View Full Version : Right to carry & your work place
I actually started this conversation on another thread but really wanted to get some more replies so decided to start a new thread. (Thanks to those who have already replied)
I work for a company in Missouri. To be more specific I work in the office where golf shirts & khaki pants are the minimum. At the time this took place I had crap for a holster so decided to carry my pistol in the inside pocket of my jacket. (Maybe not the best idea but it worked at the time) Apparently someone had noticed my pistol either by bulge or who knows. The point being that they complained to my boss who informed me that our company has a rule that says we can not have weapons in the work place. I explained that I new this but since people were bringing in firearms & knives on a regular basis that I viewed the rule to be there just to cover the company's butt if something did happen. Regardless my boss informed me that I was not to bring the loaded weapon to work anymore. I do not wish to loose my job so as of right now I have decided to leave the weapon in my vehicle. I am sure I am not the only one to have this problem & was wondering how others have dealt with it.
Business_Casual
04-14-08, 15:18
One word: Ankle Holster.
Erm, I guess that's two words.
M_P
jasonhgross
04-14-08, 15:49
This is a decision only you can make within the confines of your comfort level. It depends on many factors: legality of leaving firearm in car, do you park on company property, is it safe to leave the gun in your car unattended? How safe is the work environment and the walk to and from your vehicle, is it so dangerous you are likely to need a firearm? Weigh that against the company policy, dress code, how well you conceal, and above almost all of that, how badly you want to keep your job.
If you decide to carry in violation of company policy, make it absolutely certain that nobody at work knows you have a gun, are into guns, and even have ever seen or held a gun.
Good points. An IT guy I know told me of a story where two guys who worked for Motorola or Intel (can't remember which) got fired for completing a pistol sale transaction in the parking lot after work.
They got spotted by one of the cameras hidden in the trees. So the fact that you were only asked not to carry seems fairly mild to me.
All that said... I agree with jasonhgross.
Additionally...
I heard one HR director for a company discussing a theft problem. (theft of company inventory) They were considering doing random searches of people and their vehicles to start trying to catch some of the thieves.
Anyhow... the HR director was partially against the searches because he felt they'd start finding guns and such and be forced to fire good employees because of the policy against weapons.
thanks for the infor guys
RogerinTPA
04-14-08, 16:07
Since your employer has a policy against loaded firearms in the work place. Either abide by the policy or buy an inside the pants holster, keep it unloaded with a readily available mag and risk your job. More than likely, a trusted employee or someone who over heard you, told the company about your carry status and turned you in, so don't even discuss it with anyone at your company, REGARDLESS of what everyone else is doing. You don't want to be made the example. Since you now have a bullseye on you, I'd leave it in the vehicle.
Parabellum9x19mm
04-14-08, 16:09
This is a decision only you can make within the confines of your comfort level. It depends on many factors: legality of leaving firearm in car, do you park on company property, is it safe to leave the gun in your car unattended? How safe is the work environment and the walk to and from your vehicle, is it so dangerous you are likely to need a firearm? Weigh that against the company policy, dress code, how well you conceal, and above almost all of that, how badly you want to keep your job.
In my state parking lots are not affected by "pistol free zones" or other such restrictions. Check local laws.
Also, there are modes of carrying without having a pistol directly on your body (day planner, safepacker, etc)....these make it easier to leave in your car....just make sure your weapon (or day planner or whatever case you have) are out of view so they do not fall into the wrong hands. A trunk or a lock box in your car are obviously the most secure, but not always feasible. A car alarm with a flashing LED deterrent is also a good idea.
Additionally...
They were considering doing random searches of people and their vehicles
This all too common practice is actually illegal in most areas yet somehow it is allowed. I guess we are too conditioned and just go with the flow.
I work for the State of SC and park in an underground garage that's part of the state house grounds. By law, I can't even have a gun in my truck in that garage. :mad:
Of course, that MAY change...since the legislators can't legally have guns in their cars in the garage either!
This all too common practice is actually illegal in most areas yet somehow it is allowed. I guess we are too conditioned and just go with the flow.
Requiring employees to submit to physical searches is illegal?
At the last two companies I worked at, we were required to go through a metal detector and x-ray in and out of the building every single time.
Requiring employees to submit to physical searches is illegal?
At the last two companies I worked at, we were required to go through a metal detector and x-ray in and out of the building every single time.
This , from what I have seen is considered to be a completely different thing to physically searching them and is for sure different than searching your car, which in many states is considered an extension of your home. Also I did say many areas, not all.
Well it seems so far that the best compromise is to secure it in my vehicle. Thats what I was leaning to.
This , from what I have seen is considered to be a completely different thing to physically searching them and is for sure different than searching your car, which in many states is considered an extension of your home. Also I did say many areas, not all.
Abraxas, I understood what you said. I'm not aware of any state that makes it illegal for an employer to search vehicles on its property with forewarning. Without a specific legal prohibition, refusing to allow the search would result in trespass. Hard to keep your job if your presence on site is considered trespassing by the employer.
If there are states where it is expressly forbidden for an employer to perform such a search, I'd genuinely be interested to learn about it.
Well it seems so far that the best compromise is to secure it in my vehicle. Thats what I was leaning to.
I'd only consider this if I had a bolted down, lockable container of some kind.
I'd only consider this if I had a bolted down, lockable container of some kind.
Well I own a single cab Ford pickup. Do you have any recomendations are know of any good reasonably affordable dealers?
Alpha Sierra
04-15-08, 17:38
If there are states where it is expressly forbidden for an employer to perform such a search, I'd genuinely be interested to learn about it.
While not exactly what you are asking, it is illegal for employees to prohibit the keeping of firearms in employee vehicles, even if they are parked on company property, in Kansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Kentucky, and soon to be Florida.
Just an FYI - in some states it's illegal to carry a concealed weapon, licensed or not, onto/into any private place that posts a prohibition against such. It's possible, depending upon in which state one lives, that being caught carrying a concealed handgun in a posted workplace could not only get one fired but, arrested as well. My point being that it may not be just a case of losing ones job if caught.
Spade, your boss did you a solid, especially considering that you told him you knew about the policy and gaffed it off. Every weapon-in-the-workplace case I've run across has resulted in a firing. I hope you at least send him a Christmas card every year.
A khar PM-9 in a pocket holster.
A policy is one thing. A law is another. If the worst that could happen to you is lose your job, that's a helluva lot different than being arrested and suffer the consequences. My personal modus operandi (?) is I don't have the time or money to fight the law. Even if you don't agree with the law. But that's just me.
variablebinary
04-16-08, 03:13
What gun? I dont see any gun
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