He worked from home and died suddenly. Five days passed before his body was found

LOS ANGELES — Dominic Green signed out of work as he always did, exactly at 4:30 p.m.

"Good afternoon everyone, my shift has ended," the 28-year-old emailed from his desk in the living room of his Los Angeles apartment on a winter Wednesday afternoon.

A remote contract worker, Dominic had never met any of his colleagues. A supervisor would later tell his father that she couldn't pick him out in a photo. "We really don't know people by anything except the work that they do," he remembered her saying.

As the COVID-19 pandemic entered its third year, Dominic and his peers expected as much out of life. In 2020, Dominic's classes went remote. His June 2021 graduation ceremony was held as a drive-through. And all of his job interviews were conducted by video.

Dominic, who was single and lived alone, had started his position as an epidemiologist in September, joining the 41% of white-collar workers who were fully remote, spending their days at home in jobs that were more disconnected and isolating than ever.

At the beginning and end of each shift, Dominic sent his bosses a mandatory email clocking in and out.

But the next day, a Thursday, Dominic didn't send his 8 a.m. email. He missed the 4:30 p.m. sign-out too. Friday also came and went with no sign of Dominic.

Dominic's parents, Joseph and Jeannine Green, who lived in Michigan, didn't hear from him over the weekend, but that was not unexpected; they were used to waiting for texts from their busy son. But by Monday, which was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, they grew worried.

Joseph checked their family cellular plan and saw Dominic's