AutoZone employee fired for stopping robbery with a handgun.

[speedyquad]

i can say that to her because i very rarely ever carry to work, even though i would like to. there is a youth detention center a few miles away that has a breakout every few months, more so in the winter when it is cold and snow is on the ground. one was once caught IN a vehicle in our parking lot, others have tried to break into the building. i prefer not to give them a free gun more.

 

[Sledge276]

Yup,

No more autozone for me or the ranch.

I'm a mind to tell everyone I know and cross the road to tell someone I don't know of this atrocity....

We don't need to tolerate this kind of abuse of a young veterans and family men.

That auto parts place may continue on, but it won't be getting any help from me or my kind.


Su Amigo,
Dave

Anyone got their email address?

Amen, brother.

 

[Sledge276]

If the robber shot anyone who owned a handgun (but didn't carry it due to store policy) perhaps the could sue, but workman's comp prevents you from suing an employer except in case of extreme disregard for safety.

I would consider this an extreme disregard for safety.

 

[gdauth]

There is a question that we all must ask and answer: when do my rights trump your rights? If my rights always take precedence, then you have no rights. How long do you think that will work?

 

[nipster]

Dang! I was happy when an A Z opened up about a mile away.
Guess I'll have to drive a little farther to O'Reilly's.

What makes you think O'Reilly's, or Napa, or Advanced Auto Parts, or Pep Boys has any different of a policy?

Chances are, they all have the same policy.

 

[nipster]

two weeks ago, i signed that i read the company policy on firearms. it stated none on the property, including your personal vehicle. no exception. I refused to sign stating it went against my 2nd amendments rights and my state licensed right to carry concealed. i signed only saying that i read the policy, not agreeing to it. i then proceeded to tell our HR person that i did have a loaded pistol in my vehicle. she said nothing.

While I commend you for sticking up for your rights, I hope you dont get fired for that. Most people probably would have.

 

[ericdarden]

Wow, I have a huge problem with this. I'm the service manager for a auto shop and autozone is my first call. I spend about 3k a week with them. guess I'm going to have to make some calls and rethink where I buy my parts.
Eric

 

[pawncop]

Well it has been two (2) days now and have yet to hear anything from the corporate morons.

Doubt if I will but will continue to give them a weekly pice of my mind for awhile.

 

[leswad]

While I commend you for sticking up for your rights, I hope you dont get fired for that. Most people probably would have.

If you have a CHL, and it is not illegal to carry at your work via the law, then what is the worst your employer can do to you???... Fire you? Do you trust yourself or your employer for protecting your life?

 

[sophie]

Not much anyone can do if the company has a zero tolerance on firearms in the store by employees except express opposition to this. I feel sorry for the guy getting fired and I don't think it is right. He should have shot him.

I shop Auto Zone's competition mostly anymore. The public is lucky not to get robbed at the Auto Zone on the north side of town where I live. All sorts of bums and undesirables hang out in the parking lot or nearby so they can approach the customers. It is a real problem and has been for years. I have been approached many times in the past. There are a few more across town, but I go to their competitors. Don't have that problem at their stores.

I will go and email the Auto Zone contact page and tell them what I think also.

_________
James

 

[feralmerril]

If you own a mom and pop store the odds are fair you wont be robbed in your career. If you own a chain of stores you will be robbed numerous times. You will be dealing with the aftermath. You will be paying insurance on all your stores. You will be sued various times.
Even as a guard we daily checked vehicles, lunch boxs and briefcases. We never patted anyone down comeing or going except for the few times a crime was comitted. We didnt have metal detectors although they may now in high security areas.
If you own a factory with many people odds are you will even have murders at some point. We did several times.
What this is all about and stirring us up is the fact the employee was fired and left high and dry to fight a possible lawsuit instead of being congradulated and rewarded.
Its a fact that almost all companys operate the same way as auto zone.
It boils down to the fact that if you are concerned for your personnal protection you will play the odds and decide to pack or not pack either as a employee or customer of a business that posts no guns allowed.
I know if I worked at a liquor store or conviance store in a high crime area I would pack concealed regardless of the boss`s rules. I darn sure wouldnt tell him I am armed. If found out I would accept the fact and try it again on my next job if I thought I needed to.
The companys that do have that no gun policy are also takeing the chance that when something does happen like this that the public will still buy from them. Hopefully, they will be wishing they had given this guy a big promotion. Thats life.

 

[nipster]

If you have a CHL, and it is not illegal to carry at your work via the law, then what is the worst your employer can do to you???... Fire you?

Is there any state that has a law that actually protects your right to carry on the job. I am not talking about in your car, but inside work?

If their policy states "in your car", and your state protects that right, I would have a huge problem with that. But I am not aware of any state that preempts employers from prohibiting carry while on the job.

Do you trust yourself or your employer for protecting your life?

Quite honestly, I work in a place where I have zero fear of needing my firearm. My employer also has a policy against carrying while AT work. And I have a nice job I dont want to lose, so the gun stays in the car. If I worked in a dangerous place that didnt allow me to carry, I would be finding another job.

 

[OLDFED]

Geee...why not hire the bandit? He obviously needs the work. Just say "NO" to AutoZone!

 

[speedyquad]

While I commend you for sticking up for your rights, I hope you dont get fired for that. Most people probably would have.

i'm most likely going to be out of a job in a few months anyway.

i have seen alot of posts on their facebook page regarding this. i doubt it will do any good though.

 

[squidsix]

This is in keeping with the whole carry at work piece. Lose your job? Well, you are still alive to find another one. Autozone is WAY wrong about this, and this young fellow should be happy to be rid of them.

 

[fiasconva]

Wow, that is right down the road from me. I didn't even realize it was that close to home. I will let them corporate know they will no longer have my business either. I bet the Virginia Citizen's Defense League will rip them a new one. I hope they organize a boycott. Another note: This guy is a serial robber who has been robbing businesses for months and hasn't been caught yet. He has robbed the same businesses more than once and always gets away.

 

[BrainOnSigs]

Good luck with that, I hope it works out for you. My employer was lockheed aircraft. We had some company owned parking lots that were outside the gates but also had many vehicles that had permits to drive in the plants. Of course we had different levels of security depending on what buildings etc. When a company has goverment programs the goverment pretty much makes the rules and once in awhile has moles watching the guards to see that we followed their gidelines. We didnt know who they were. We arent talking walmart or toys or us here. Sometimes we might be told to search every 7th vehicle one day or every 11th the next etc. If you drove in long enough you were bound to get searched at some point. The worst part of my job for me was snooping through peoples private property. However all employees knew it was a rule when they hired in and were used to it.

In Florida, we have the "guns at work law." The current law in Florida states an employer may NOT prevent an employee who has a valid Concealed Weapons and Firearms License from bringing their weapon onto company property as long as that weapon is kept locked in the car. They cannot fire you for that reason. They also may not inquire if the employee has a CWL as a condition of employment or otherwise.

There are exceptions. The law only protects employees who have a valid CWL. It does not apply to teachers at a school, employees who work where there are explosives, defense contractors and a number of others.

 

[jframe]

I haven't heard anything from them on the email I sent either. I started my parts career in the late Eighties working for those morons. If you can stomach their Kool Aid, you CAN make some money with them, but you have to wheel and deal it out of them. Between their stupid Auto Zone cheer and Auto Zone pledge we all had to say at their store meetings, I finally got sick of the Jim Jones routine, and found another job. Ain't looked back since.

 

[cballman]

I will chime in on this one. Most people dont have a clue as to how the large corps work. I worked for a large very well known auto parts chain. NAPA. While I believe their most of the parts they sell are better than others, I still will ask about brands to buy the best. Their policy was NO GUNS IN THE STORE. period. Out in the car was fine. Did I agree with this? NO But then again I was being paid to follow their rules. I have since been let go due to a store closing. They have policies that can be controlled nationwide not just in one store. It is easier to have one policy that 3000 different policies for that many stores. Yes insurance people have dictated as to what policies have to be enforced. Just check out the company policies of each place that you purchase something. You will be amazed as to what the people have to put up with.