Options For Those Who Can’t Carry Concealed At Work
Options For Those Who Can’t Carry Concealed At Work
Funny enough, I remember working for a firearm manufacturer that wouldn’t allow employees to carry on the job. Even though there were people who worked for that company that didn’t like guns and didn’t carry concealed — even though it was a permitless process in my state — you could just about guarantee that in almost any car in the parking lot, there would be a gun located somewhere out of sight.
There was also a security screening checkpoint at the entrance so if an employee made the unfortunate mistake of trying to carry his concealed carry handgun through the front door, he was in for a nasty surprise from HR.
This inspired me to write an article about the process I took to carry concealed even when I couldn’t carry concealed at work.
Pro-Tip 1: Don’t Try To Carry A Concealed Handgun Through Your Workplace Security Screening Area
Before attempting to carry a concealed handgun into your own workplace, please check with your employee handbook, manager, and/or Human Resources specialist. Walking into the workplace with a gun — especially where security screening measures are in use — can result in the loss of your job and/or all sorts of legal issues.
Even though employees have prevented violent crimes through the use of their concealed carry handguns, a workplace absolutely has the right to not allow employees to carry firearms on the premises. The time to debate that right is not with security personnel located at the entrances.
Chances are real good that when you began work at a facility, you were given a mandatory brief where your Human Resources specialist, manager, or whomever explicitly pointed out their policy on firearms and knives on the premises.
I remember I had a friend who accidentally forgot he had his M&P Shield on his side when he walked through the metal detectors. I had another friend who left her Glock in her workout bag. Neither of those people worked for that company after that happened.
I never agreed that policy was a good idea. I never thought it was necessary to restrict a person’s right to defend himself where-ever he goes. And I especially didn’t think it was fair to terminate someone for making an honest mistake. Unfortunately, I didn’t write the rules.
They’re both still my friends and we still hang out. I ended up leaving that company for other reasons and immediately resumed my normal concealed carry routine — everyday, everywhere legally possible.
Pro-Tip 2: Store Your Concealed Carry Handgun Intelligently
If you have no choice but to leave your concealed carry handgun in your vehicle, make sure you store it in a place that is not clearly visible.
In the aforementioned place I worked where we weren’t allowed to carry on the premises, I just imagined that every car thief in town could just about guarantee access to a firearm if he broke into an employee’s vehicle.
The only way to beat that is to…
…Think like a thief.