The 8th nominee for the “Worst Employer of 2023” is … the head hunter

If you work for the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois (a non-profit organization dedicated to the procurement, preparation, and preservation of donations for medical and scientific study), body parts are an unfortunate occupational hazard. If, however, you lodge complaints with your supervisors about the "mishandling and poor conditions" of donated bodies, and then find three dismembered heads waiting for you at your desk … that occupational hazard becomes retaliation.

The Chicago Tribune provides the details:

Dale Wheatley, who performs deliveries for the AGA, came into work two weeks ago and found sage burning and three severed heads lying on a plastic container by his desk.

Wheatley, who has worked for AGA for nearly five years, said he's never seen anything like the horror movie-like scene he stumbled upon that Wednesday morning in late May.

Wheatley said the heads from AGA donors were placed next to his desk after he reported concerns about the mishandling and poor conditions of donated bodies to his supervisors. But AGA Executive Vice President William O'Connor denied any maltreatment accusations, saying that handling body parts is in Wheatley's job description.

According to Law & Crime, when Wheatley asked his boss why there were heads at his desk, he simply responded, "I don't know Dale, there's a lot of strange things happening."

Wheatley's lawyer adds, "I've never seen a situation where heads were left at somebody's desk. That is unspeakable. Those are people's family members. They're not a joke … They gave their body to donate it to science."

I can't believe it have to type this, but … if you leave dismembered heads on an employee's desk after he complains about the condition of your workplace, you might be worst employer of 2023.