employees permitted to keep weapons in car?

[DaveTN]

?? A crime? I assume in general without a HCP? The question is not really about actually carrying, on person, the firearm. I is more about having a gun in the a locked car at your place of employment. In a broader scope, employers are denying an employee the ability to adequately defend ones self to and from work.

I wholeheartedly believe the employer can decide to not allow 'carrying' on the property. I do think it needs to be addressed once again in the Legislature.

Yes, a crime. Don’t sugar coat that or we will never see it changed.

The state of Tennessee does not recognize a right to carry off your property. The average citizen would be arrested for carrying a loaded gun in their car. As HCP holders we are a “Special Group†like Police Officers are a “Special Groupâ€.

If the government is going to force a private business to allow something that the business banned in belief that it is for the safety of their employees, then it should at least be something that is recognized as a right and it should allow absolute protection from any civil liability.

You don’t have any protection in this state (unless you are in a union) so you put your job in jeopardy when you go against the wishes of your employer; no matter what the issue, and no matter what happens with this law.

I would guess that the percentage of places that even address guns in cars would be pretty small. Is this somewhere else we want to allow the government to strong arm business?

[Worriedman]

Is this somewhere else we want to allow the government to strong arm business?

Yes, and I think that 2012 will be the year that it happens.

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

Is this somewhere else we want to allow the government to strong arm business?

Yes

[chances R]

OK, I have a better understanding now, Dave. So if TN does away with the HCP process, and the language is such that makes carry a right of a Tennessean, would this then imply that an employer would be in a more difficult position to enforce such a ban? Just thinking 'out-loud".

[vontar]

OK, I have a better understanding now, Dave. So if TN does away with the HCP process, and the language is such that makes carry a right of a Tennessean, would this then imply that an employer would be in a more difficult position to enforce such a ban? Just thinking 'out-loud".

any example might be KY. KY is a gold star carry state. You can OC in KY if you are legal age and not a felon. They have a parking lot bill in place. Only very few exceptions to were a person can not have it at work in their car/truck.

http://handgunlaw.us/states/kentucky.pdf

237.106 Right of Employees and Other Persons to Possess Firearms in Vehicle -- Employer Liable for Denying Right -- Exceptions.

I just noticed they shorten it and only put part 1 of several in. Here what I believe the complete law from KY.

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/237-00/106.PDF

Edited August 14, 2011 by vontar

[Guest biohazardmatthew]

How many people here have actually had their cars searched by their employer? Is this really an issue for some? I think I would be finding a new job if I thought my employer was going to randomly start searching my car. lol

As long as you don't talk about your gun being in your car I don't see them having any reason to want to search it in the first place...

[DaveTN]

OK, I have a better understanding now, Dave. So if TN does away with the HCP process, and the language is such that makes carry a right of a Tennessean, would this then imply that an employer would be in a more difficult position to enforce such a ban? Just thinking 'out-loud".

Absolutely. If Tennessee were to become the fifth state (that’s right only four now) that recognizes both the right to own and the right to carry as an individual right, then the business owners would be in a tougher position.

They could still legally ban firearms on their property, but they would have to do so knowing that all citizens have a Constitutional right to have a gun in their car. They would also probably be free of any civil action because of someone having a gun on their property. Now that all citizens would be allowed to carry because the state would be recognizing a right; they would be risking civil action if they had a ban unless they had an obvious safety issue.

[Guest coldblackwind]

Personally, if my employer were to tell me they were going to search my car, I'd quit then and there and leave whether there was anything for them to find or not. Of course my employer has it's own police, and I don't carry there anyways so thats kind of a moot point. However as far as I'm concerned if my boss walked up and said she was going to search my car, I'd tell her where she could place that particular idea.

[tnhawk]

How many people here have actually had their cars searched by their employer?...

On several job sites, I've had a random search from a security guard as I entered employee parking lots. None involved more than opening the trunk or looking in a computer bag.

Edited August 14, 2011 by tnhawk

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

How many people here have actually had their cars searched by their employer? Is this really an issue for some? I think I would be finding a new job if I thought my employer was going to randomly start searching my car. lol

As long as you don't talk about your gun being in your car I don't see them having any reason to want to search it in the first place...

A guy where I work got fired a couple years ago for having a gun in his car. He was dumb & had it out for some reason in the parking lot tho & someone saw him with it. THEN he was asked to let them search his car, & he refused the search but admitted that he had a weapon in his car. He was let go.

[Guest biohazardmatthew]

On several job sites, I've had a random search from a security guard as I entered employee parking lots. None involved more than opening the trunk or looking in a computer bag.

Well that is a good reason to not have your gun in the car I guess but the average jobsite has absolutely no need for such security measures. In my opinion that level of security is only needed at penal facilities or military bases.

[Guest biohazardmatthew]

A guy where I work got fired a couple years ago for having a gun in his car. He was dumb & had it out for some reason in the parking lot tho & someone saw him with it. THEN he was asked to let them search his car, & he refused the search but admitted that he had a weapon in his car. He was let go.

That is exactly the point I was trying to make unless you give them a reason then they don't need to be searching your vehicle in the first place. In his defense I am sure he didn't realise that one of his coworkers was going to go turn him in over something silly.

My coworkers and I have showed off our guns in the parking lot afterwork several times and even bought and sold them in the parking lot as well. Never once did it cross our mind that someone would try to get us in hot water over it. Of course in our line of work almost 100% of the employees are gun lovers or at least respect the purpose of owning and carrying them.

[Guest coldblackwind]

I was really suprised one day in knoxville, I met someone off here to buy a couple old enfields and we met up in a bbq joints parking lot. As it was early I figured the place was closed, but a guy comes walking out like he's got a purpose, so I figured we were going to be asked to leave. Turns out he saw the guns through the window and wanted to see what he had, lol, nice guy actually.

[robbiev]

How many people here have actually had their cars searched by their employer? Is this really an issue for some? I think I would be finding a new job if I thought my employer was going to randomly start searching my car. lol

As long as you don't talk about your gun being in your car I don't see them having any reason to want to search it in the first place...

I worked security for a company in Collierville where it was standard procedure to stop at the security gate and open the trunk so security could verify you weren't leaving with product (soft drinks). I personally never conducted a search beyond simply looking in, but a senior manager was fired while I worked there for refusing a search by one of the other guards.

[Guest nicemac]

Is this somewhere else we want to allow the government to strong arm business?

Yes. +1

There are those that do not believe that having my gun inside my locked car on their parking lot is doing anything to impact the business in any way. The business should never even know it is even there. I have a item that is legal for me to possess closed up inside my personal property. It is not strong arming them at all.

I know your opinion differs on that. But eventually, this will pass.