Employer searching vehicle - interesting

[RSB]

Under GA law there is verbiage regarding "Publicly Accessible". If the property is fenced and not accessible to the public and the policy is no weapons on the property, you will be terminated if found to have a firearm. I worked for a company with an open lot and they changed their policy to reflect this. They wrote the policy to be construed as no weapons, but if you understand the wording of the law as written you knew that the policy did not apply if you had a GA weapons License.

My current employer is fenced and no weapons on the property. If they did a search they would have to fire 1/3 of the staff. management included.

 

[cjnowell72]

Glad my company aint that way. Hell i share my new toys with people at work

 

[cjnowell72]

Most of the guys i work with carry in their lunch boxes

 

[Ken Ford]

The law (OCGA 15-11-135) generally bans both employers' suspicionless vehicle searches and no-weapons-in-vehicles employment policies.
But there are several exceptions, based on what type of employer you work for, what type of parking lots security they have, or what type of parking facility it is --meaning ;permanent or temporary).

Note also that this law does not trump the standard long-held (& cherished) doctrine of "employment at will". You *can* be fired and you do not have a right to sue to get your job back.
However the Attorney General of the state may have the potential to file a civil action against your employer, and fine them.

https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2017/title-16/chapter-11/article-4/part-3/section-16-11-135/

This is accurate. Some years back the Georgia assembly took this up. Govt facilities, private jails and such are exceptions. Under most conditions an employer cannot take any action based on weapons in the car, as that would restrict your right to legally carry coming and going to work. Which is when most people travel and need protection most.

 

[SirBannedAlot]

I guess that while the law protects us, in reality it doesn't when the company can fire you for any reason anyway...

 

[95gAtl]

When I park my vehicle in the employee lot and leave my firearm locked out of sight in the vehicle, can my employer search my car?

They are NOT the police and they don't have a warrant.
How are they able to search your locked vehicle?

US Gov't land/property is different. I believe they can do what they like.

REALLY. DO any of y'all want to work for an idiotic "private" company like that anyway? I surely would not and either wouldn't have worked there OR resigned after their policy changed...

 

[SirBannedAlot]

They are NOT the police and they don't have a warrant.
How are they able to search your locked vehicle?

US Gov't land/property is different. I believe they can do what they like.

REALLY. DO any of y'all want to work for an idiotic "private" company like that anyway? I surely would not and either wouldn't have worked there OR resigned after their policy changed...

Depends... how much money are you willing to walk away from, over their stance on guns?

Most high paying corporate gigs, have pretty strict no weapons policies... Are you willing to take a 6 figure pay cut to go work for someone more pro gun? Or would you just conceal it well, and keep your mouth shut about it? haha

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

I got fired from Auto Zone in one of the worst parts of Macon (even back in 91) for having a Tec 9 in my Super Beetle. They didn't search it though. Another employee told on me and they asked me if it was true. I told them that yes it was in my car but that was only because I couldn't fit it into my pocket. Meanwhile other employees had guns in their purses IN the store and everyone knew it.

 

[gh1950]

US Gov't land/property is different. I believe they can do what they like.

REALLY. DO any of y'all want to work for an idiotic "private" company like that anyway? .

Employers can do what they like on property they control, except for activity that specifically violates employment laws.

In recent days, several people have been fired for online comments, or conduct off the property that has nothing to do with the job. Call the cops on one black person standing on the street in your neighborhood, and BOOM, no job.

Your employer can demand that you take a drug test or a lie detector test, and fire you if you refuse, or if you fail either test.

An employer can search your person on leaving a facility.

Personally, I find it a little strained that people get so torqued about a search of their car, but are blase about a search of their body.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

They are NOT the police and they don't have a warrant.
How are they able to search your locked vehicle?

US Gov't land/property is different. I believe they can do what they like.

REALLY. DO any of y'all want to work for an idiotic "private" company like that anyway? I surely would not and either wouldn't have worked there OR resigned after their policy changed...

Me and the wife both work at the Port of Brunswick for different companies. The Port Authority Police are VERY serious about weapons. I'm talking Military Police serious. Plus CBP has an office out there as well as the Coast Guard. They have random screenings going through the gate every day. It's usually limited to opening all doors and compartments so they can do a quick visual. The day they saw my riot control size can of pepper spray they were NOT happy. They wouldn't let me enter and they wouldn't seize and dispose of it. So I had to run across Hwy 17 to the off site side and stash it in some tall grass. They were cutting grass over there that day but fortunately the zero turn mowers didn't run over it. That would've been ugly.