Well, crap!

[Guest Rooster]

So I will be getting my permit in a few weeks, Hopefully, so I am searching the HR policies for my company and I come across this...

Possession of any weapons such as firearms, explosives, or knives, and possession of any other potentially dangerous or hazardous objects or substances is strictly prohibited on all Company property including Company vehicles and personal vehicles parked on Company property. In addition, possession of a weapon while conducting Company business off the premises is prohibited.

This Sucks. I was thinking that since the office I work in is a sattalite office and not owned by my company (we rent just one floor of a building), I was thinking that I could at least leave it in the car while im at work. What do you guys think?

[molonlabetn]

Tough choice... potentially... your life, or your job.

I have an idea of what I would do, and I don't care to post that on the internet. But, each person has to decide their priorities for themselves.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

I agree with molonlabetn, but I dont know about you, but I cant survive without working, so that would answer my question for me.

[TGO David]

That's a personal decision that only you can make. Factors that I'd consider were it me would be...

• How likely are they to search?
  
• How thoroughly do they search?
  
• How well do you conceal?
  
• How screwed would you be if they fired you, and for how long?

My own thoughts are that they probably aren't very likely to randomly search your vehicle unless you foolishly tell co-workers that you've got a gun in your car. I don't think I'd let that fact slip no matter who the co-worker was or how well you thought you knew and could trust them. Bottom line is, trust no one.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

That's a personal decision that only you can make. Factors that I'd consider were it me would be...

• How likely are they to search?
  
• How thoroughly do they search?
  
• How well do you conceal?
  
• How screwed would you be if they fired you, and for how long?

My own thoughts are that they probably aren't very likely to randomly search your vehicle unless you foolishly tell co-workers that you've got a gun in your car. I don't think I'd let that fact slip no matter who the co-worker was or how well you thought you knew and could trust them. Bottom line is, trust no one.

Tungsten said what I said, just more elaborate!!!

[Guest Rooster]

Accoriding to the policy I would not even think about carrying inside the office. I like the company I work for and cant really afford to loose my job. Like I said, my company is only on 1 floor of a 6 story building and there are hundreds of other cars in the parking lot that belong to people that dont work for my company. So in my mind I see no problem in carrying to work and leaving it in the car. I have never seen anyone searching cars and I would have no reason to tell anyone that I have a gun in my car.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

Accoriding to the policy I would not even think about carrying inside the office. I like the company I work for and cant really afford to loose my job. Like I said, my company is only on 1 floor of a 6 story building and there are hundreds of other cars in the parking lot that belong to people that dont work for my company. So in my mind I see no problem in carrying to work and leaving it in the car. I have never seen anyone searching cars and I would have no reason to tell anyone that I have a gun in my car.

In that case, I would say it would be OK. As long as its left in the vehicle.

[molonlabetn]

Get a lock-box that fits under the seat... and perhaps some OC spray, if you feel at risk while walking to & from your car.

[Guest db99wj]

Sounds like the generic policy my company uses. My company will not be searching my car, if they do, they better have a search warrant and at that point, that would mean I don't have a job with them anyway.

[jgrauman]

can they say you can't have a gun in your car? just curious, i thought your car was an extension of your property..

[Guest db99wj]

can they say you can't have a gun in your car? just curious, i thought your car was an extension of your property..

Without knowing actual case law, how could they? Your car is not there property, even if it is on their property that they allow parking on. If you are conducting company business, on their time, while getting paid, in your car, they have the right to fire/discipline you for carrying during that time. If they were to come to me and say we want in your car, I would say fine, I want your warrant.

The people at my work know that I have a permit but they don't know if and when I carry, I will never advertise it, I have told them that it is against company policy to have a gun while at work and I follow policy. I'm the only person that will know when and if I carry.

[towerclimber37]

as far as I know, your car IS an extension of your property..even police officers have to ask permission to search.

if my company said they wanted to search my car, I'd tell them to piss off...but in a diplomatic way. Not that there's anything in there thats illegal, but just because I enjoy my privacy.

if they take issue with it they're welcome to fire me, then pay my unemployment, plus a generous separation package for infringing on my constitutional rights and then firing me for it.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

as far as I know, your car IS an extension of your property..even police officers have to ask permission to search.

if my company said they wanted to search my car, I'd tell them to piss off...but in a diplomatic way. Not that there's anything in there thats illegal, but just because I enjoy my privacy.

if they take issue with it they're welcome to fire me, then pay my unemployment, plus a generous separation package for infringing on my constitutional rights and then firing me for it.

This is unless you work where my wife works. She works for a prison system known as CCA. While your vehicle is on their property, they can search it anytime they want, with or without your consent. I know that because when I worked there, we searched alot of employee's vehicles while they were on shift inside the facility.

[shaftbass]

Carry it and tuck it under the seat every day. Make it a point to not let anyone at your work know you carry, and don't take people out in your vehicle for lunch or whatever reason.. that way if you get pulled over and show the cop your permit & tell him about your gun, your co-worker isn't going to tattle on you.

You might be paranoid for a few days, but after that it will be second nature.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

Carry it and tuck it under the seat every day. Make it a point to not let anyone at your work know you carry, and don't take people out in your vehicle for lunch or whatever reason.. that way if you get pulled over and show the cop your permit & tell him about your gun, your co-worker isn't going to tattle on you.

You might be paranoid for a few days, but after that it will be second nature.

Becaus ethey will tell on you, if for mo other reason than to see what will happen to you. Anyway, all you have to do is be sorta secretive.

[robbiev]

Generally speaking, a private company can do anything they want to on their own property. Warrants apply to search by police officers or government agents, as do the amendments to the constitution.

If a private company decides they want to search vehicles that are on their own property, there's not much you can do about it, except refuse, which may cost you a job.

I worked for a company a few years ago that fired a high level manager because he refused to allow a $5.50 per hour security guard search his vehicle. He sued to try to get his job back, and lost the case based on that exact same precident; private companies can set (basically) any rules they want.

[jgrauman]

has this changed with the recent "extended personal property" law for cars?

Generally speaking, a private company can do anything they want to on their own property. Warrants apply to search by police officers or government agents, as do the amendments to the constitution.

If a private company decides they want to search vehicles that are on their own property, there's not much you can do about it, except refuse, which may cost you a job.

I worked for a company a few years ago that fired a high level manager because he refused to allow a $5.50 per hour security guard search his vehicle. He sued to try to get his job back, and lost the case based on that exact same precident; private companies can set (basically) any rules they want.

[Guest Phantom6]

Keeping your pistol in the vehicle while you are at work presents a number of security problems. First of all, if you keep it locked in the glove box you run the risk of theft as the glove box is the first place a theif will look after breaking into a car looking for valuables. The glove box opens with a universal key - a flat head screw driver! Next is under the seat. A metal box bolted to the floor under the seat will slow them down but how do you get to it to put your pistol in it and will a thin metal "cash box" type box keep 'em out (remember that universal key)? Not long. There also may be an enhanced condensation problem as the car heats up or cools down in the parking lot. If you are going to tuck the pistol under your seat, about the best security device for this is called the Security Pack and offered in their online catalog. It has a cable which will lock the security pouch to your seat frame and is located here:

http://www.shopberetta.com/e2wItemMain.aspx?functionId=009000008&parentID=019000991&parentLink=012000100:008000173:008000161

If that link should not work, go to the Beretta website and navigate to their eStore. Upon arrival, look under the Safety and Security products tab go there and scroll toward the bottom of the page. The Security Pak has an aircraft cable with which to attach the bag to the seat frame and a high-tensile stainless steel cable core between the inner and outer layers of tough fabric, which makes them slash-proof and tamper-proof. Plus since my wife and I own 3 trucks and two cars I can switch it to any one of them in about 30 seconds. My wife has one too. At only $55.00, I believe it's a bargain. I choose it. I use it and highly recommend it.

[Guest Ghostrider]

I know it was a while back, but rightly or wrongly, the NIH (National Institues of Health, Wash, DC) fired a lady for smoking in her car while on an authorized break.

That said, it's not illegal if you don't get caught.

Compare what you stand to lose, the odds of getting caught, vs what you have to gain and make your own decision.

Then don't tell ANYONE about it, including your spouse.

[robbiev]

has this changed with the recent "extended personal property" law for cars?

I can't say for sure. I would guess no, it hasn't changed, but that's a guess. Even though a car may be considered extended personal property, physical property owned or controlled by a company (or individual) is THEIR personal property, so they can still set the rules, so I'd guess it depends on which supercedes the other.

I do know that two of big parcel shipping companies (the big brown and the big purple) search cars from time to time, and, as recently as just a couple of months ago, I know personally of someone who was fired for having a rifle in his car. It was hidden in the trunk, and was found after a security supervisor made him open the trunk.

I would add, that most companies probably very seldom conduct random searches, and if you work for a company that's in an office building but doesn't own the property, they (the company you work for) probably has no right to search your car, but the owners of the building/parking lot might.

And, along the same lines as others have said, if you don't tell anyone, and you are discrete, it's probably never going to be an issue.

(seperate topic)

I had a manager who came and took a gun class at the range where I work part-time. I was there and he found out I'm a gun person. He was a gun person too, so I didn't worry too much about it. Unfortunately, he started wearing an empty holster around the office, and the other managers got freaked out about it became an issue. Still, it never caused a problem for me.

Later that same year, I had a different manager ask me about how to get a permit (he found out from the first guy I worked at a range). A few days later, he came to me and said he had checked the company policy book and found out company policy did not allow guns in his car, even when he was away from work, because it was a company supplied vehicle, and asked me if I carried a gun at work, because he didn't realize the company had a specific policy against it.

I gave him my standard reply, "Well, I wear a gun any time I'm not at work," which was good enough for him.

[Guest Greentimber]

Phantom6 brought up a good point. You are much more likely to be a victim of auto burglary than a "pat down" of your person at work. The company policy is to cover their perceived liability. Don;t give them a reason to look & they won't.

This does not apply to governmental facilities or controlled places like mental hospitals where the introduction of a firearm poses more of a threat than the lack thereof.

[Guest Voodoo_1]

I was thinking that since the office I work in is a sattalite office and not owned by my company (we rent just one floor of a building), I was thinking that I could at least leave it in the car while im at work. What do you guys think?

My first thoughts were, unless you have assigned parking spaces just for your company, the parking lot is for private and public use for anyone. If the lot is open for everyone, I don't see a problem with you leaving your gun in the car. Just make sure it is secure and like others have said, keep it to yourself.

[saintsfanbrian]

On that note, I had the Director of Security at my last job TELL me that unless there is a bona fide reason, they DO NOT search vehicles and this was at a major hospital that owned a lot of land in down town Memphis. Before I got my permit I asked him about it, knowing he was an ex cop and a gun lover as I was I wanted his take on the situation. He basically told me that if he wanted to, he could probably go out to the parking lot and find 100 guns. But that he never wanted to go looking so it wouldn't be an issue. Here, you just had to make sure it was tucked away prior to pulling in the gate.

[Guest LegalRaptor]

Possession of any weapons such as firearms, explosives, or knives, and possession of any other potentially dangerous or hazardous objects or substances is strictly prohibited on all Company property including Company vehicles and personal vehicles parked on Company property. In addition, possession of a weapon while conducting Company business off the premises is prohibited./quote]

Is the parking lot "Company property?" Or is it common area for many tenants? Just a small technicality you might consider.

[Guest db99wj]

What we carry, is it a "weapon" or is it "personal protection device".

If they are on title to the property than yes they can restrict, the private property thing, if not they really don't own anything, they rent.