Yvette Vickers died at home and no one noticed for a year. She must have had utilities on autopay. With automatic security lights and such the fact you have died might not be very obvious, Junk mail piling up in the mailbox might be the only external sign.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
It's their fault for opening the door. (Score:5, Funny)
Re: It's their fault for opening the door. (Score:2)
The Heisenberg Employee Function.
So, she was Heisenberg's secretary? (Score:3)
Re: So, she was Heisenberg's secretary? (Score:2)
Yes.
Insurance (Score:2, Troll)
Can't wait to find out how much life insurance the company gets paid because of the policy they took out on their employee without the employee's consent or knowledge.
Re: Insurance (Score:2)
You don't take an insurance policy out on an employee that can go missing for days without anyone realizing.
remote work (Score:5, Insightful)
So they have no security? (Score:2)
Re:So they have no security? (Score:5, Insightful)
At most place with active security guards, and with cubicles, I've been, they do not peak into every single cubicle.
A modern open floor, sure a guard should notice, but with old school cubicles, probably not, especially if it is an end corner.
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Red Stapler (Score:3)
Office culture (Score:2)
Re: Office culture (Score:2)
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Same probably happens with people that work from home. I bet it happens more than in the office. These things happen pretty often. Not sure this is a bad thing though. People have the right to be lonely. For some it is by choice.
Being alone, can be considered a “right”.
Being lonely is a state of mind I don’t wish to enforce with rights on anyone. That’s a choice, and not a popular one among humans for good reason. The race wouldn’t have survived embracing it. Literally.
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Personally I like lonely people. They are pretty fun and tend to think a bit different. The fun usually starts when they notice you do not judge them for being lonely. I envy them from time to time. Too much noise around me. I make sure I mention that.
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Ah, the famous 'office culture' that managers are so keen to bring remote workers back to! It's not a great advert is it when you can be literally dead at your desk and nobody stops by to say hello, invite you for lunch or consult you on work matters
Now you’re making me want to apply there in hopes I can ask HR directly about their marketing strategy after this. Would be worth the look on their face.
And good luck to their DEI program if this was a qualified hire. If you thought they didn’t give a shit about competent employees..
A ray of light (Score:2)
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At least her cubicle wasn't relocated to the basement
Thats a bit premature I’d say. You have no idea if the new hires name, is Milton.
Who has a red stapler.
Collateral (Score:3)
"Vincent" (Tom Cruise): "I read about this guy. Gets on the MTA, here, and dies. Six hours he's riding the subway before anybody notices. This corpse doing laps around LA, people on and off, sitting next to him, nobody notices. ..."
Eh (Score:2)
Not sure it's quite the melancholy thing that it's made out to be. (Other than relative youth.)
Really, especially if she liked her job, it sounds like it was at least a peaceful death. Plenty of worse ways one could go ...
Typical Corporate Culture (Score:2, Funny)
No relevant Scott Adams cartoon? (Score:3)
I'm amazed that there isn't a relevant Dilbert cartoon to go with that. Come on people, prove me wrong!
(I don't want to make light of the fact we're talking about person who died, but the circumstances _are_ a bit unusual...)
Re:Easy solution (Score:4, Insightful)
Blaming your problems on people that are in observably different from you (despite them not actually being the source of those problems) is a time-honored human tradition ... but it's never been intelligent or moral.
This is a perfect example: not only are you (immorally) making people of different ethnicities feel unwelcome on Slashdot with your bigotry, your racist bias is also just leading you to false conclusions ... conclusions even a not-so-bright (but also not racist) child could have avoided.
Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
Not familiar with Luckyo, eh?
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I think the fact that the employee wasn't noticed for 4 days begs the question of how come their immediate supervisor or manager didn't notice them not responding to messages despite "being in the office"
While we are unlikely to find out the reason, my guess is that they either:
a) had a heart attack
b) had an allergy attack
c) choked on their lunch
AND "nobody noticed"
a) cubicle height for privacy doesn't allow for a line of site welfare check (and no, those f*cking open office layouts suck and are much worse
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I think the fact that the employee wasn't noticed for 4 days begs the question of how come their immediate supervisor or manager didn't notice
Bc many employees do mostly independent work, and a weekly or other update less frequently than 4 days is good?
Someone you send a message to doesn't answer; the First suspicion is not that they are unalive, and You're probably not contacting their manager to ask about unanswered messages, so the manager doesn't even know they have unanswered texts piling up.
a) cubi
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"maybe"?
It's in TFS, you don't even need to read TFA.
Yes, it does include the weekend. She logged in Friday at 7 AM - and the body was discovered Tuesday afternoon. This still leaves two days' worth to be discovered (full Monday, full Tuesday).
Closed work culture without office friends? (Score:2)
But you propagated the troll's Subject, which is often the main objective of a troll. Even the vacuous Subject in this case can push people into opening a comment that was suitably moderated to low visibility.
Anyway, my take on the story is that it's pretty sad, but most of my cubicles were in high traffic areas. If I got sick my condition would have been spotted quickly. I also tended to take a couple of walks each day to visit folks. Some I was working with or for and others to share ideas and sometimes j
Re: Easy solution (Score:3, Informative)
Only hire people that actually do needed things, rather than for DEI
That is bigoted as fuck and you know it.
You don't know anything about this lady apart from her name.
You and luckyo aren't fooling anybody, fucking bigots, don't act like we don't know, be a fucking man and own it.
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You don't know anything about this lady apart from her name.
Other than dead at her desk for 4 days before anyone noticing?
Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
That doesn't say much. How much time do you need an accountant, like once or twice a month?
Re: Easy solution (Score:4, Interesting)
DEI is bigoted as fuck and you know it. It is classifying people based on sex or race or other immutable as well as mutable characteristics and giving them certain advantages or disadvantages as a result of those characteristics.
Not a problem. We'll just go with blind hiring [harver.com]. That will solve any hiring issues because everyone is treated equally.
Oh wait. Blind hiring increases DEI. So we won't do it.
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Oh wait. Blind hiring increases DEI. So we won't do it.
You're soft bigotry of assuming a minority is not qualified or good at a job is showing, how typical of those with savior complexes. You conveniently disregard the fact the the primary complaint of the GP was an employee doing nothing useful, a pesky detail to commit as you attempt ti manufacture bigotry in others.
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You're soft bigotry of assuming a minority is not qualified or good at a job is showing...
As far as I can tell *YOU'RE* the only one making that assumption. Nobody else has assumed that, and have tried multiple times to get YOU to STOP making that assumption.
This says more about what YOU really think about minorities than anything else.
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Well, fuck me - never mind - thought I was replying to the other guy (why the fuck does Slashdot not have "edit" or "delete" posts yet FFS?)
anyway, I agree, that ToasterMonkey idiot is the bigoted one.
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Not everyone is as stupid as you are. Racism exists, which specifically disadvantages some groups. Giving those same groups an advantage makes things more equal, not less.
You're just upset that you can't compete with black and brown people in a fair marketplace. Pathetic.
Nope, racism can exist when you attempt to help based on race. As Harvard did when they took seats from Asians to give to other students of a more politically correct race.
If you help because a person is disadvantaged, regardless of race, because of economics, then it is not racism. But that would be true equity, not the politically correct stupidity misrepresented as equity.
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That's right, if it's by a university and doesn't agree with your politics it must be wrong.
When a University discriminates against one race, ex Asians, to open up seats for more politically correct races. That is wrong.
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Please, say "Savior Complex" again!
I think you have "Asshole Complex". DEI is being used as a racist dogwhistle, and you very well know it.
Again, wrong. The GP essentially complained about an employee doing little work. The person at fault is the manager who hired that person for political reasons not economic reasons. That is pure savior complex, assuming not just a political stooge covering their ass for saviors/stooges hire up.
DEI is a political gimmick, a tool of the racial grievance industry and their savior complex useful idiots.
DEI often implements racism, as we saw at Harvard when Asians were discriminated against to benefit more
Is that you, J. D.? (Score:2)
Please don't feed the troll. (Score:2)
Re: Easy solution (Score:3)
Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
"it's reasonable to require the employees to have a similar makeup to the population"
Which population? Cause one of the biggest drivers I see for lack of diversity in tech is that the big companies all choose to be located within a predominantly white/Asian population.
In fact when my company started pretending to care about black people after the George Floyd murder, they asked us to give them suggestions for how they could address these systemic issues.
I submitted the suggestion that they setup satellite o
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"located within a predominantly white/Asian population."
This is not exactly why. Atlantic cities have large European populations because they face Europe and traditionally been the entrance point for Europeans into North America (not JUST the US.) Pacific cities have large Asian populations because they face Asia. When you have staff that works with over-seas partners, you need to be closer on the time zones and speaking their language. So that's the best place to find them.
THAT is why that is. You will nev
Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
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I have no idea why the employee was hired. Luckyo simply said to hire people that actually do needed things, rather than for DEI...
Well Luckyo made the assumption that this was a useless person hired due to DEI, based solely on her gender (an assumption about her race?) and the fact her death wasn't noticed for 4 days (including a weekend).
The more logical conclusion was that she was a bit of a loner who simply didn't have any hard deadlines that would cause a co-worker or manager to reach out in the meantime.
Luckyo assuming incompetence is pretty much the definition of sexist/racist.
That is, hire should be for work, not on the basis of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hiring practices ought to be "color-blind" - which is NOT what racist DEI is. DEI ought to DIE. It is hiring people specifically based on their race (or other diverse traits). Hire the best person for the job, whoever it is. But again, I have no idea whether that played into this particular case or not.
The problem with hiring practises being "color-blind
The difference between me and you (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't wake up every day thinking about DEI, or trans people, or abortions, or illegal immigrants....
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Incel much?
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Re:Easy solution (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe you should use a rare skill for you and think about it. There are many people in a company that could do no work for an extend time and you would never know, until it had consequences. Take payroll, you wouldn't know they had stopped working until there was no money in the bank come payday. Or are you the type who goes to see them everyday and ask if they are still going pay on payday?
Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
Better solution (Score:3)
Don't hire small-minded failures who can't go five minutes without playing douchebag edgelord in public.
You want people who can focus, plus it avoids lawsuits and helps retain non-douchey employees.
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I don't think a 60 year old woman named Denise Prudhomme falls into any DEI category, but that's just my opinion.
Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
At most (tech) companies I've worked for, a 60 year old woman would absolutely be a diversity hire.
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no, you are totally right. I have no ideas how things work in your world, but If I didn't clock in or out, or do any work, or check in with my family, or at least do my TPS reports My boss would be calling me tomorrow morning. What possible position could you be in as an EMPLOYEE and people care so little about you, they didnt notice your death for 4 days? wfh is a lousy excuse because she wasnt wfh.
where were the security guards?
I cant comment on any DEI here because I am pretty sure Denise Prudhomme is an
Re: Easy solution (Score:5, Insightful)
Depending on the project, I could easily go a week without people noticing I was gone. Some projects are just head-down projects. My supervisors don't feel the need to micro manage me and get a daily status update. They know I'll get the shit done.
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What possible position could you be in as an EMPLOYEE and people care so little about you,
It's like you've never worked at a big company. This sort of shit was sent up in things like Office space and Dilbert (before Adams got infected with a mind virus) all the time. But look at the number of people here who complain that WFH is the best because they never get disturbed.
Maybe she was a worthless corporate done who did nothing (companies are full of those).
Maybe she was competent but low level and just pull
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4 days = two days, Monday and Tuesday.
Well, OK, maybe Friday, but we don't know whether she passed away Friday morning or Friday afternoon, towards the end of her workday.
Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
Four days away isn't anything abnormal and some people like the people handling the salary are needed but it won't be discovered that they went offline for up to a month.
Re:Easy solution (Score:4, Informative)
You're butt is hurting so badly you might want to seek medical attention.
You've somehow managed to take a story about a shitty employer, shitty office culture and combined with shitty RTO and started whining about DEI.
I think the problem you have with DEI is you're the incompetent nobody who spends more time griping than doing work, and when companies start sourcing from a larger pool of applicants your job is under threat because there are many people in the DEI groups better than you. And it sucks when you have to compete on merit rather than relying on a restricted market.
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Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
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'Elon was able to fire 80% of the Twitter staff, and remain operational. Eighty percent.'
For some questionable definitions of operational. He couldn't even do a live stream of him 'interviewing' Trump without it failing badly. I wouldn't call that operational, I'd call it a disaster. This isn't the only instance of his platform failing because he sacked all the people who knew how to keep it working.
Re: Easy solution (Score:2)
But live streaming wasn't something Twitter had done before, was it? Like, they had some glitches attempting to rollout whole new tools and features. Not exactly uncommon for streaming platforms to shit the bed on initial rollout.
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Yes, it was something they'd done before. In fact, it's a feature that they've had for a while. In fact, it was launched in 2015, before Musk even bought the Company.
Re: I remember (Score:2)
Apart from coffee, we need morbid humor to make it through the day.
Re: I remember (Score:2)