Doom cycle

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Blue Cross/Blue Shield HQ tells employees to STAY INSIDE for lunch and arranges rides for workers as Oakland surging crime threatens basic services

I don’t see them renewing their lease, or other large employers choosing to come into the city, do you?

Blue Shield has told workers to stay inside the office during lunch due to surging crime in Oakland.

The company, based in the downtown of the California city, has arranged cars for staff to get into work due to the dangers of traveling in themselves.

Kaiser Permanente, another health insurance company, has also brought in safety measures due to the state of the city.

They have hired private security, provided lifts for workers as well as recommended on-site places to buy food.

Blue Shield relocated its corporate headquarters from San Francisco to Oakland in 2019 and encourages workers to come into the office at least twice a month.

Executives with the health provider are expected to show up once a week.

Blue Shield says: 'Our goal is to encourage in-person collaboration among employees while maintaining flexibility.'

Kaiser Permanente, the largest employer in the city, told staff to stay in the building for lunch and throughout the working day.

The memo also discouraged out-of-town workers from holding meetings in downtown Oakland.

'It's just kind of scary in general, not even just to go to work, just kind of coming outside,' Arielle Crenshaw said to Fox 2. 

'If you can work at home, work at home. If you have to come in, just be safe about it.' Kaiser cited the rise in crime in the city as the reasoning for such extreme measures.

And chew on this:

In-N-Out Burger Is Closing Its Only Oakland Location Due to ‘Ongoing Issues With Crime’

And this:

Oakland saw 15,000 car thefts last year - equivalent to one for every THIRTY of its residents: Understaffed police department says it's too busy dealing with 21% spike in violent crime to help

  • Last year alone, nearly 15K cars were stolen in Oakland – a staggering 45% increase from 2022, marking the highest number in at least 15 years

  • But less than 5% of of auto theft cases lead to an arrest as the city's understaffed and underfunded police dpt are busy dealing with a 21% spike in violent crime 

  • The Chronicle revealed several reasons experts credit for the growing crisis that is plaguing the city 

The last Republican mayor of Oakland left office in 1977