Question: Does an employer have the right to say no guns in the parking lot?

Hi Guys
warning newbee here, so go easy on me!
i work at a hospital in washington state, and i want to know if they have the legal right to say i cannot have my gun locked in my car on there property. i am pretty sure this is not a new question, but i was unbale to find another thread on this. thanks

scubagrunt said:

Hi Guys
warning newbee here, so go easy on me!
i work at a hospital in washington state, and i want to know if they have the legal right to say i cannot have my gun locked in my car on there property. i am pretty sure this is not a new question, but i was unbale to find another thread on this. thanks

Click to expand...

It's been discussed a few times before, but unfortunately, yes; under they current law they are within their rights. It's private property and they can do as they wish. Several places (Oklahoma jumps to mind) have already passed laws prohibiting employers from doing do, and IIRC there's a fellow on this forum who's trying to get a similar bill started here in WA.

thanks
i will be all for helping any law proposal, to help us with gun rights!

Can't help you in Washington but Utah's Parking lot law actually calls upon the State Attorney General to get involved in prosecuting those employers that VIOLATE Utah's parking lot law. Certain employers are immune per the law but MOST are not.

the local airplane maker bans them at work, but they have to allow them in locked cars in parking lots in about 10 other states, per those states laws. they only do it because they have to...

but, "out of sight, out of mind"

I know an RN who use to work at harborview, and before that worked at Snoqualmie Valley hospital. He was fired because he went hunting and then left his rifle in his truck because he didn't have the opportunity to go home yet to drop it off. Like most or all hospitals, Sno Valley is a no-gun area. His gun was left locked up and out of sight, and the higher-ups heard about it weeks after the fact due to hearsay... And still fired him. So yes, you can get fired for it. Remember Washington is not a "right to work" state and therefore they can fire you for any or no reason at all, unless you are part of a union - which still has it's limitations. I am all for a bill that eliminates an employer's ability to restrict us like that!

Most every employer that has a "no guns" policy in their "Handbook" will say that applies to vehicles on their property as well.

As a suggestion, either leave it home, or invest in a car safe such as the Gun Vault Mini. If you secure the firearm where it can't be seen or stolen then just don't tell anyone. If the employer has no reason to suspect they won't be bothering you. In all the cases where "someone was fired because the employer found out" it was just that. The employer found out. Unless they actually conducted a vehicle search it meant that someone "blabbed". Remember, it's only a secret if nobody else but you knows.

The only exception to the above suggestion would be if you have to enter a parking lot through a security check point and vehicle searches are possible. An example would be a military base or a large industrial facility like Boeing.

Metalhead47 said:

It's been discussed a few times before, but unfortunately, yes; under they current law they are within their rights. It's private property and they can do as they wish. Several places (Oklahoma jumps to mind) have already passed laws prohibiting employers from doing do, and IIRC there's a fellow on this forum who's trying to get a similar bill started here in WA.

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Zzzzz... *snort* wozzat? Who poked me?

http://www.impsec.org/~jhardin/wa_gun_laws_car.txt

A suppressor bill is up and looks like it isn't going to be ignored to death this year. Maybe the climate in Olympia is friendly enough that this could get a hearing, too. Write your critters!

Here's an older thread ...

This is what I posted when I was new to the forum. I hope my old thread helps you.

WELCOME TO OCDO!

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...n-Privately-owned-vehicle-on-company-property

John Hardin said:

Zzzzz... *snort* wozzat? Who poked me?

http://www.impsec.org/~jhardin/wa_gun_laws_car.txt

A suppressor bill is up and looks like it isn't going to be ignored to death this year. Maybe the climate in Olympia is friendly enough that this could get a hearing, too. Write your critters!

Click to expand...

I did today

emtechnik said:

I know an RN who use to work at harborview, and before that worked at Snoqualmie Valley hospital. He was fired because he went hunting and then left his rifle in his truck because he didn't have the opportunity to go home yet to drop it off. Like most or all hospitals, Sno Valley is a no-gun area. His gun was left locked up and out of sight, and the higher-ups heard about it weeks after the fact due to hearsay... And still fired him. So yes, you can get fired for it. Remember Washington is not a "right to work" state and therefore they can fire you for any or no reason at all, unless you are part of a union - which still has it's limitations. I am all for a bill that eliminates an employer's ability to restrict us like that!

Click to expand...

Was he fired from SVH or Harbor View? SVH is a public hospital and can not be a "gun free zone"to the public How ever they can fire you for bringing in a firearm to the hospital grounds.

He was fired from Sno Valley. I can't say I agree with it, but it happened nonetheless. Again WA is an "at will" employment state and although I think their actions were reprehensible I don't think he'd have a legal leg to stand on should he have chosen to take that kind of action.