Firearms question

If a company bans guns on their premises, does that include inside your vehicle?

Funny, I almost got in trouble for this one today at work. No, it does not cover the inside of your car. I have a buddy at work who reloads my .308 shells and I got caught on camera, in the parking lot, with a bag of empty brass. I needed to do some smooth talking with HR, but I didn’t get in trouble. I was shown the rule and it only pertains once the item leaves your car’s premise and journeys onto work’s domain.

If you park on their private property, yes an employer can ban hand guns in your car.

-J.

I would check with your HR rep. I believe most companies make their own rules about this. I worked for a company where a guy was suspended for having a shotgun in his car to go hunting after work. The person that parked next to him saw the gun in the back seat and reported him. He was suspended for 2 weeks.

I am not sure if you are asking about carrying or just storing a gun. If it is just storing I would just put it in the trunk or a blanket over it. If you are talking about carrying that is a whole different matter.

Steve,

My reply was in reference to Minnesota law. Specificly related to persons who have a permit to carry.

-J.

The reason our work policy doesn’t cover inside your car is because that would infringe on your ability to defend yourself once in your car and off of work property. The said item just can’t leave your car while at work and should generally be concealed.

Since many people are reading this thread, make sure to check YOUR states carry laws.

I work in WI and my employer has no say in whether I have a weapon in my personal vehicle (even if I use my truck for company business).

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Steve,

My reply was in reference to Minnesota law. Specificly related to persons who have a permit to carry.

-J.

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Yeah, I don’t carry a handgun myself, but I now know work’s policy on them.

I’m not a lawyer, but I do play with one in my arm chair.

That may not have come out quite right.

The problem is what a company CAN do versus what the leagal ruling would be if the the situation were to go into court.

Legally, it’s a gray area. The vehicle is your property, not the company’s. However, that private vehicle is parked on company property. . .

You certainly could ask for clearification from a company rep, if you felt compfortable doing so. I would say, however, that if you do ask and if they say yes it’s OK, you’d better have it in writing. That’s the kind of thing that suddenly gets hard to prove as soon as somone higher up the chain says, “Hell no he’t can’t have a gun in his car. Who said he could?” Suddenly the HR minion that said you could will change her story and leave you holding the bag.

One thing to consider is how millitant is your workplace when it comes to this kind of rule? I knew of one company in the cities that regularly had their internal security out actively checking cars in the parking lot for signs of banned substances and alcohol use. If your company is known to be aggressive in enforcing work rules to the letter, you’d better keep the guns well clear of the workplace unless you get permission in writing.

With the paranoia in society about guns these days, it’s certainly something to consider carefully. If it’s only an occasional need as in you’re leaving for a hunting trip right from work on Friday, I’d ask is it an option to park off of company property? Park on the street rather than in the parking lot for example. Just a thought.

Grouse

From WI:

Greetings All
For those of you who’s employers have placed, or are thinking of, internal restrictions of employees……Even if they do not post against the public.
It is the employer’s right to restrict firearms in their house, even if it’s not wise. That right does end at the front door as a permit holder will still have the right to have the gun stored in the vehicle.
We all know that a disgruntled employee can, and always could have, walked right through the employee handbook restrictions.
If there is an intent to do damage, a restrictive handbook or employer’s rules, will only ensure that the work place is a Defenseless, Target Rich Environment, for a disgruntled worker.
All the Permit law does, IN FACT, is allow the Good Folk of Wisconsin, as Employees, an option beyond “LAY DOWN and DIE”, in the event of an “Active Shooter”

Please note Link:http://www.bdj-ltd.com/wiemployees.htm The State of Wisconsin has, With the exception of prisons and such, adopted an open policy in regards to State Employees carrying in the Work place, on State property. This, in light of last Summer, where State Employees clearly showed that they are fully capable of being quite rambunctious.
Yours in Freedom!!
Take Care
&
Keep Shootin’,
Yours,
Bill Schmitz

Chairman WCCA–Wisconsin Concealed Carry Association

From WI:

Good Morning.
About the Posting Liability Issues…..
Please note the Language in SB 93 and Act 35 & see attachment.
http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cib/ConcealedCarry/ConcealedCarry.asp

Understanding the Liability of Posting your Business.
We are adults, and are responsible for our own actions….
As such, if you do not post, and someone comes in and does something dumb with a gun, that is on them …..not you, or your business. You will have no liability.
If, however, you do post, you are accepting a great liability and responsibility….
It goes like this….If one has to disarm to enter, they are doing so at your request.
WITH THE IMPLICIT UNDERSTANDING THAT …You are accepting the mantel of responsibility for their continued health, safety, & wellbeing. This responsibility begins from the moment they close the car door till they return to the car, and everywhere in-between.
if anything happened to them, they, or their heirs, will own you and your business.
Add to that, the only thing you are doing, by posting a sign, is advertising a Defenseless, Target Rich Environment, to anyone with evil intent.
Have you the intent to post Guards with Metal detectors, to prevent ANYONE, from entering, to protect the good folk, who following your request, have disarmed themselves??
Your sign(s) will mean nothing, and will not make you safe, if someone, wishing to do damage, has a body count goal.
Also, we are developing a web site, at WCCA, to post the businesses that post, for all to see and avoid,….
with both their guns, and their money.
I do hope this helps in your decision.
And yes, we do have signs,
They all say, to the Good Folk of Wisconsin:
“You and Your Firearms are welcome in this Establishment”
Yours in Freedom!!
Take Care
&
Keep Shootin’,
Yours,
Bill Schmitz

Chairman WCCA–Wisconsin Concealed Carry Association

I would go with a case by case basis. If a company doesn’t want it on their property why push it, but some will. The company a friend of mine works for won’t let a firearm near their property, but it’s also a nuclear plant that has federal regulations as well.

Debated posting this…
I just want to say that it is sad that we as sportsmen have to worry about such flakey “rules”. It truly is just another reason that shows it is the squeeky wheel that gets all the oil. I fear what this world will look like in 50 years.

And I’m done. Sorry. -Mark

Mark,

Clearly the squeeky wheel is well lubricated. Only one state outright bans law abiding citizens from carrying a hand gun. 15 years ago this map was mostly RED including Minnesota!

http://www.moccw.org/map.html

We are headed in the right direction!!

-J.

As for the car thing.. I know a Sporting/FARM store, that bans their employees from even smoking in their cars, even when on break. The Mattress store across the street is full of their employees, puffing away before work and on breaks

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If you park on their private property, yes an employer can ban hand guns in your car.

-J.

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wrong….

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/getpub.php?type=s&num=624.714

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(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b), an employer or a postsecondary institution may

not prohibit the lawful carry or possession of firearms in a parking facility or parking area.

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I would not push the subject at all. but if push came to shove regarding them terminating or affecting your employment because of this, you would win hands down. it is a cut and dry law.

Seems pretty cut n dry. I wouldn’t push the issue at any point, nor have I ever. Just asking to clarify some questions.
Thanks for all of the input.

Bk,

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but I do play with one in my arm chair.

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I have to say you make this site very enjoyable (most of the time)

hope to see you on the river this weekend.
Jack

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wrong….

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/getpub.php?type=s&num=624.714

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(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b), an employer or a postsecondary institution may
not prohibit the lawful carry or possession of firearms in a parking facility or parking area.

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I would not push the subject at all. but if push came to shove regarding them terminating or affecting your employment because of this, you would win hands down. it is a cut and dry law.

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This is correct. It was covered in the permit to carry class I took.

My 2 cents, is that if you’re going to leave a gun in the vehicle, just don’t leave it in plain sight. Not only does it warrant unwanted attention from an employer, it will also warrant unwanted attention from people with a mind to smash your window and run off with a free firearm.

Bbj you should call me sometime.

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My 2 cents, is that if you’re going to leave a gun in the vehicle, just don’t leave it in plain sight. Not only does it warrant unwanted attention from an employer, it will also warrant unwanted attention from people with a mind to smash your window and run off with a free firearm.

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If I may, I would like to expand on your thoughts a little.

I would recommend only leaving a firearm in your vehical if you’ve installed one of the many lockable vehicle safes and having it installed in a out of sight place is a good idea.

Anytime a person goes into a bar or other place (employment) locking the gun up is a much better answer than just placing it in a glove box or carrying when we shouldn’t be.

Hey BK, I’d like to get one of those welcome gun owners signs for the sport shop. Can you put me in touch with the conceal carry group?

Bill Schmitz

Chairman WCCA–Wisconsin Concealed Carry Association
NRA Firearms and Personal Defense Instructor
Utah BCI Certified Firearms Instructor
Utah National Instructors Team
http://www.BDJ-Ltd.com
920-295-9435

How’s that Mr. Y Dog?

Great! thanks once again.

I had to run into the courthouse at Red Wing one morning a while back. Of course they had a metal detector there so I left my pocket knife and big key ring in the van. I forgot about the .300 savage cartridge I found in a parking lot that was still in my back pocket. Ding, ding, ding it goes. Damn I thought I won a prize. After fishing that shell out of the back pocket I damn near ended up with a felony. No crap!

I really have to agree with the poster that made some comment about living in a parnoid world. Here in Rochester you’ll be in deep doo if you have a gun of any kind in a case on any school property and that includes the many community college parking lots. I think some of the laws today have just stepped way outside of reasonable.

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Here in Rochester you’ll be in deep doo if you have a gun of any kind in a case on any school property and that includes the many community college parking lots.

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Pretty much the whole state of WI and MN.

BK x2