Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield of California are joining a $10 million initiative to improve employee safety in Oakland, Calif.
The two insurers are both headquartered in Oakland, Calif., and are some of the city's largest employers.
In January, local outlets reported that Kaiser Permanente advised employees in downtown Oakland to stay in their office buildings during lunch, and requested workers not based in Oakland avoid hosting meetings in its downtown offices. The advisories were issued in response to rising rates of armed robberies, vehicle thefts and other crime in the city, a spokesperson told Becker's in January.
Blue Shield of California also upped security in response to rising crime in downtown Oakland.
According to a March 28 news release, Oakland's four largest employers — Kaiser Permanente, Blue Shield of California, The Clorox Company and Pacific Gas and Electric Company — will contribute to the initiative to improve security in the city's downtown.
The funding will support more visible and responsive security downtown in collaboration with the Oakland Police Department and a program to provide escorts from offices, restaurants and points of interest. The program will also provide subsidized transportation for employees between work and transit hubs.
"We believe these actions are a necessary step to help improve the current downtown situation for all who work in Oakland and call Oakland home, including our employees and physicians," Kaiser Permanente CEO and Chair Greg Adams said.
The program will be in place through the end of 2024, according to the release.
"It's important that we do what's needed to not only protect our people who live and work here but support our community as we work together to revitalize this great city," Blue Shield of California CEO and President Paul Markovich said.