hunting guns

Jocelyn

We're currently revising our safety manual. The workplace violence policy says no guns or weapons on the premises, however, we are in a rural hunting area. We know that some of our personnel may have hunting guns in their vehicles. We know they don't intentionaly violate policy, but how do we address their lifestyle/pastime in our policy? We thought maybe requiring that all vehicles on the premises must be locked might be all we can do. Any other suggestions?

Margaret Morford

I would have a no weapons policy and a search policy that says you have the right to search any person and/or vehicle on the premises. You do not want people to have weapons in their cars, particularly in a gun rack in their back windows where all can see. I worked in a rural manufacturing plant and told the employees that unless someone made us aware that there was a weapon, stolen goods or alcohol/drugs in someone's car on the premises, we had no intention of searching their cars, although our policy gave us the right to do so. However, if they told any one that they had a gun in the car or they left it in plain view, we would have no other choice but to enforce the policy for every employee's safety. Given that, employees knew that if they were going hunting after work, they'd make sure that the gun was out of plain sight and they told no one they had it. That's all you really want to happen is that the guns stay put up and no one knowns how to get to one.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

Mike Maslanka

the question you have to ask is whether you will have a zero tolerance policy on guns or weapons,as some companies have on alcohol...one bite of the apple is all you get...but being in hunting country is all the more reason to have some policy on this,not less a reason...regards,mike maslanka

Gar

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 01-15-02 AT 03:54PM (CST)[/font][p]It seems to me that if your policy says no guns on the premises and your parking lot is part of your premises, employees with hunting rifles in their vehicles are in violation of your policy. I'd rather inconvience hunters on their way to shoot Bambi and Thumper after work than defend a lawsuit as a result of an employee being shot by a coworker with a rifle in his truck.

Theresa Gegen TX

I would post signs at the parking lot entrances reminding the employees that they cannot bring guns on the premises. Lots of employers enforce these "no gun" policies, even in rural areas where a lot of hunting occurs.


Good Luck!

Margaret Morford

As Theresa suggests, you should posts signs if this is your policy. The state law in Tennessee requires that these signs be posted if the employer wishes to enforce a no weapons on the premises policy. I don't know about other states, but it's a good idea to do whether state law requires it or not.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

Down_the_Middle

Having some experience working in a VERY rural environment where guns in vehicles were as common as child car seats, I understand your dilemma. With all due respect to the excellent advice that's been given, I know that reality makes this awkward and an employee relations problem for you. The risk of posting signs implies there's a sanction for violating the policy and that of course is part of your dilemma. While it appears clear that weapons are not allowed in your workplace, the parking lot and other grounds poses problems.

What worked for me a few years back, was this:
1. clear policy prohibiting weapons in the workplace/physical plant, etc....
2. a provision in that policy suggesting that employees conceal weapons and all other valuables if the vehicle is parked on your property lot.
3. posting a sign at the entrance of the lot explaining that this was a weapons, firearms, etc.....free zone. (employees understood the msg, but visitors never did.) It's difficult to get employee cooperation knowing they can walk a few feet away to a city street and easisly spot rifles, shotguns, etc..., but you've done your part by exressing your intent w/o creating an enforcement and employee relations nightmare.

This is not a perfect solution, but like so many things in life, it strives to strike a balance between the practical and reasonable. Good luck........

BTW, your prob is not insurmountable. Many southern states have deemed the vehicle as an abode and therefore weapons can be carried (w/o a permit)as a right to protect one's self. A shotgun in a locked vehicle just doesn't seem as big of an issue, huh?

skippy

WOW: we too are in a rural area where guns don't only serve a hunter but the "hunted" if you will. Last year on my way to work, I counted 148 MOOSE, 48 DEER, 14 bunnies, 3 foxes and assorted other little critters. It's a long drive and counting critters is a nice distraction. Many of our employees come long distances as I do and see as many critters as I do. It's not uncommon to see Bambi on the side of the road - mangled but not yet dead; suffering and frightened. A Moose can survive a hit from a car, but a Deer doesn't stand a chance - with it's little hind legs torn off, it would take a very cruel person to walk away without taking care of business. The gun is mercyful in these instances. We don't talk about them, we don't display them, we know they're in the town and on the property and we too have a no weapons policy. We don't let anyone carry them into the company (customer or employee), but employees who have them have them legally and have permits AND HAVE COMMON SENSE. I agree with the others who responded. They shouldn't be visible and to be honest, we don't see shotguns in racks in the back window of pick-up trucks where I'm from. They are well hiden - which is what should be anyway if you have any amount of wattage in your bulb.. It's common sense. The SEARCH PROCEDURES outlined above scare me. Are we still in America?

Theresa Gegen TX

I represent atleast one client in rural East Texas (where a lot of people hunt) that has a strick NO GUNS policy on the premises. This includes the parking lot.

The work rule is well known to employees. Employees who have violated it (even by inadvertantly having a gun in their car) have been fired. Now, the company does not routinely search cars, but if the gun is visable (for example in a gun rack), the employee is terminated.

The company has the same policy with no alcohol on the premises. Employees have been terminated for having beer in their cars that was visible to security.

This company also has a fenced in parking area, with only one place for access, so reminder signs are posted there about the NO GUNS, NO ALCOHOL policy.

These days with the threat of work place shootings, a NO GUN policy is doable even in a "rural hunting area." Employees just have to be educated and reminded about the work place rule.

Good Luck.