Akron committee backs ordinance amendment to add healthcare workers to menacing law

The Public Safety Committee voted to suspend the rules and forward an ordinance that would add healthcare workers to the list of protected classes under Akron Codified Ordinance 135.06, the city menacing ordinance, after a presentation from local health systems and testimony from a nurse who said she had been assaulted on the job.

Supporters told the committee that workplace violence against health care staff is rising and asked the city to increase protections at the local level. Representatives from Cleveland Clinic and Summa Health described industrywide increases in assaults and urged the committee to adopt the change. The committee approved a motion to suspend the rules and give a favorable report to council.

The request came after a presentation by Brittany Zahringer of the mayor's office and healthcare representatives, including Dallas Moyer of the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Workplace Violence Prevention, and Robin Brown and…