Oakland's largest employer has reportedly told workers that due to safety concerns in the city, taking breaks indoors is recommended.
Kaiser Permanente, which was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Oakland, has recommended employees "stay in their buildings for lunch and work, in response to street robberies of workers who went out to grab something to eat."
The memo also reportedly advised employees to avoid in-person meetings, if possible, and only recommended the Claremont Hotel in the Berkeley Hills for out-of-town guests.
Kaiser's news was met with consternation by local businesses, which are already struggling with lower foot traffic and crime. "I don't think you want to discourage people from walking around and kind of give in to the bad elements that are running around," one 19th and Franklin cafe owner told KTVU. "I think quite the opposite: I think that if there are more people on the streets, there will be less incidences."
According to the Oakland Police Department’s crime statistics, violent crime, which it defines as homicide, aggravated assault, rape or robbery, went up 23% from 2022 to 2023. Oakland police took 3,687 reports of robbery last year compared to 2,680 in 2022, and an astonishing 17,239 reports of burglary. That number has been steadily rising, from 10,584 in 2021 and 13,994 in 2022. Residential, vehicle and commercial burglaries are combined to find that number.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/oakland-largest-employer-tells-workers-eat-lunch-18633598.php
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