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NH State employee - Can I carry on the Job?

945 views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  DMan 
#1 · (Edited)
I am a NH state employe. I have looked and looked, but I can not find anything in writing that say's I can not carry on the job. I have been told by other strong 2A employees, that if I am caught carrying on the job, I will immediatly be dissmissed from the job. I am fairly new this position and would like to know if someone from NH can point me to something in writing that allows, or disallows. Either in the RSA's (Laws) or employee regulations.

Comments are also welcome as always.
 
#2 ·
you'll need to find out from your employer first. you could live in the most gun friendly state in the U.S. but if your company has a No Gun rule then it's their property and their right to make that call.
(feel free to correct me if anyone knows different.)
 
#3 ·
NH STATE Employee



As the subject line stated - I am a NH STATE employee, therefore my employer is the state of NH. Now, if I ask my boss, or their superiers I know they will say no, just because I know their attitudes on the subject.
 
#4 ·
As DMan said, he's a state (government) employee, the state can't make laws regulating people's behavior if it is otherwise provided by law. I'm not familiar at all with NH laws on carry or employment law, but I can give you some direction.

I am a county employee in Arizona. County employees are covered under state law as a "political subdivision of the state". The way laws go with carry in my state is that because of state preemption laws on carry, nothing but state law wins. Therefore my county department can't make a law or rule against someone coming into one of our buildings and carrying, they have to follow state law to keep the gun out (e.g. secure place for them to put their gun or they HAVE to allow it).

The problem is that our state law also has an exemption in the preemption statute that says the state (or any political subdivision thereof) is exempted from the carry laws when making internal rules & regs for it's employees. My department says that unless I'm firearms qualified like the cops and corrections officers I work with, I'm not allowed to have a gun on me while at work (even though the paragraph before that says that we have the same rights as any other citizen when it comes to carry... grrr).

Because of the exemption and the rule, I'm not allowed to carry a firearm at work and I won't be allowed to qualify to carry because it's not in my job description. But I have a firearm regardless. Why? Even though I work with cops, I know they're not going to be there if something happens in the parking lot. They're not going to be there when I go to work, or when I go home. I follow the don't ask don't tell theory and it's worked well for me so far. (I'm also hoping that I'm using a loophole by not wearing it or having it on me as they make the distinction throughout the rules & regs for the cops.)

So I'm not allowed to carry a firearm at work and it's blessed by the state legislature. But I realize that -- even though I work with cops daily no more than 20 feet away from me at some times -- they aren't there when I am not inside the building or going to/from work. If we have to evacuate our building for some reason or if some armed lunatic comes in I'm screwed because I would have to call them in most of the time because they're patrolling.

It basically comes down to this. I've vested my employment so they have to have an overwhelming violation of rules to fire me. I am pretty sure just having the gun on me won't qualify for that and if I have to use it I don't think that I would be punished (or at least as bad as firing me). I am not searched at any time and there are no security measures I have to go through (e.g. metal detectors, x-ray machines, etc.) in order to go into the building. I am responsible for my safety on- or off-duty and so I carry regardless.

The way I figure it, it's just a job. I can always get another one. It would definitely suck if I lost it. But I can always get another one. I only have one life, though.

Cheers.
 
#7 ·
your right, my apologies. that does complicate things. although, s&$t runs down hill and instructions come from above. someone has to know the deal and the stated rules should be made available (it's probably fine print somewhere). i would start with immediate supervisors. there's no harm in finding out. hope these guy's links gives you something.
 
#8 ·
So far, all the links given, I have exhausted a long time ago, my union rep is a HUGE anti, So I guess it comes down to what Soundwave said. I just need to see if the same applies for NH, and if there are provisions in the law that give the state exemption on right to carry.
 
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