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Concealed Carry at Work

i can carry concealed anywhere in my state thats legal, however my employer has a policy that employees will not have any type weapon. this is a retail business and concealed and open carriers are welcomed and allowed to carry inside the store(whats wrong with this picture), i do carry everyday at work, a lcp max (12+1) in a sticky holster and nobody is ever aware i am carrying, i will continue to carry as long as i work at this business, i now wok only part time and if me carrying was ever discovered i would give my usual reply(kiss my ***) and just go home, i dont have to work there but have been with the company for 12 years, this is something to do since i retired. i am retired from my original profession as a law enforcement officer.
 
I've told this story MULTIPLE times before. The only job that I ever had that I carried concealed on the on the clock against company policy was when I was working as a security guard.

I found this law once and I was never able to find it again but apparently according to the Colorado revised code it's a Class 2 misdemeanor for a security guard to carry a firearm on site unless he has a Firearms endorsement on his security license and the site is armed. So, when I worked for G4S I had a Firearms endorsement on my license. When I was working as a Metro Rover which was designated as an armed position I was supposed to carry a gun. When I was working as a City Rover which is a designated unarmed position even though it's the same job, I wasn't supposed to carry a gun.

In May of 2018 a security guard named Scott Tice was murdered by a homeless guy who he was trying to remove from the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

We both worked for Allied Universal but in different cities and to my knowledge we never met. I never would have heard of him had we not both worked for Allied.

Anyway that was the night that I decided that I wasn't going to die like that and from that night until I retired in October of 2021 I never ever went to work without a gun.

I usually carried my Glock 26 in a pocket holster in the pocket of my uniform pants under my stylish yellow safety vest. I have no idea who may or may not have known that I was carrying a gun. Nobody questioned me about it ever nobody even hinted that they thought I might be. I'm pretty sure if the management of Allied knew they would have fired me on the spot.

I've got another discussion going right now about why people seem to pick me out of the crowd to tell me that they're carrying a gun and it seemed like it was a lot of my coworkers that did that but none of my coworkers ever hinted that they thought I was carrying a gun on the clock.

I had one supervisor that did a couple of times and every time he did I made certain that he understood that I knew it was against the law and I told him that I would never ever do that and I shut the conversation down.

I also want to add that almost every position I ever had as a security guard I was working by myself. Most of the time after the business I was guarding was closed. So I was the only one there and it wasn't like I had a bunch of coworkers to hide my gun from.
 
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The questions posed by this article are important for everyone to consider, however they do go a little deeper than the superficial "No Guns Allowed" sign. Let's consider a couple of quick situations (I'll skip some of the blanks so you can fill them in for yourself).

#1 -- You and your spouse decide to stop at a shopping center for some late night Christmas shopping. As we know this is a peak time for parking lot assaults but the lot is full and you can't park anywhere near the door. Further, you know that this shopping center is posted as "No Guns" so in your mind is your safety more or less important than that sign? You can choose to leave your firearm locked up in your vehicle or you can choose to ignore the sign and depend on your ability to conceal the firearm. You can also live by the thought that it's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

#2 -- Your office is in a building with many other businesses, typical of so many these days. Your specific company has no rules against carrying in the office however the building owner does and the property is clearly posted "No Guns Allowed". The building, and your company, is in a quiet, upscale area of town where criminal activity is generally low but it does happen and just recently there was an assault at a next door area. So it is safe most of the time, especially during the daylight hours but at night it becomes more dangerous and from time to time you wind up having to go in late from time to time to help out with a 3rd shift problem. The same choices apply: Do you carry a firearm or not?

If you draw your firearm and defuse the situation without a shot being fired and nobody being hurt then you are the hero of the day. On the other hand you are the guy caught carrying and brandishing a firearm in an area that is clearly posted "No Firearms Allowed" and you will likely pay that price for a very long time.

My solutions:

#1 -- I worked for 12 years for a business that was located in an upscale professional complex that itself was located in an area of town that was anything but upscale. It was formerly one of the WORST areas of town until they built the office complex and even afterwards there were a lot of incidents in the area. I normally got to work before dawn so that I could leave early and miss the horrendous traffic snarl that the area caused so there were no other people visible. None, no security guards, no employees, nobody but me. Our office had no rules against concealed carry but the building ownership itself did. My boss ignored the signs and carried a Glock every day. I did the same thing except that it wasn't a Glock it was a Beretta. My life is pretty important to me and I'm not going to give it away for nothing. I carried it in a soft sided attache case with all my business junk, just like everyone else there so it was unobtrusive.

The very first day I carried my gun to work I got into the office building and stopped dead cold. Something was wrong but I didn't know what. All I knew, and I was 100% certain that about it, was that something was out of place. I just stood there for a minute or so with my hand on my gun but everything still in my attache case. About that time a guy who worked at another business in the building walked around the corner, said good morning and continued on his way. I started to breathe again, unlocked our office, went in and sat there shaking for about 5 minutes.

#2 -- As the scenario stated my wife and I stopped at a shopping center for some late night Christmas shopping. The parking lot was packed, the stores were packed, and the newspaper headlines were full of warnings to be careful in this exact situation because there were assaults happening every night. I wore my gun in a small of the back holster and wore a heavy coat over it so it was as hidden as I could make it. I wasn't taking that chance. My life is important to me, and my wife's is even more important. I'll take the Judged by twelve instead of carried by six any day.

My advice is to think things through. There are good choices and bad choices and don't let the testosterone decide which is the right one to go with. Do what you feel is right but be aware of the consequences if you are wrong. Let circumstances play out a heartbeat longer than you would if the situation was different. Don't go yanking your gun out to be the situation's Rambo, draw it purposefully and know what you are doing and why you are doing it. Be damn careful because the next few seconds will determine how the rest of your life is spent.
 
In Alabama, the law states that companies cannot legally prohibit employees from keeping a (properly secured) firearm in their vehicle on company premises, although they can bar employees from possessing or carrying a firearm "in the building."

I abided by that law and the company's policy at my last job. Now?

I'm sorry, what was the question? 🤐
 
SCraig said:
The questions posed by this article are important for everyone to consider, however they do go a little deeper than the superficial "No Guns Allowed" sign. Let's consider a couple of quick situations (I'll skip some of the blanks so you can fill them in for yourself).

#1 -- You and your spouse decide to stop at a shopping center for some late night Christmas shopping. As we know this is a peak time for parking lot assaults but the lot is full and you can't park anywhere near the door. Further, you know that this shopping center is posted as "No Guns" so in your mind is your safety more or less important than that sign? You can choose to leave your firearm locked up in your vehicle or you can choose to ignore the sign and depend on your ability to conceal the firearm. You can also live by the thought that it's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

#2 -- Your office is in a building with many other businesses, typical of so many these days. Your specific company has no rules against carrying in the office however the building owner does and the property is clearly posted "No Guns Allowed". The building, and your company, is in a quiet, upscale area of town where criminal activity is generally low but it does happen and just recently there was an assault at a next door area. So it is safe most of the time, especially during the daylight hours but at night it becomes more dangerous and from time to time you wind up having to go in late from time to time to help out with a 3rd shift problem. The same choices apply: Do you carry a firearm or not?

If you draw your firearm and defuse the situation without a shot being fired and nobody being hurt then you are the hero of the day. On the other hand you are the guy caught carrying and brandishing a firearm in an area that is clearly posted "No Firearms Allowed" and you will likely pay that price for a very long time.

My solutions:

#1 -- I worked for 12 years for a business that was located in an upscale professional complex that itself was located in an area of town that was anything but upscale. It was formerly one of the WORST areas of town until they built the office complex and even afterwards there were a lot of incidents in the area. I normally got to work before dawn so that I could leave early and miss the horrendous traffic snarl that the area caused so there were no other people visible. None, no security guards, no employees, nobody but me. Our office had no rules against concealed carry but the building ownership itself did. My boss ignored the signs and carried a Glock every day. I did the same thing except that it wasn't a Glock it was a Beretta. My life is pretty important to me and I'm not going to give it away for nothing. I carried it in a soft sided attache case with all my business junk, just like everyone else there so it was unobtrusive.

The very first day I carried my gun to work I got into the office building and stopped dead cold. Something was wrong but I didn't know what. All I knew, and I was 100% certain that about it, was that something was out of place. I just stood there for a minute or so with my hand on my gun but everything still in my attache case. About that time a guy who worked at another business in the building walked around the corner, said good morning and continued on his way. I started to breathe again, unlocked our office, went in and sat there shaking for about 5 minutes.

#2 -- As the scenario stated my wife and I stopped at a shopping center for some late night Christmas shopping. The parking lot was packed, the stores were packed, and the newspaper headlines were full of warnings to be careful in this exact situation because there were assaults happening every night. I wore my gun in a small of the back holster and wore a heavy coat over it so it was as hidden as I could make it. I wasn't taking that chance. My life is important to me, and my wife's is even more important. I'll take the Judged by twelve instead of carried by six any day.

My advice is to think things through. There are good choices and bad choices and don't let the testosterone decide which is the right one to go with. Do what you feel is right but be aware of the consequences if you are wrong. Let circumstances play out a heartbeat longer than you would if the situation was different. Don't go yanking your gun out to be the situation's Rambo, draw it purposefully and know what you are doing and why you are doing it. Be damn careful because the next few seconds will determine how the rest of your life is spent.
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Years ago, before I even thought about buying and carrying a firearm, I was shooting at my Air Force Base's range. A gentleman and I had a conversation and he said, "If you ever decide to carry a gun, you have to be prepared to use it when the situation demands action. The philosophy is simple:

- Don't carry a gun unless you're willing to use it
- If you carry a gun, don't draw it from the holster unless you're ready and willing to shoot the threat
- If you feel justified in shooting someone, shoot to kill

I think he closed with something like, "A gun isn't a toy, son, it's a tool. And if you plan on using the tool, use it wisely - and with prejudice."

That was some functional advice. I think it stands up still, today.
 
Mr. Untactical said:
Years ago, before I even thought about buying and carrying a firearm, I was shooting at my Air Force Base's range. A gentleman and I had a conversation and he said, "If you ever decide to carry a gun, you have to be prepared to use it when the situation demands action. The philosophy is simple:

- Don't carry a gun unless you're willing to use it
- If you carry a gun, don't draw it from the holster unless you're ready and willing to shoot the threat
- If you feel justified in shooting someone, shoot to kill

I think he closed with something like, "A gun isn't a toy, son, it's a tool. And if you plan on using the tool, use it wisely - and with prejudice."

That was some functional advice. I think it stands up still, today.
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I agree, and I guess that's the point I was trying to make but he did it better. You have to think the situation through to the bitter end even though you don't have enough time to do that. This is probably the most serious type of situation any of us are likely to ever get thrown into and we must take the time to tread very carefully.

Thanks for posting it.
 
SCraig said:
I agree, and I guess that's the point I was trying to make but he did it better. You have to think the situation through to the bitter end even though you don't have enough time to do that. This is probably the most serious type of situation any of us are likely to ever get thrown into and we must take the time to tread very carefully.

Thanks for posting it.
Click to expand...
Amen. While there are exceptions, I'm sure, for the vast majority of those of us who carry, the LAST thing we want to do is be in a situation that necessitates armed defense of ourselves or others. I adhere to the wisdom: the best gunfight is the one that never happens (or words to that effect).

Still, as you said, anyone who does decide to carry a gun needs to think it through all the way to that unpleasant possibility. If folks want to have guns to hunt or target shoot or compete, good on them. But I urge anyone who decides to carry to think long and hard about whether they believe they could actually kill another human being. That is a heavy burden to carry.
 
In the simplest possible terms I've never been in a position where I've had to shoot anybody.

I've been caught in the middle of somebody else's gunfight four times. And all four times I got my *** behind some HARD cover and was a good witness.

First, full disclosure. When I worked as a security guard most of the sites that I worked out for remote and I was the only person there. I was also working in the middle of the night. So I would walk to fence line and practice my four-point draw because I didn't have anything better to do. I would be willing to bet that I drew my gun at work a hundred times every night.

Other than that I am absolutely positive I actually Drew my handgun as a security guard less than five times. And three of those were times where I was clearing a building with my supervisor and he instructed me to draw my handgun.

My main point here is that I am not Rambo, and I'm certainly not Paul Blart.

A few times that I REALLY drew my handgun in my life it was because I thought my life or my wife's was in danger.

There wasn't any angst about whether or not I could shoot somebody.

80 or 85% of the people who are shot with a handgun survive the experience.

If (God forbid) I ever have to shoot somebody and they die I will deeply deeply deeply regret that especially if I have any concerns over their salvation.

But I don't have any calls about defending my wife or my family's life with deadly force.

And after all that blah blah let me point out as a frequently do, that in 15 years as a security guard I would say the overwhelming majority like over 90% of the problems that I encountered at work we're not gun problems they were pepper spray problems and in a lot of cases they were picked up the phone and let the person know I was calling the police problems and that usually ended the encounter
 
Where I worked before I retired(after37 years) there was no express prohibition on carrying but I knew my boss (well really his wife, she was our book keeper) didn't approve. Small company, my boss, his wife, me and a part time helper. So I left it in my truck in a safe that had a cable tying it to a seat frame. When I worked late by myself I went out and got it. Carried it in a inside the waist holster. I was a VERY skinny guy(only about 135lbs,5'10") and had no hips or butt. Made it hard to keep belt tight enough to keep every thing up. Then I got old, ballooned up to about 225lbs, and developed spinal stenosis. Can't stand a tight belt anymore let alone an IWB holster. Now I wear suspenders and a belt with a OWB holster. Wear a vest(have 2,one light weight for summer as it gets hot and humid here in the summer, and a heaver one when it gets cool or cold) as a cover garment. Vests are also good as they have a LOT of pockets allowing me to carry a lot more EDC carry gear. LOL if I ever get stopped and searched it will take the officer an hour to go thru all the pockets and gear I carry now. Tropic concealment makes a good hot weather vest, 511 vest is what I switch to in cooler weather. Sure to be other good brands out there also. Just be sure its is long enough to cover the bottom of the holster.
 
I do risk management/emergency management for a university, I set policy and do some active shooter training for staff and faculty. I also at one time was a medic for an ERT squad and qualified in all the squads weapons, but by university policy cannot carry a weapon at work. In our State it is legal to carry on campus and it is legal to have in your car no matter where you park (even private property). I personally do not like leaving my gun in the car. My solution is I have a backpack for my laptop that has a hidden gun pocket and a pocket for a ballistic panel. My solution is when I get to work my gun goes in there and the backpack goes with me if I have to go away from the office for a meeting.
 
Mr. Untactical said:
In Alabama, the law states that companies cannot legally prohibit employees from keeping a (properly secured) firearm in their vehicle on company premises, although they can bar employees from possessing or carrying a firearm "in the building."

I abided by that law and the company's policy at my last job. Now?

I'm sorry, what was the question? 🤐
Click to expand...
You are correct. And as an Alabama resident myself, I admit that I do not carry very often, because my life choices just don't dictate a need to.

I am in and out of courthouses in my county sometimes up to four times a day, 2-3 times a week, 50 weeks a year. Lots of armed police and metal detectors.

It is just impossible to carry a weapon under these circumstances. I don't even carry in my vehicles anymore. Only other time I am at my office or shopping in the middle of the day. At night, at home. Few times the Bride and I go out to eat. Just not necessary to CCW each and every day.

Statistically I bet I am more likely to be killed in a MVA than I am to ever need a gun. Might get confronted in a courthouse parking lot, but so far that has not happened.

Yeah, you pay your money, and you take your chances. It's life. Nothing is guaranteed except death and taxes.
 
I’m not going to get into Illinois version of this at all because it’ll get me all wound up before work. All I’ll say is my car is classified as a storage container when I’m working.
 
Hi,

OK. Good general info article about different legal scenarios at work. Then it morphed into a "how to" with product recommendations. Still, that's good info too.

I worked on a college campus in a fairly restrictive state. Even with my CCW I could not legally carry on campus, like most of the country, but I could lock it up in my vehicle. Since I could park right next to my office window, I didn't mind too much. Otherwise I might've left it at home more often than not, depending on planned activities after work.

But, yes, do what works best for your safety and freedom. Make good choices. ;)


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
I carry on the job. Employer doesn't care. I'm outside sales, calling on contractors, many of whom carry themselves. If they find out I carry (by whatever means), most want to see my gun, fondle it, and maybe take a few shots on their property....We're all pretty cool about it, but my industry is a throwback to earlier days (some customers don't even have an e-mail address).
 
Several posters were along the lines of : " Supervisor don't care , or OK with it " . Cool .

Unless it's a sole proprietor, or closely held family business , that's not the same thing Corperate making examples , if anything goes high , or even medium profile .

Can it be valid option that if it's legal, but against some fine print policy , Screw them ,self protection is more important? It certainly can be . Just figure out all the specifics , and make informed decisions .'
 
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