On Employers and no firearm policy?. Me I am retired now but I spent 35 plus in auto service industry( 15 years A S E Tech \ 15 plus upper managment ).One of the last jobs before call it quits was one of the largest Tire Service Stores in the Nation( 67 to a 100 hours a week) They had a very strict no firearm policy. I carried along with some trusted employees every day. This company never had and still dosnt have any regard for employee saftey. I have knowledge 1 st hand many manangers robbed or beaten even shot. While takeing the daily deposit to bank. My thought is and always will be those employers that do zero to keep employee safe and have a no firearm policy should be held accountable and liable.Some here may say go find another job , but lets get real. I always played it with these folks GUNS ARE Dangerous!!While packing right in front of them daily .They never had a clue. What say you ?

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Spin The Wheel

I worked for 45 years at the largest telecommunications company in the country. They also had a very strict no firearms policy. No firearms on company property or in company vehicles, PERIOD. Immediate dismissal. It was mostly a liability issue.

But I also worked with a number of folks who had no business carrying a firearm and I know for a fact some did off company property. Some had volatile tempers, some had no common sense, some were just plain stupid. I took some comfort in knowing they were (probably) not carrying.

Bottom line is this - Their property, their rules. They make the rules very clear up front. You either accept them or move on. Same policy applies in my home.

I'm on the side of private property owners.

I have never worked for an employer that had a stated weapons policy. However, some of them would have not been in favor if asked about employees carrying concealed.

Best advice was, "Don't ask, don't tell". Most of the people I currently work with assume I carry but do not know for certain.

Except for the time I worked as an armed security guard, I've never worked for an employer that allowed employees to carry guns, and in each of those cases carrying would've violated the law as well as company policy.

My opinion is that if you agree to work for an employer, you agree to abide by their rules, whether or not you agree with them. So even if I were to work in a "non-permissive environment" (legal to carry, but against the rules) I'd abide by their rules.

In more general terms, while I'd rather carry a gun than go without, it's just one tool in a tool box. Other tools include awareness and avoidance, empty hand techniques, use of improvised weapons, etc. I adapt as best I can to whatever environment I'm in, using the resources I have available.

Just look at our military, no firearms for almost all of its employees, unless in a war zone or on guard duty. No concealed weapons on any military base, period.

I worked for the Federal gov't after retiring from the PD and could not carry. The Fed had a strict no guns policy and it was a termination offense if you violated it. Not wanting to get fired I took my chances until I could pull a second retirement and have carried every day since.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

My company has the "no firearms" policy. I don't really think it has to do with anything other than safety since I am constantly working in atmospheres that are potentially explosive. They pay me well and I only have about fifteen years to go until I retire so I just play by their rules.

My employer doesn't care and knows I carry however, I could see why many don't want their employees to carry. If something were to happen the company would be liable. There are people who can't help but talk about and show off their guns. I can see some employee pulling out a gun and accidentally shooting a customer (happens amongst friends and family all the time). Then that person would probably sue the company

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I worked in a federal facility. My employer cared.

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I like Ike.

And right or wrong it's probably for good reasons. While the military often depicts it's personnel as responsible, forthright and duty-bound (EG as in TV, movies & media) the majority are younger and probably not so responsible OUTSIDE of a duty or training environment. In these events there is regimentation, direction, discipline and SOBRIETY. In the world outside of the actual duty environment many younger service people have problems no different than those of their civilian peers and the Military has taken an extra step by denying possession of firearms on base to at least take any negligent actions out of the equation.

I worked for a large technology conglomerate in Arizona. They always have had a strict "No weapons" policy. Over the years, several people got fired for having guns in their cars. Security at this place was very tight and it would have been absurd to think that you needed to carry on your person while at work. About 12 years ago Arizona passed a law that allowed people to carry in their cars, even on to company private property and regardless of the company policy, so long at the weapons were not "openly displayed" while on the property.

I love Arizona!

If I were to bring a gun to work.....

If I brought it through the first gate, I would have some legal trouble at minimum. They *might* accept it was an oversight and I'd have to argue it in a federal court.

If I brought it through the second gate my job would be gone- no questions no excuses. I can't even bring a cell phone, or camera, lighter, or transmitter of any kind through this gate, and knives are limited to 3" or less. There would most likely be some legal trouble which would be difficult with my unemployment.

If I brought it through the third gate....well lets just say that if one of the young marines saw it I would be lucky to survive.

I'll fess up in 97 days, when I retire. Until then, mums the word.

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Fight socialism. Never stop.

I understand their rules and would have been responsibable for my actions if ever having to draw to protect myself from being robbed or whorse.It never came to that but again the last year I was their I can count about a dozen robberies of stores close to mine and I knew of one manager getting shot down south to us. ( West palmbeach ). I really think the employer should be held accountable ( not talking workers comp ) The corperation would make each mananger of each store take deposit to bank nightly by themselfs very late at night.This comany being the largest could have had an armored courier pick up deposits saving time and gas for the manangers. I brought this up at a high level meeting after the one mananger got shot. The C E O at the time just sneared and stated why would we want to pay for a courier when the manangers can do it for free

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Spin The Wheel

After I retired from the Bureau I got a private investigator's license and did some work for a large company that did mostly worker's comp fraud investigations for insurance companies. I hated it, since mostly it involved sitting in a car and trying to catch some idiot jumping on a trampoline or loading up his jet ski when he was supposed to be completely disabled. The company had a strict no weapons of any kind policy - guns, knives, batons, pepper spray, and probably paper with sharp edges were all verboten. I finally told them I was going to quit, as I had spent enough of my life sitting in cars watching stupid people.

They came back with all kinds of incentives for me to stay - more dough, a car, higher mileage rates, but the one thing they wouldn't negotiate on was carrying a gun (which I always did). We parted ways, and I don't miss it a bit.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Thanks for all the replys keep um coming. I understand stand alot here work or worked for large corporations that do have security or don't leave ya like a sitting duck. If my employment had been in a field like that I would have been ok with a no carry.

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Spin The Wheel

My last few years as a truck driver. I ran for a company that sent me to the ports in the northwest.

They're controlled by the Coast Guard with signs warning "No firearms" and I was asked on entry if I had any. I lied.

But I had stuffed it in the wall interior of the sleeper before I arrived.

They cared and I would have been handcuffed and hauled off if they ever found it..

I'm a truck driver and no weapons allowed in a commercial vehicle, my employers and customers property. I just drive local now but I did carry a .357 several years ago when driving OTR.

Whatever happened with the military move to allow concealed carry on bases? Was it ever implemented?

DoD Releases Plan to Allow Personnel to Carry Firearms on Base | Military.com

I worked my last 30 years for a multi-national company, not huge but reached the "400s" on the "Forbes 500" a time or two.

Many carried concealed, at a time when "open" was fine, but concealed was allowed only by a very few. (In my state). Those who traveled internationally of course did not carry, but right many brought back some nice "souvenirs".

There was no company policy about firearms at all, and at least 5 or 6 of the firearms I have today were examined, haggled over, and bought at my office desk.
Test firing on a potential buy was also carried out at the back end of the factory complex.

Not quite to the same point as "riderz" is discussing, and in the 1970's through 90's time frame, but that's the way it was in southern Virginia.

If you recall, the only work place incidents publicized were what became known as, "going postal". Most other work disagreements were settled with fists.
The deadliest thing we had was in the packing department, where one of the tools used were hatchets. Even those who carried a magnum would hightail it from a hatchet fight !

Along about 96' a neighbor company in the same business started posting their no guns on property rules, but they were head-quartered in,...take a guess,...New York city.

If you have any memory at all of the mid to late 90's, I think you will see a shift in society's attitudes, much like the changes of the 60's.

Except in the late 90's, it seems we began to make "outlaws" of many of the things, good or bad, that had been commonplace usage.

Included in the list,.. guns, and hunting, tobacco use, drinking and driving, and of course WORDS. The words, shouted or whispered, that more or less described a particular segment of humans and or their activities.

Returning to O P's question: "Where you at???. If I were in the workplace today; just as I did when I was, I would absolutely obey the rules,(all rules) or go somewhere else; and to add, if I felt like a gun was necessary at my job, I would be hesitant to remain on that job.

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wanna do right-- not right now

To make a long story really short, I respect my employer's right to tell me that I can't carry a firearm on my person on the clock. I DO NOT recognize my employer's right to tell me what I can have in my car unless I'm using it for company business on the clock.

I'm currently working an unarmed position so for me to have a firearm on my person would be a violation of company policy as well as city ordinance. The company has no policy against leaving a firearm in your vehicle that I'm aware of and I'm not going to ask them about it.

When I worked for HSS the policy for unarmed guards was that you couldn't have a firearm on Client property without written authorization from the client AND HSS IOW no firearms even in your car on the clock. I ignored it. My car my rules

When I worked for G4S the written firearms policy really only covered what you could and couldn't do with their gun. As far as personal Firearms it was really non-existent. I actually had a couple supervisors put me on unarmed positions and tell me if I wanted to bring a gun it would be okay. I didn't say a word but I knew that if anything happened with that firearm if they would hang me out to dry and say they never told me I could have it.

So like I said unless you're paying me to carry a gun at work or you specifically give me a written authorization to carry a gun at work I'm not carrying a gun at work but my car is my car and unless you're paying me to use it for company business what's in it is none of your business

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Retired Career Security Guard

I'm the boss, so I make the policy.

I can carry.

No one else can carry: including clients.

I know my skill level and that of my staff.

I carried as a firefighter after serving on a jury that convicted a guy that was driving through my district with a loaded gun in his lap and a bullet lodged under his skin in the middle of his back. If he had passed out and ditched it, I had a pretty good chance of being the first guy to stick my head in the drivers window and make contact with a desperate three time loser. In spite of being told not too, I carried after that. I even started the process of getting my permit during a break in the trial, downstairs from the courtroom at the sheriffs office.

My other job, I respect their rules and do not carry. Some guys have guns in their cars parked off site, some will park off site and do trades or go shooting together after work. We all feel very safe where we are and trust that the company is doing due diligance to keep us that way, for instance, if one of our female workers has a restraining order that she fears will be violated on our property all she has to do is ask and security is doubled, even tripled in her building and in the parking lot. I trust that anyone without a badge or in the wrong place at the wrong time will be confronted and I am probably at least three rooms away anyway.

Just finished my 51st year on the same job. Carried every step. Didn't shoot everyday. Didn't have anyplace to shoot everyday.

I’m required to carry at work. I usually have a few guns with me while working

I work for a small privately owned company. We are allowed to carry. But only after me or the owner determine your proficiency.

There are times when we are better off armed than not.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Their house, their rules; if you can't live within those rules, then go elsewhere. Those who knowingly violate under some "concealed means concealed" are subject to immediate termination, but are also proving themselves to be dishonest by violating company regulations.

Character is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

My employer has a no "weapons on premises" policy.
I abide by their rules, even though I disagree.

Ideally, one would not work for such people. In real life, one may feel that he doesn't have much of a choice.

I do not respect anyone's so-called property rights any more than he respects my "right" to life.

I carried for five years without company knowledge. I never broke the law. The last couple of years I think the company had a written policy against it, but I never got around to acknowledging receipt of the new rules, although that probably would have made NO difference to anybody in any case. I also could have survived dismissal.

In each case, the sane thing to do, IMO, is to evaluate the risks and rewards and act accordingly. If it works out to your disadvantage, you should sue either way, if you actually have a chance of winning. I feel that the business owner or manager should be fully responsible for the results of his rules and decisions. I understand that that is probably not the case in a majority of states, but IANAL.

Life's a bitch, and then you die.

Character is doing the right thing, for yourself and your family, whether your employer wants you to or not.

I'm not allowed to carry at work. I work for the USAF. I'm told that because they have a fence and their own security, I shouldn't need to. Tell that to those at Fort Hood and many other sites of shootings.

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Freedom isn't free.

Same here. Only 2 people I work with have knowledge that I “might” be carrying. My employer probably thinks I do, as he does know I have an LTC and that I am a gunner. But he’s never explicitly said no weapons, not does his employee handbook. Hell he’s given me a bunch of old .22 ammo he found when he was packing to move his household. I think in reality everyone assumes..... and probably has a little comfort in knowing that if some wacko comes in with bad intent, someone is ready to, at least, try to protect them.


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Now, wait a minute here! 100 hours a week? If you worked 7 days a week, that is more than 14 hours every day. If you worked 6 days a week, that is more than 16 hours every day. If you worked 5 hours a day, that would be more than 20 hours every day.

Which one was it???

Sorry, but, the policy is established by the lawyers and the insurance companies. They, the companies, don't give a tinkers dam about the safety of employees - just the bottom line!

Now, granted, "most" people have no business carrying a firearm as they do not have knowledge of when/where/why/etc., it might be used. They would probably be a liablity. Also, "most" people will never have a reason to use a firearm at work. BUT, if I were to be working in a position such as: 7 - 11, Quik Stop, Gas Station, Pizza Delivery, etc., I bloody well would carry!!

I work in retail management for a large company (2300 stores). No weapons policy is strictly enforced. One dept. manager at my location was recently fired for carrying in her purse. I respect their decision and the reasons for it. The only time in 32 years I've felt the need for my gun was when a shoplifter pulled a knife on me. He didn't attack me, but he held it up for me to see. I stepped back and let him pass. Not worth getting cut or killed over a hundred bucks or so of somebody else's property.

In Texas they can't prevent you from having one in your car, and mine is always there in it's lockbox attached to the seat frame.

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Or something like that . . .

My Dad and before him my Grandfather owned a small grocery store, meat market , and off sale beer garden. They worked around 90 hours per week from 6:30 am till 9:30 pm 6 days per week and from 10 am till 2:30 pm on Sundays.

I started working with them from age 8 on and would work around 60 hours a week during the summer. I didn't get paid but liked to be with my Dad and Grandfather. I learned how to work and how to deal respectfully with customers. I also learned meat cutting and took over all that work at age 13 when my Dad had a heart attack and wasn't supposed to lift quarters of beef.

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I like Ike.

The thing that I don't understand about this thread is the respondents who are essentially commenting "My co-workers suspect that I may be carrying but I neither confirm nor deny."

I don't give my co-workers any reason to suspect that I even have any interest in guns outside of work. Certainly none of them suspect that I would be carrying one or that I have one in my car. I don't discuss Firearms at work and if my co-workers do I ignore the conversation. If you have to ask if I'm carrying a handgun you don't know me well enough for me to answer the question.

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Retired Career Security Guard

I love my job. Whenever I get a new gun I’m considered selfish if I don’t bring it in to try out in the range. Range master of course always gets to put a few rounds through if he wants. Especially if it’s in a caliber that’s stocked at the department

Guess you don't know very many truck drivers.

Being the manager turn the key to unlock the front door At 6:00 am for corprate conferance call.Lock the front door any where from 9:00 pm to 11:30 pm paperwork orders stocking 6 days minum most times 7 days. Oh and then head to bank with deposit .Store hours 7:00 am to 8:00 pm severing customer most days to 9:00. Pm and above. Not for the normal 9 to 5 worker's they couldn't do it trust me lol btw retail managment a five day work week very rare indeed

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Spin The Wheel

Then you do the right thing and LEAVE; go start your own company and set the rules as you see fit.

If I ever did start my own company I would have never ever leave my employess in an un safe situation or leave them where they couldn't defend them selfs.Buts thats just me. All due respect. The one small mom and pop shop I ran till owner passed and closed. Gave me some very good advice. Take care of your employess and they will take care of you.That worked for him for over 50 years. R I P.

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Spin The Wheel

No, I don't. You pretend that I can leave and start my own company and my family and I will eat. Ridiculous. You don't know me, don't know what my skills and deficiencies are, and ignore the observable and obvious fact that not everyone can own his own business.

You haughtily proclaim that your opinions and decisions reflect character, while everyone who differs lacks character. Wrong.

P.S. In case I didn't make it clear, I maintain that quitting my job would have been WRONG. I did the RIGHT thing, as did the OP. I also notice that your opinion and proclamations on the subject had no effect on what actually took place.

I'm retired now....but my former employer was very safety conscious and understanding (great guy) & "required" that I have a firearm handy at all times.

BTW I was self-employed.


Don

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Laus Deo! <><

And in my view if a tradgey happens on the clock and employee is shot or killed that employer should be held accountable because he left employee at harms way with no defense.

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Spin The Wheel

I guess you must work with a bunch of libs then.... that must suck being a gun owner or hunter and not being able to talk about shooting or hunting with fellow workers who do the same.
I doubt anyone on here, including myself, walks around yammering about guns or showing everyone “look! I’m carrying!” Not sure how you took anyone’s comment to mean that. And yeah, if anyone asks me if I’m packing, I say “I don’t know what you’re taking about”.


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Or you could go in an entirely different direction, probably followed by a conversation with HR.

I don't consider my workplace to be a place to socialize, in fact I had a former employer that had a stated policy that employees of the company were to have no unnecessary conversations at work. In today's politically correct work environment any wrong word can get you a trip to HR and I've noticed that once you're on HR's radar it's really hard to get off it. I recently had to do a yearly refresher course on workplace violence awareness. According to the training one of the number one warning signs is a fascination with weapons. So I keep my personal life personal and my professional life professional and I don't talk about guns at work.

Those coworkers got the idea that you're a gun guy somehow.

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Retired Career Security Guard

No. That's just you trying to justify your decision to ignore your employer's policy and make it sound noble.

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Retired Career Security Guard