Concealed Carry and Employment Dilemma

[Zeke2A]

Where I work we have a workplace violence policy with a "no weapons" clause prohibiting weapons from company property. I have a 1 hr / 35 mile drive to and from work every day 5-6 days a week but yet I haven't been carrying and then locking my firearm in the truck because I am in charge of the building I manage 60+ people every day and if I fire one of them and one of them goes to our Corp. HR and says I have a gun ( granted I do not broadcast this but this is a viable scenario a lot of people know I am a hunter and outdoorsman) and HR wants to search my car then the gig is up and I risk being fired. I cannot practically carry on my person at work either. So I am in a dilemma , I carry 100% of the time except when driving to and home from work ( which = 10-12 hrs a week). I have my knife ( I can do this because of the need for a knife in the day to day funtctions of the facility) on me and a baton in the vehicle BUT they do not = my .38 snub. So I guess I am looking for any alternatives or suggestions.

Thanks,

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[WHEC724]

How much experience do you think your HR rep has with searching vehicles?

[sigmanluke]

Park off property and carry to/from work.

[Gforty]

Do you have to park on company property? If not, I'd consider parking off-site and locking up the snub.

[Zeke2A]

Parking off site is not possible .

[SpikeTX]

do they even have the legal right to search your vehicle?

[zonker1986]

Florida passed a law a couple of years ago making it illegal for employers from preventing their employees with concealed firearms licenses from storing their guns in their cars while working.....while parked on their property. Check into Pennsylvania law and see where that gun legislation stands in your state. After Florida passed the law, many states began working on their own similar law.

You have to weigh carrying to protect your life vs carrying and being unemployed. Many will say you can always find another job.....which unfortunately is not true these days. If carrying at work or storing your gun in your vehicle will jeopardize your livelihood then I personally would not risk it.

If you have ever been in a public school or large corporation parking lot while security was taking the gun sniffing dogs from car to car you will know that your gun will not go undetected just because you find a cool hiding place for it. I've seen it in action, and those damned dogs are really good.

[adric22]

I would bring it to work anyway, since it isn't breaking the law and only company policy. Just make sure you never, ever, ever talk to anyone about having it in there. If you really think HR might search your vehicle (is that even legal in and of itself?) then find a really good hiding place. Like WHEC724 said, I seriously doubt your HR department is well skilled in searching vehicles. I don't know your specific vehicle, so I'm not sure..

There is also the other possibility. Don't leave it in your vehicle at all; bring it into work with you. Who'd think to search there? That would greatly depend on your job as to how well you'd be able to keep it concealed all day long, day in, day out.. So only you can decide.

[jonconsiglio]

That's a tricky one. I would always have it in the car, if not a locked briefcase or similar in my office, just don't break any laws. Then again, if you have people depending on your income, maybe it's better to not violate policy. Unfortunately, it's a choice only you can make.

[PB2]

A small locked box bolted to the floor of the vehicle will secure the gun nicely. If they search your vehicle say you don't have the key or it was there when you bought the vehicle and never have had the key. Or better yet, if they ask to search your vehicle tell them to shove it unless they have a warrant.

[AKsrule]

How much experience do you think your HR rep has with searching vehicles?

Exactly - a one-gun safe is pretty small -easy to hide and disguise in a vehicle.

[BugDude]

Depending on the truck you have some options. Hidden compartment, bolted safe, console safe, etc. and then figure out a way to conceal the safe (pull up carpet, install, then lay carpet back over it).

Another option is to mail yourself an EMPTY large padded envelope or box addressed to you, which is now postmarked. Place in your truck. When you go in to work, place your CCW in the envelope and tape it shut. It is a Federal Offense for your employer to look at your personal mail regardless of their policy. That way, if it came down to it, you are consenting to the search but informing them that it is a federal offense for them to look at your mail. I researched this at length due to the same issue I was dealing with, but I finally was able to obtain written permission for our employees to store firearms in their cars in the parking lot from the security VP at the corporate office. I explained that we live in a rural area and a large percentage of the employee base hunt and have permits and they were fine with it.

[canav844]

Knowing full well you're putting your position at the company in jeopardy and assuming all the risks, you can either not carry, and become well versed in other methods of defending yourself, it's not all firearm or nothing, but accept the realization there is some risk of becoming a victim and you may need to give up your wallet to a random criminal or duck cover and run from a disgruntled employee. Push for state law that prohibits employers from barring employees from storing arms in their vehicle.

OR

If random or dog searches aren't an issue, not on Fed property, not violating law...

In Car Gun Lockers
or
Console Vault

Have a gun and loaded mag in there 24/7; if you need something you can grab it, but you never have to go through handling it on or near company property so nobody at work ever sees you touch it. It can be out of sight out of might of everyone else that would go near it, give someone a ride to lunch and it's under the seat or in the console if they open it to go looking for CDs or something (rude in the first place but I've seen some people make themselves at home in a hurry), then it's a safe spot to keep your registration and insurance so if someone breaks into your car they can't find your home. Put a holster in the console with the gun, and you'll have something if you need to make a stop on your way home or the car breaks down, but again keeps anything that would make anyone look out of sight out of mind.

Either way if it is important enough to you to consider violating policy and risking your career, then you should probably be floating some resumes out there.

[Sperez1971]

If HR is searching your vehicle 99% of the time you are already fired. I have worked for large corporations and we do have the right to search vehicles. In my 14 years experience, HR or I have searched exactly 0 vehicles.

[G19inLV]

They can't search your car because some jackass said you have a gun in there. Even if you signed a consent prior to employment that somehow gives them permission, wipe your butt with it than take them to court if they try anything. Despite what they guy above me says, they have no right to search your private property. You think because it's a company policy or something, they have the right? Nope.