I am looking for any advice/help regarding guns and company policy. To set the stage for the story I have an Oregon & Utah CCW and carry all the time.
I started three weeks ago with a great company and really enjoy the people. I read through the entire employee handbook and there was no reference to weapons of any kind. Now being the responsible person I am notified only my immediate manager that I have permits and do carry but had no intention of carrying inside the building but my weapon would be in my car a short distance away. My previous employer also did not have a policy and myself and owner came to an agreement it was ok to have my weapon in my car but could not take it into/on a customers property.
The new company did not have anything in writing and there are many pro-gun people that work here, my manager was up front about this and he embraced a person's individual rights. He had to work through HR and when I shared the policy with my previous employer they agreed this was a good policy and for the short term this would be the policy. Today I received an email from my manager which, as he said to me does not agree with it but the President of the company created a new policy, that reads like this:
All Weapons Banned
The Firm specifically prohibits the possession of weapons by any employee while on Firm property. Employees are also prohibited from carrying a weapon while perform Firm's services off the Firm's business premises.
Weapons include guns, knives, pepper spray, stun guns, explosives, and other items with the potential to inflict harm.
Appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including discharge, will be taken against any employee who violates this policy.
I really don't want to hear anyone say "you shouldn't have said anything" I felt it was prudent to only tell my manager since I did have a weapon. I am looking for legal positions that may be there since this is my "personal" vehicle and do drive to and from work in it. There will be times I have to visit customers in my "personal" vehicle so where is the line drawn about how far a company can go to restrict my rights?
Thanks for taking the time to read this and really appreciate anyone that can respond, I believe they have gone overboard (they lease the property) in saying I cannot have a weapon while on company property or visiting customers in my PERSONAL vehicle!
I started three weeks ago with a great company and really enjoy the people. I read through the entire employee handbook and there was no reference to weapons of any kind. Now being the responsible person I am notified only my immediate manager that I have permits and do carry but had no intention of carrying inside the building but my weapon would be in my car a short distance away. My previous employer also did not have a policy and myself and owner came to an agreement it was ok to have my weapon in my car but could not take it into/on a customers property.
The new company did not have anything in writing and there are many pro-gun people that work here, my manager was up front about this and he embraced a person's individual rights. He had to work through HR and when I shared the policy with my previous employer they agreed this was a good policy and for the short term this would be the policy. Today I received an email from my manager which, as he said to me does not agree with it but the President of the company created a new policy, that reads like this:
All Weapons Banned
The Firm specifically prohibits the possession of weapons by any employee while on Firm property. Employees are also prohibited from carrying a weapon while perform Firm's services off the Firm's business premises.
Weapons include guns, knives, pepper spray, stun guns, explosives, and other items with the potential to inflict harm.
Appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including discharge, will be taken against any employee who violates this policy.
I really don't want to hear anyone say "you shouldn't have said anything" I felt it was prudent to only tell my manager since I did have a weapon. I am looking for legal positions that may be there since this is my "personal" vehicle and do drive to and from work in it. There will be times I have to visit customers in my "personal" vehicle so where is the line drawn about how far a company can go to restrict my rights?
Thanks for taking the time to read this and really appreciate anyone that can respond, I believe they have gone overboard (they lease the property) in saying I cannot have a weapon while on company property or visiting customers in my PERSONAL vehicle!