Legal to Bring Your Gun to Work?
The right to carry a gun is limited in certain places and having a gun at work is a touchy subject. But that doesn't always mean you can't carry your weapon with you.
In general, state laws don't expressly allow gun owners to bring their weapons into the office. That decision is usually at the discretion of the company's owner. But there are state laws that stop just short of allowing guns at work.
Those laws don't affect state and federal requirements for gun permits and concealed-carry licenses. But they do give legitimacy to people who want to keep their guns nearby for protection.
For example, several states have laws that allow gun owners to bring their guns to work and leave them secured in the car. That applies even if the car is parked on company property.
Under these laws, once on company property, the worker's gun must be concealed from plain view to prevent theft. A gun owner who fails to reasonably secure his gun in the car could be liable for negligence if it's stolen and used to commit a crime.
Still, if your employer tells you to stop bringing the gun to the company parking lot, your job may be at risk if you continue.
You may want to talk with an experienced employment lawyer about whether your state allows you to leave your gun in your car at work. If it doesn't, then disobeying the law or your company's policy could mean losing your job.
In states that allow gun owners to carry guns in their cars, employers generally can't stop an employee from leaving a gun in his car in the parking lot. That would deprive the person of protection from having the gun during his commute, which is outside the scope of employment.
Nevertheless, a worker can still get into legal trouble for violating state or federal gun laws if he doesn't have the correct permits. Make sure you meet those requirements before taking your gun with you to your workplace.
Related Resources:
- Lawsuit tests Ind. 'take your gun to work' law (NECN)
- No Right to Carry Concealed Gun, Judge Rules (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- Second Amendment Limits to Gun Ownership (FindLaw's Blotter)