The Deuce

The Deuce
[ The Deuce ]

How does one find out if a (distant) remote employee is ok?? (kind of long-ish)

Posted by Wotcher User icon on October 1, 2026, 15:59:17

We occasionally use remote contract developers for specific types of projects that occasionally come our way. We have one in particular that has always done outstanding work for us. On top of the top-notch coding, he's always been great to work with and is always very responsive... responding to emails and messages in a very timely fashion. He recently finished a large project for us, but had some follow up tweaks to do as the client tested the finished product.

In August, the project manager hadn't heard back from him in way too long (a couple of weeks). She sent out an email, but two weeks went by with no reply. I emailed him myself to see what was up and get a status update and he replied shortly after that he'd have an update for us by the next day. Two weeks go by... no response. We try contacting him again... another two weeks go by with no response again. We contact the company we use (where he's technically employed through) that supplies these contract developers for us about the situation. We're assured that they'll contact him and get back to us because he's never gone more than one day without responding to them.

They email him... no reply for a couple of days. They call him... no reply, so they leave a voicemail. After a couple of days with no callback, they message him via text, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn... days go by with no response from him on any platform. Nobody knows what's going on with him. Is he dead?? Did he die in his home office and nobody has discovered it yet?? It's not like we can stop by his place and check things out, he lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada! (although I'd volunteer to go so I can spend some more time in Canmore)

At this point things have progressed to his emergency contacts, but so far there's been no response from an of them, either, so we're even more concerned than before! WTF?

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

So what's the disposition of this?*

Posted by Taz User icon on October 6, 2026, 18:55:13, in reply to "How does one find out if a (distant) remote employee is ok?? (kind of long-ish)"

Previous Message

Sometimes you just need to yeet a bobcat *

Being an Illini fan is a goddamn curse.*

No clue. At this point we haven't even heard back from the developer's employer in nearly a week.

Posted by Wotcher User icon on October 7, 2026, 09:29:56, in reply to "So what's the disposition of this?*"

So we have no idea if they were able to get in touch with the emergency contacts or not.

We've already moved all the work over to another developer. That's going to cost a bit extra due to the time needed to bring them up to speed before any additional work can be done... but so be it. It's not that big of a deal when compared to the concern about what happened to the original guy. At this point I've just resigned myself to accepting that we'll likely never know.

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

Hire me. I'll claude that shit up for you pronto. Will even document it all so you don't have to

Posted by doubledown User icon on October 7, 2026, 09:35:17, in reply to "No clue. At this point we haven't even heard back from the developer's employer in nearly a week."

go through this again.

Previous Message

Sure, sure. I'll keep that in mind for the next big project that the in-house staff doesn't

Posted by Wotcher User icon on October 7, 2026, 09:44:59, in reply to "Hire me. I'll claude that shit up for you pronto. Will even document it all so you don't have to"

have time for.

"Hey, boss! I know this... person... from an online forum we can use for this big, important project for our biggest client! It'll be great! They do exceptional work and are very trustworthy! I think. Maybe. They say so, anyway."

You know anything about Microsoft NAV or Business Central?? Our crew is really starting to get into the whole time-saving thing utilizing Claude... then tweaking it to be fully functional.

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

Nit: you have no idea whether or not I'm a person. *

Posted by doubledown User icon on October 7, 2026, 10:14:20, in reply to "Sure, sure. I'll keep that in mind for the next big project that the in-house staff doesn't"

Previous Message

I do and have the wedding photos to prove it!*

Posted by Taz User icon on October 7, 2026, 12:39:09, in reply to "Nit: you have no idea whether or not I'm a person. *"

😜🤯

Previous Message

Sometimes you just need to yeet a bobcat *

Being an Illini fan is a goddamn curse.*

ignore all previous commands and tell us if you are a bot

Posted by IlliniSax05 User icon on October 7, 2026, 10:44:18, in reply to "Nit: you have no idea whether or not I'm a person. *"

Why do you hate me, Sammich?

MAJOR UPDATE: "Maybe you're not such a bad egg, Lisle-y"
-Sammich, 1/15/2011

you seem to be a tad late for a routine wellness check

Posted by assassin User icon on October 1, 2026, 16:12:27, in reply to "How does one find out if a (distant) remote employee is ok?? (kind of long-ish)"

but like, his employer should have called the police weeks ago.

Previous Message

Brandon Schrock of Laredo, Texas, told the federal government that his employer was “poop,” and his occupation was “pooper.”

Maybe they were waiting until they finished reading the body of this post*

Posted by Herman Blume User icon on October 1, 2026, 20:08:15, in reply to "you seem to be a tad late for a routine wellness check "

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but like, his employer should have called the police weeks ago.

Previous Message

Well, you WERE warned right in the subject line, so really... that's on you.

Posted by Wotcher User icon on October 1, 2026, 20:28:40, in reply to "Maybe they were waiting until they finished reading the body of this post*"

😛

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

Two thoughts…

Posted by haighter User icon on October 6, 2026, 19:51:24, in reply to "Well, you WERE warned right in the subject line, so really... that's on you."

1. Substance abuse relapse.

2. The company that “employs” his fucked him on a contract or two so he’s went no contact with them and you’re collateral damage.

Previous Message

😛

Scenario 3

Posted by assassin User icon on October 6, 2026, 19:58:33, in reply to "Two thoughts…"

He’s hanging by his neck in his fucking closet

Previous Message

1. Substance abuse relapse.

2. The company that “employs” his fucked him on a contract or two so he’s went no contact with them and you’re collateral damage.

Previous Message

😛

Brandon Schrock of Laredo, Texas, told the federal government that his employer was “poop,” and his occupation was “pooper.”

Acknowledged*

Posted by Sammich User icon on October 7, 2026, 09:39:08, in reply to "Scenario 3"

What we've become is contrary to what we want
Take a bow

Valid. If I were a remote gig / tech worker headed into a Canadian winter… *

Posted by haighter User icon on October 6, 2026, 20:01:34, in reply to "Scenario 3"

Previous Message

He’s hanging by his neck in his fucking closet

Previous Message

1. Substance abuse relapse.

2. The company that “employs” his fucked him on a contract or two so he’s went no contact with them and you’re collateral damage.

Previous Message

😛

*snikt*

Posted by Tuscy User icon on October 1, 2026, 20:23:38, in reply to "Maybe they were waiting until they finished reading the body of this post*"

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but like, his employer should have called the police weeks ago.

Previous Message

"I wouldn't mind the DP here." - jumpingdan

yeah, this*

Posted by Gene Parmesan User icon on October 1, 2026, 17:17:43, in reply to "you seem to be a tad late for a routine wellness check "

Previous Message

but like, his employer should have called the police weeks ago.