The votes have been counted … and in the end it wasn't all that close. The WINNER of The Worst Employer of 2022 is
The Murder Enabler
Sadly, it's a well-earned win, as the details are gruesome and tragic.Riley Whitelaw, age 16, worked at a Colorado Springs Walgreens. According to KKTV 11 News, she told store managers last year that a coworker, Joshua Johnson (age 28), was making uncomfortable advances toward her. According to KRDO, the only action Walgreens management took in response to Ms. Whitelaw's complaint was to warn Johnson "to keep things professional."
On June 11 a manager discovered Ms. Whitelaw dead on the floor of the breakroom, stabbed 42 times. Store surveillance video showed Johnson stacking boxes to block the camera's view just prior to the attack. Moreover, paper was taped over the windows of the breakroom with restroom closed sign also placed in the area. A police search of Johnson's locker found the empty sheath for the suspected murder weapon, along with pieces of paper containing Ms. Whitelaw's name and social security number, plus her boyfriend's name, birthday, address, and social security number.
Johnson in now awaiting trial on 1st degree murder charges.
Is there anything Walgreens could have done to stop Johnson from (allegedly) murdering Ms. Whitelaw? We'll never know, because it doesn't appear it even tried. And that's why it's a worthy winner of The Worst Employer of 2022.
Here are the final results.
1st: The Murder Enabler
2nd: The Slaughtering Supervisor
3rd: The Active Shooter
4th: The Cancerous Employment Canceler
5th: The Slumlord Supervisor
6th: The Hurricane Haranguer
7th: The Sh**ty Supervisor
A huge thank you to everyone who sent me nominees throughout the year, and to the more than 1,000 of you who voted.
That's a wrap on 2022's contest. For those employers that did not win this year, remember, there are no real winners, because at the end of the day you're all losers.
I'll be back in a few weeks to start compiling 2023's list of worst employers. If you're making a new year's resolution, a good one to think about is to learn from all prior nominees and stay off my list.