WELLS Fargo workers have slammed office security after an employee died at her desk and wasn’t noticed for four days.
Denise Prudhomme, 60, went to her cubicle in Tempe, Arizona, outside Phoenix, on Friday, August 16, and wasn’t found until Tuesday.
The Wells Fargo worker who died on August 16 in her office but wasn’t found for days suffered from a cardiac event, the medical examiner says[/caption]
Denise Prudhomme, 60, worked in a remote area of the office in Tempe, Arizona (file photo)[/caption]
She died from a sudden cardiac event related to the scarring of the heart muscles, but the cause of the scarring wasn’t revealed, according to records seen by the Arizona Republic.
Prudhomme was discovered by a coworker walking around the building on August 20 after people reported a foul smell, which had been dismissed as a plumbing issue.
Cops raced to the scene after the horror find, but it was far too late for the worker.
There were no signs of foul play, but the death has stirred other fears among Wells Fargo employees who wonder how someone dropped dead without being noticed.
According to the Wells Fargo Workers United union, it was a haunting example of how employees can be taken advantage of.
“Wells Fargo monitors our every move and keystroke using remote, electronic technologies – purportedly to evaluate our productivity – and will fire us if we are caught not making enough keystrokes on our computers,” the union said in a statement.
“However, Denise went unnoticed at her desk for four days.
“The contradictory nature of electronic surveillance versus an unnoticed death shed light on the reality of what it means to be a worker at Wells Fargo.”
Unnamed employees who worked at the Arizona location said Prudhomme worked in a less popular building area because of remote work.
According to the union, this could explain why no one was available to check on her.
“Denise was the only person on her team in Tempe,” the organization said.
“This may be one of the reasons why her desk was located in an underpopulated area in the building, and nobody checked on her for four days.”
Tempe Wells Fargo has around-the-clock security, but guards aren’t asked to check cubicles during their standard walk-throughs.
In August, after Prudhomme was found, coworkers were left in utter shock at what happened.
Dead On The Job
Denise Prudhomme isn’t the only person to have died at work, only to be found days later.
Finish Tax Auditor:
- In 2015, the body of a tax auditor in Finland was found two days after he died
- He died while checking tax returns in his office in Helsinki, according to Forbes
- He reportedly had his office doors closed and no one entered to check on him as they thought he wanted peace
Rebecca Wells:
- In 2011, Wells died at her cubicle in Los Angeles County, according to TIME
- However, her body wasn’t found until one day later
- her coworkers remembered her as someone who was ‘always working’
“It’s really heartbreaking, and I’m thinking, ‘What if I were just sitting there?’” one employee of the bank told local NBC affiliate KPNX.
“No one would check on me?”
Others called for better security measures so people can be found if facing a health crisis.
“That’s the scary part,” one anonymous employee told the outlet.
“That’s the uneasy part. It’s negligence in some part.”
‘TRAGIC LOSS’
At the time of her death, a Wells Fargo spokesperson said the company was devastated to hear of the tragedy.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague at our Tempe office,” the bank said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and loved ones during this difficult time. Counselors, through our Employee Assistance Consulting service, are available to support our employees.
“We are fully cooperating with the Tempe Police Department in their investigation and will direct all further questions to them.”
According to the union, this was a sign that employees should be working together in a more collaborative and supportive environment.
“The solution is not more monitoring, but ensuring that we are all connected to a supportive work environment instead of warehoused away in a back office,” the union said.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Wells Fargo for comment.
