Her coworkers remembered her as warm, kind, and joyful: "She was so friendly, had a beautiful smile … it was so infectious."
UPS compounded the heartbreak of this preventable death with its response. Workers report that the company shut operations down for only two hours before restarting both shifts — while Shelma's body was still in the building. Some employees said management even covered her body with "sort bags" so coworkers wouldn't have to see the body bag encasing her remains.
One coworker captured the mood: "It was just business as usual. I'm so angry, upset, and just freaking pissed off. The lack of respect, compassion, and empathy they showed her in death just killed me."
When an employee dies at work, the bare minimum of humanity and decency demands more than simply flipping the switch back to "on." A workplace fatality isn't just an OSHA investigation, a work comp claim, or a potential lawsuit. It is a trauma to employees who have lost not only a coworker, but in many cases, a friend.
Here is a five-point response plan to consider if such a tragedy strikes your workplace:
A death in the workplace isn't just a tragic accident; it's a defining test of a company's values. UPS failed that test spectacularly.
By treating a death as a two-hour inconvenience, by forcing grieving coworkers to continue working while their colleague's body remained nearby, and by showing utter disregard for both Shelma and her family, UPS earns this nomination as the Worst Employer of 2025.
UPS compounded the heartbreak of this preventable death with its response. Workers report that the company shut operations down for only two hours before restarting both shifts — while Shelma's body was still in the building. Some employees said management even covered her body with "sort bags" so coworkers wouldn't have to see the body bag encasing her remains.
One coworker captured the mood: "It was just business as usual. I'm so angry, upset, and just freaking pissed off. The lack of respect, compassion, and empathy they showed her in death just killed me."
When an employee dies at work, the bare minimum of humanity and decency demands more than simply flipping the switch back to "on." A workplace fatality isn't just an OSHA investigation, a work comp claim, or a potential lawsuit. It is a trauma to employees who have lost not only a coworker, but in many cases, a friend.
Here is a five-point response plan to consider if such a tragedy strikes your workplace:
1. Provide grief counseling: Offer on-site or virtual support to help employees process shock and grief.
2. Acknowledge the loss: Deliver a compassionate statement honoring the deceased and respecting the family's wishes.
3. Address workplace trauma: Allow those who witnessed or learned of the tragedy to take time away without penalty.
4. Adjust workloads: Reallocate responsibilities so employees aren't forced to "power through" their grief.
5. Keep employees informed: Share updates on memorials, workplace arrangements, and how the company is supporting the family.
A death in the workplace isn't just a tragic accident; it's a defining test of a company's values. UPS failed that test spectacularly.
By treating a death as a two-hour inconvenience, by forcing grieving coworkers to continue working while their colleague's body remained nearby, and by showing utter disregard for both Shelma and her family, UPS earns this nomination as the Worst Employer of 2025.