Q:  For personal reasons, a couple of years ago I obtained a concealed-carry gun permit for self-defense.  My employer doesn’t have a specific policy forbidding guns but they do have entrance signs with “no weapons allowed on the premises”.  I’m considering bringing my permitted gun into work since it’s completely discreet and they’ll probably never know.  Your thoughts?

A:  No, I don’t think you should come into work “packing” when your employer doesn’t allow guns on the premises.   Sure, you might get away with it, but if you get caught, you’ll be endangering your job and reputation.  Here’s why:

First, let’s look at Florida’s “guns in the workplace” law.

In Florida, employers can not prohibit employees from having a lawful weapon in their private car. Employers cannot prohibit such gun-containing-cars from parking in the company parking lot. Employers cannot even inquire whether an employee is storing a weapon inside the car in their parking lot.

What employers ARE allowed to do is to prohibit an employee (or customer or visitor) from bringing a gun inside the premises, concealed or not.  They do that by posting signs, which your employer has done.

Of course, if you’re a visitor/customer carrying a concealed weapon, you could theoretically walk into an establishment that prohibits weapons, do business, then leave and no one might notice. You could get away with it. Even, if someone were to notice, the worst that could happen is that the customer/visitor is asked to leave, which they would presumably do immediately. No biggie.

An employee in a workplace is a different story.

You’re not walking into a place where you have a casual, momentary business relationship.  Your workplace is where you spend five days a week, interacting with people with whom you develop bonds of trust and teamwork.

If you are an employee carrying a concealed weapon when you know your employer doesn’t want guns on the premises –and whose employees presumably agree– sooner or later someone will notice -even if you’re completely discreet.  Then you probably won’t just be asked to leave the premises, you’ll likely lose your job, and be seen by management and peers as someone who violated their trust and deceived them.  Even if you don’t take the firing personally, this is very harmful professionally.

I don’t think it’s worth the risk. If I were you, I would just leave the gun locked in your car while you are working.

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