News that the body of a Wells Fargo employee was found in her cubicle four days after her death has sparked outrage and questions across the country.

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Denise Prudhomme, 60, arrived at the company’s Tempe, Arizona, location at 7 a.m. on Friday, August 16. Sadly, she never returned home.

Her death went unnoticed for days until a colleague discovered her body lying above her desk in a cubicle off the main corridor.

“It’s really heartbreaking,” a Wells Fargo employee told 12News. “I think, ‘What if I just sat there? No one would check on me?'”

Another employee, who spoke exclusively anonymously to 12News, explained that most employees in the Tempe office are working from home, but the building is guarded 24/7. That employee said someone should have found Prudhomme sooner.

“That’s the scary part. That’s the uncomfortable part,” the employee said. “Part of it is negligence.”

The Tempe Police Criminal Investigation Bureau, with the full cooperation of Wells Fargo, is currently conducting an investigation but does not suspect foul play, and the Maricopa County Coroner is working to determine the cause of death.

What happens if you die at work?

The circumstances of Prudhomme’s sad death may give you cause to wonder: What happens if I die at work? Here’s what you need to know:

If you die at work—for example, from a slip, trip or fall, or from fatal contact with objects, equipment or substances in the workplace—your dependents, such as your spouse or children, may be eligible for survivor benefits.

The main mechanism most employers use to provide these benefits is accident insurance. Your family may also be able to claim reimbursement for funeral and burial expenses up to a maximum amount set by law.

However, if you die of natural causes such as a heart attack or stroke on the job, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance typically won’t pay out death benefits unless it’s proven that working conditions or job stress directly contributed to your death. Prudhomme’s cause of death was still under investigation at the time of writing, so it’s unclear if the insurance will pay out in this case.

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If your death was due to employer negligence, your loved ones may be able to sue for wrongful death. In cases where working conditions may have exacerbated a pre-existing condition, legal claims may be possible, but this is generally difficult to prove.

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What happens to your 401(k) and other benefits

If you die while working, any funds you have saved in a 401(k) retirement account will pass to the beneficiaries you named when you set up your account.

If something changes in your life—for example, you get married, divorced, or have a child—be sure to review and update your beneficiaries so the right people inherit your money.

If you have not named beneficiaries, your spouse will automatically inherit the account.

After you die, the 401(k) plan administrator should contact your beneficiaries and offer them your account balance in one of several ways. Your options and withdrawal rules depend on the plan and their relationship with you. They could take a lump sum. They could potentially put it into their own 401(k), their individual retirement account (IRA), or their inherited individual retirement account (IRA). Some plans allow beneficiaries to keep the money in the 401(k) plan and withdraw it over time.

Similar rules apply to other benefits you may have as an employee, such as life insurance.

In all of these cases, if you have not named a beneficiary, your assets will typically go to your estate and may have to go through probate, which can be a costly and time-consuming process.

And if you are enrolled in an employer-sponsored health plan, your dependents may be able to “specially enroll” in that plan or continue their existing health insurance for up to 36 months after your death. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the health plan should inform your dependents of their right to purchase extended health insurance under COBRA.

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This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.