My job is to provide support for an Order Fulfillment system (different industry but same idea). Even with a computerized system, it can take a few days for someone to pick up the current workload of someone else who has gone missing. And also remember that companies rarely have people with nothing to do, on stand-by, ready to jump into action if someone is missing. Which means that whoever is picking up Dave's work also has a full plate of his/her own work.

• agiel - www.linfa.net