WBZ Radio discussing laws about firearms at work - Monday Night 10 PM

[Larry Legend]

Just tuned in. The host is discussing the legality of business owners prohibiting firearms at work, even when locked in the car in the parking lot.

1030 AM.

 

[Trupo]

I finally made it through to talk to Dan Rea after an eternity of busy signals. Unfortunately I didn't get as much time as I wanted, he prefaced my call saying he needed to keep it short. I did point out how naive the views of some of the callers are that don't believe in people carrying at all, that if you need the police to respond with their sidearms, you're already out of time, which Dan agreed. I also said that I didn't feel employers had the right to restrict employees carrying concealed as ultimately it IS infringing on a persons rights under the 2nd amendment, there's where he argued with me. I tried to analogize (sic?) that it would be similar to him (as the employer) restricting certain things people may say at work, infringing on their 1st amendment rights. I did the best I could with the short time he was giving me, wish I had more time.

 

[Climbnsink]

The bill of rights protects you from the gov't restricting your rights not private entities. I think it is unfortunate when it is anti gun but I'm OK with property owners being allowed to set their own rules. I'm sure everything else discussed was moonbat stupidity...
In a less sissyfied world companies that set anti gun policies would lose employees over it, doubt that is a risk they take in MA.

 

[Trupo]

Jack from the old Jacks guns & ammo in Quincy is on now.

 

[Titan]

Putting a focus on carry in the workplace is VERY BAD timing.

Work place carry is something that LOTS of people will find unnecessary, over the top, and threatening to themselves.

This is the absolute wrong time (just after an important gun rights victory) to run to fringes of gun policy and scare the sheeple. What's the point of trying to telegraph to non-gun owners, that gun owners are 'extremists'.

There's plenty of time for workplace carry to evolve into being accomodated, if not mainstreamed.

 

[Kicker96FS]

Titan, this came up I am sure because of the NH town allowing employees to carry at work? Things tend to mutate after that.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I think it is unfortunate when it is anti gun but I'm OK with property owners being allowed to set their own rules.

The issue that has been addressed in some states is a determination of where that boundary it - outside, or inside, an employee's car parked in the employer's lot.

 

[Jose]

In Kansas, Oklahoma, and Florida, the determination has been conclusively made that the employer's property rights stop at the employee's vehicle without regard to where the vehicle may be parked during working hours.

There are probably other states where similar laws have been enacted and upheld, but I don't know which they are.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

In Kansas, Oklahoma, and Florida, the determination has been conclusively made that the employer's property rights stop at the employee's vehicle without regard to where the vehicle may be parked during working hours.

Only partialy. These states have laws that protect the right of an employee to have a gun in the car, but do not necessarily protect the employee from termination if (s)he refuses a search of the car for prohibited items not protected by state law.

 

[RKG]

I finally made it through to talk to Dan Rea after an eternity of busy signals. Unfortunately I didn't get as much time as I wanted, he prefaced my call saying he needed to keep it short. I did point out how naive the views of some of the callers are that don't believe in people carrying at all, that if you need the police to respond with their sidearms, you're already out of time, which Dan agreed. I also said that I didn't feel employers had the right to restrict employees carrying concealed as ultimately it IS infringing on a persons rights under the 2nd amendment, there's where he argued with me. I tried to analogize (sic?) that it would be similar to him (as the employer) restricting certain things people may say at work, infringing on their 1st amendment rights. I did the best I could with the short time he was giving me, wish I had more time.

Actually, Dan is correct; "constitutional rights" are limitations on governmental power, not what private individuals may do. A purely private employer can make not speaking your mind a condition of continued employment.

 

[In God We Trust]

There has never been freedom of speech at the workplace. I have worked for bosses that the last thing they wanted to hear was the truth. Even working for the gov or military you have no freedom of speech. Any of you vets ever told you sgt or commander what you REALLY thought of him? How did that work out for you?

 

[Twigg]

There's plenty of time for workplace carry to evolve into being accomodated, if not mainstreamed.

I like this; "Bring a gun to work day."

 

[right_to_bear_arms]

I like this; "Bring a gun to work day."

I actually suggested this to my Company's HR person (who already knows I own guns) when the idea of having "bring your pet to work day" was brought up by another employee. My contention was that I don't trust other people's pets that much and that CCW at work would make the workplace safer. Needless to say neither the "pet day" or the "CCW day" went very far. I just wanted to get a rise out of her anyways though.

 

[Jose]

Only partialy. These states have laws that protect the right of an employee to have a gun in the car, but do not necessarily protect the employee from termination if (s)he refuses a search of the car for prohibited items not protected by state law.

Since the context of this discussion are firearms, the qualification need not be made.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Since the context of this discussion are firearms, the qualification need not be made.

Actually, it is quite relevant to know if the govt is carving out a "firearms right" or a "general right that one's car's interior cannot be subject to employer control".

I have worked for bosses that the last thing they wanted to hear was the truth.

I worked for someone in a company long since out of business who was told a project was behind schedule. He told the manager in charge "I am going to ask you again and if you value your job you will tell me the project is on schedule.". The funny part was he was actually surprised the project was delivered late after the manager told him it was on schedule.