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Current Events Present Current Question: Can Employers Prevent Overpayment and Ensure Workplace Safety for Employees?

Updated: Nov 19


In a rather unusual incident, a man in Chile, was accidentally, paid 286 times his regular salary by his employer, Consorcio Industrial de Alimentos. One of the largest producers of cold cuts in the country. Instead of his usual monthly salary of around 500,000 Chilean Pesos ($540 USD) he received a whopping 165,398,951 pesos (or $178,000 USD) in May 2022.


Overpaid 286 Times Salary Led To Disappearance!

Initially, the man promised to return the exact amount, but he later resigned from his job and disappeared. The company tried to contact him multiple times, but he was unresponsive. Eventually, he resigned through his lawyer on June 2, 2022. Cial has since taken legal action to recover the funds, but so far, they have not been successful. The mistake occurred due to a payroll error at Consorcio Industrial de Alimentos (Cial).  While exact details of how the event happened haven't been fully disclosed such mistakes can often result from human error, software glitches, or miscommunication within the payroll department. In this case, it seems the error went unnoticed until the employee received the significantly inflated payment.



Payroll errors; especially of this magnitude highlight the importance of robust checks and balances within financial systems to prevent such incidents, It also underscores the need for timely audits and reviews to catch discrepancies early.


The Company Consorcio Industrial de Alimentos, did acknowledge that the overpayment was due to a payroll error by their HR department. However there haven't been any detailed public reports on the specific mistakes or internal processes that led to this significant error. The focus has primarily been on the legal actions taken to recover the funds and the employees subsequent disappearance.


To recover the overpaid salary, Consorcio Industrial de Alimentos can pursue several avenues. First, is direct communication, but unfortunately the employee has gone missing. The company did file a complaint against the former employee alleging misappropriation or embezzlement. Despite these efforts; the employee remains untraceable and the case is still unresolved. It is a tough lesson in the importance of robust financial controls and the challenges of recovering funds once they're out of company hands.


Woman Found At Her Desk Four Days Later!


Another employee incident occurred at Wells Fargo in Tempe, Arizona, where a woman named Denise Prudhomme was found dead at her desk after four days. She had clocked in to work on a Friday morning and her body was discovered the following Tuesday. An investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances surrounding her death. The situation has raised concerns among employees about workplace safety and the importance of checking on colleagues.


Wells Fargo has issued a statement, regarding the tragic incident, They expressed deep sadness over the loss of Denise Prudhomme and extended their thoughts and prayers to her family and loved ones. The company also mentioned that counselors from their employee assistance consulting service are available to support employees during the difficult time. Some employees have expressed concerns about the company's transparency and communication following the incident. They feel that more should be done to address the situation and ensure such incidents do not happen again.



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