Cleveland Increases Penalties for Menacing Healthcare Workers

Cleveland has passed new emergency legislation to increase protections and penalties for medical staff facing workplace violence. Through Ord. No. 1380-2025, the City Council has amended the local code to heighten the consequences for anyone who knowingly causes a healthcare worker to believe they will face physical harm. This move comes as the city seeks to address rising rates of harassment and violence in medical settings, noting that healthcare workers are statistically more likely to experience workplace violence than almost any other profession.

Under the new law, the penalty for menacing a healthcare worker is upgraded to a first-degree misdemeanor, which carries a potential jail sentence of up to six months and/or a fine of up to $1,000. Notably, if the victim is a healthcare worker performing their official duties, the court must impose a mandatory minimum jail sentence of at least three days. The ordinance defines "healthcare worker" broadly to include both direct providers, such as doctors, nurses, radiology technologists, and paramedics, and indirect staff, such as laboratory technicians, emergency dispatchers, and medical waste handlers 1380-2025-Legislative Summary. Additionally, the legislation includes an amendment requiring the Director of Public Safety and the Department of Public Health to produce an annual report by March 31st each year. This report will provide the public with aggregated, anonymized data regarding reported menacing incidents, including geographic distribution, the types of healthcare settings involved, and the outcomes of legal cases 1380-2025 Amendments...

The ordinance has passed and is now part of the city's codified laws. Residents can watch for the release of the first Annual Menacing Incidents in Healthcare Settings report on the City of Cleveland’s website following the March 31st deadline.

Source record

File
1380-2025
Type
Emergency Ordinance
Status
Passed
Committee
City Council
Introduced
October 23, 2025

View on Cleveland Legistar

Official documents

Sources