HR Hotline: Can We Prohibit an Employee from Having a Fully Licensed Gun at Work?

Q: With gun control and Second Amendment rights so much in the news these days, I’m wondering, can an employer prohibit an employee from having a fully licensed gun at work?
A: Employers in Connecticut have the authority to restrict or prohibit employees from carrying weapons on the job or bringing weapons to the workplace, even if the worker has a state permit to carry a gun. According to Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 29-28(e):
“The issuance of any permit to carry a pistol or revolver does not thereby authorize the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver in any premises where the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver is otherwise prohibited by law or is prohibited by the person who owns or exercises control over such premises.”
Nationally, about half the states have parking lot laws, often referred to as “Guns-in-Trunks Laws,” that create limited exceptions to employer policies banning weapons on their property.
Connecticut does not have such a law.
Common provisions of such laws are that the weapon must be lawfully possessed by the employee, concealed from view, and locked securely in the trunk or glove box of the employee’s vehicle.
No state laws establish a gun owner’s right to possess a weapon in the workplace other than in the parking lot.
It would be advisable to adopt a policy covering weapons in the workplace, as well as workplace violence and emergency procedures related to violence.
Call the CBIA HR Hotline at 860.244.1900 or email CBIA’s Mark Soycher for assistance in developing such a policy.
It would also be wise to acknowledge the possibility that workers may feel unsafe in certain situations and have a system in place for immediate reporting so that you can promptly evaluate employee concerns and take suitable precautions if warranted.

HR problems? Email or call Mark Soycher at the HR Hotline (860.244.1900) | @HRHotline