More states consider guns-at-work legislation

Security Director News, By Rhianna Daniels


ATLANTA--Legislation being proposed in Georgia and Virginia that would allow licensed gun owners to legally store weapons in vehicles parked on company property may heighten fears of increased workplace violence incidents among area security directors.

"It certainly would be another major concern to have to add to their workload," said Jack Lichtenstein, director of public policy for ASIS International. "The workplace violence issue is a very real concern of ours."

The laws would not only allow workers to keep guns in their vehicles, but would also overturn any regulations companies may have in place that do not allow weapons on property.

Oklahoma already has a similar law in place, but this legislation has met with mixed reviews. ConocoPhillips has been the most active corporation as of late in the fight against allowing guns at work in the state, going as far to seek a repeal of the law last year and boycotting guns at its offices and gas station chains in the area.

After its move, the National Rifle Association launched a boycott of the energy company.

In late February, Florida tabled a similar proposed law after it received a barrage of criticism.

Roy Bordes, president of The Bordes Group, said security directors take this type of legislation very seriously as most corporations have a policy that prohibits weapons in the workplace, as do insurance companies.

"It is against corporate policies and I don't want to say that it adds to the potential of workplace violence, but it does," he said.

Lichtenstein mentioned that the National Rifle Association is in the process of trying to have these laws passed at the state level. The NRA's argument, Lichtenstein said, is that having more employees armed would be beneficial in the event of a crisis.

"We are not an anti-Second Amendment group," he said. "Our members are largely former military and law enforcement, but we think for a number of reasons this is bad law."

There are four major areas that ASIS identified as specific problems in a position paper on the issue. Primarily, it minimizes the control property owners have as well as employer rights.

"Employers have the right and responsibility to provide a safe workplace," he said, "that is manifested in all manner of workplace policy aimed at keeping people from getting hurt and from hurting each other."

ASIS' other areas of concern include workplace violence and homeland security.

"The thought of strangers being able to drive up to a refinery, power plant or other critical infrastructure with loaded weapons in the car is beyond the pale."