Annoyed at my new job...

[230RN]

mgregg85 posted:

Some of the warning signs they said you should look out for included 'interest in firearms', and specifically 'an interest in semi-automatic weapons or assault weapons.'

I agree with Thernlund that this kind of leftwimp garbage would send me "right off the end."

I did security about 25 years ago, same situation, no guns, no batons, no edges, no nuthin', although I carried a big Maglite.

I soon came to the conclusion that all an unarmed security guard was supposed to be was two legs, two ears, two eyes, and one index finger.

 

[RPCVYemen]

Report them for workplace discrimination. The 2nd amendment has been affirmed as an individual right just like the first and the rest of them.

I think you to do a little more research - the Bill of Rights in general restricts what the government can do, not what contracts I can enter into. For example, the Constitution protects my right to speak. I have the constitutional right to say whatever I want to about the quality of company's products and those of our major competitor. Were I to go into a public forum and start trashing our products, my company would have the perfect right to terminate my employment.

The OP accepted a contract with the security company. If he violates that policy, he can be terminated.

I'm trying to decide now if I want to carry against their rules for my own protection.

I think this would be a mistake - but not for legal reasons. If you are terminated for violating a company's firearms policy that could have career impacts for a long time.

At one point in my career, I used to interview a lot of candidates for jobs. You really, really don't want a termination of a company's weapons policies on any employment record. Let me repeat that. You really, really don't want a termination of a company's weapons policies on any employment record. No HR department is going to bother to read anything else - no matter how good our resume.

Think about it for one minute - what company in their right mind would hire any employee who was fired for violating the weapons policy at another company? What is the upside for the company of hiring someone with a weapons violation over hiring someone without a weapons violation?

If they hire you anyway what is their liability if you are involved in a firearms incident? I'd guess that if the plaintiffs attorney can show that the company hired you - knowing that you had been terminated from a previous place of employment for violating weapons policy - then the employer's liability is darn near unlimited.

I would not rely on a future employee being unable to find the record if you are in fact terminated for that reason. More and more data is available online, and companies do stricter and stricter checks.

I'd also add that it seems wrong from an ethical point of view to violate the terms of employment and take a paycheck from them. If you don't want to follow their policies, don't take the job.

Mike

 

[Kind of Blued]

If you don't want to follow their policies, don't take the job.

Not to sound sarcastic, but how do you recommend going about looking for a (new) job that doesn't mind the gun on your hip?

 

[Thernlund]

You can disregard the "find a new job" comments I think Blued. It's just rhetoric.


-T.

 

[Steve Raacke]

I worked industrial security for many years. All of it unarmed. You are there to observe and report. Do your patrols, check your doors and sign in visitors and employees as required. If something breaks out you are the person designated to call 911 and tell the cops what to look for. Then you get to tell property owner why the cops are running all over the property. Hopefully nothing unusual happens and you spend most shifts doing nothing more than turning out lights in offices and locking doors after the janitors leave for the night. In offices I made sure nobody had left space heaters on under their desk (good fire prevention). I made a point of checking break rooms to ensure coffee pots were turned off (more good fire prevention). A bonus was finding cake, cookies or other goodies left over from office parties. I'd take some back to the guard shack for a late night snack (file that one under pest prevention). Find a good radio station in your patrol vehicle and ride around and check every gate and fence line while listening to soothing music or stories about UFOs.
Want a forum with fellow guards where you can read about similar issues and get advice from those of us who have "been there, done that"? Go to www.securityinfowatch.com and visit the forums (look under reader resourses on the right side of the page).
For now, leave your gun and other weapons in your car and try to enjoy what could be a very laid back job.

 

[thumbody]

I'm really surprised to have found such madness in michigan, hunting and shooting sports seem pretty prevalent here. Now i'm afraid to bring my gun magazines to work for fear of being reported and I am thinking about peeling my NRA stickers off the car and lunch box so I don't get 'randomly searched'.

Your location says Midland, I think that is 1/2 tour problem,I believe Midland is 2nd to Ann Arbor for being the most leftist city in MI.

 

[Treo]

Can't speak for MI. but in Colorado the security license says armed or not right on it and it's a 500.00$ fine for an unarmed guard to be caught W/ a weapon.

Like Yemen said you don't want to have to try to explain being fired for a weapons violation.

Personally I keep my personal life and work life seperate. I don't discuss politics, guns , religion or sex at work. One guy I work W/ knows I shoot and other than that I keep my mouth shut.

I have actually been written up at one company for telling an off color joke in the lunch room that offended a 3rd party at another table. That only had to happen one time for me to learn.

 

[TAB]

At one point in my career, I used to interview a lot of candidates for jobs. You really, really don't want a termination of a company's weapons policies on any employment record. Let me repeat that. You really, really don't want a termination of a company's weapons policies on any employment record. No HR department is going to bother to read anything else - no matter how good our resume

This needs to be posted again... several more times in fact.

 

[Prince Yamato]

I'm pretty sure what that woman said to you is considered "defamation of character". She basically made you out to be a criminal when you were not one. Report her to her boss. Mention that you find it shocking that you would be harassed about exercising your civil rights. Next, mention that what was stated in the video was as out of date as if it said, 'be on the lookout for any black employees, they are prone to stealing from the workplace." That's how out of date that video was. The fact is probably like 90% of the firearms sold and used today are "assault weapon" style firearms. Mere talk of those types of weapons as a criteria for workplace shootings is ridiculous.

Now, if someone says something like, "I'm going to buy an AK and shoot the place up..." yeah, that's a security issue. My guess is the truly crazy will keep to themselves until they decide to go on a spree. At which point, you'll only have your little radio.

 

[TAB]

There is actually nothing illegal about a private company using profiling, its only the goverment that can not.

 

[spyderdude]

I currently work as an unarmed guard for a freight company (am actually at work as I type this). It is by far the most laid back job I have ever had in the 5 years I've been working. Even though I can't carry, I try to keep a sense of awareness, and fortunately not much goes on at my post (that's not to say that nothing bad can happen). I walk around, and sit in the break room, and watch movies. It's an ok job, but doubt I'll do it for a very long time.

As mentioned before, the main duty of a security officer is to observe and report. Apprehension of criminals has to be left up to law enforcement. Most of the time, just the presence of a security officer is enough to deter most intruders, but may not always work.

 

[RPCVYemen]

Not to sound sarcastic, but how do you recommend going about looking for a (new) job that doesn't mind the gun on your hip?

I am not quite sure what you mean. If carrying at work is important to you, then it's just another thing to check out in the initial interview - like salary or hours, or distance from home etc.

I wouldn't take money from the register because I want more money than I had agreed to work for. I wouldn't forge a time card because I didn't really want to work the hours I had agreed to work. By the same token, I shouldn't violate a company's firearms policy after agreeing to work there, knowing the policy.

In many places, that may mean starting your own company.

If you are telling me that doing the right thing is sometimes harder than cheating, we are in full agreement.

Mike

 

[bogie]

You might suggest to the instructor, or other folks, if it comes to it, that it may be "profiling," but you'd guess that the most likely folks to go occupational are folks who are under a lot of stress at work, who are having family problems, who have mental problems, or who have substance abuse problems. However, you'd figure that your primary concern would be domestic violence situations.

 

[RP88]

I guess I'd be marked on that job, because all of the weapons I have and want to have are semi-auto, black in color, used by LE/Military, and/or hold more than 10 rounds standard

 

[230RN]

spyderdude said,

It is by far the most laid back job I have ever had in the 5 years I've been working.

Same with me when I worked Security as the Overnighter. Until 10 PM.

That's when the modeling school let out and I'd escort them to their cars.

Darn.

Well, somebody had to do it.

 

[vtoddball]

I'm pretty sure what that woman said to you is considered "defamation of character". She basically made you out to be a criminal when you were not one. Report her to her boss. Mention that you find it shocking that you would be harassed about exercising your civil rights. Next, mention that what was stated in the video was as out of date as if it said, 'be on the lookout for any black employees, they are prone to stealing from the workplace."

I absolutely find this repugnant, obnoxious, and ridiculous. And sadly, gun owners (and conservatives) are losing ground precisely because we aren't pursuing that course of action. Antis and radical feminists, environmentalists, racial activists, etc. make our lives miserable every day and have succeeded in making people spend most of their day worrying about who might be offended and what might happen to them as a result, simply by being annoying, whining squeaky wheels.

As much as it churns our stomachs to make complaints to the "authorities", that may be what it takes to get some of our freedom back.

 

[Devonai]

Armed security is the way to go (with the exception of armored car work), and if you're already working for Wackenhut, I say stick with it for awhile. Your best weapon is between your ears, and unless you can identify a palpable threat at your workplace, it might be worth it to do a good job, keep your head down, and transfer to armed security when the time is right.

I have a few friends who work Nuclear security for Wackenhut, and according to them it is well worth it if you can get your foot in the door.

 

[BAT1]

A radio and a mini mag lite. Job description: Security or the first person they shoot first? start taking self defense classes and don't tell them, that would really scare everybody.

 

[Aran]

I just started a similar gig, though the company encourages (and pays for!) PA Act 235 (lethal weapons) certification, and it's only the location I'm guarding at that doesn't like guns on the premises, and only because it's a union shop with a union who hates that we're even there, and has already filed intimidation complaints just for us being there.

 

[bogie]

Guys...

Security is NOT a "high speed, low drag" endeavor... It is NOT fun. It is basically standing guard duty.

Most situations will involve employee theft (and since they pay rent-a-cops crap, well... some of your co-workers may be doing the thieving...) or domestic abuse problems (do not let Bubba on site...).

The only exception is if you are at a large mall...

 

[Trebor]

In Michigan you would be trespassing if you carried a pistol into a place where you know weapons are prohibited.

There doesn't have to be a specific sign. You just have to have been informed that concealed carry, or any carry, is prohibited.

Your employee handbook statement that you can't carry while working meets that requirements.

If you carry with your CPL and are caught, not only will you be fired, but since *you already have been informed* that weapons are prohibited, they can press tresspassing charges against you right then. They don't have to give you a "warning" as you already received notification via your employee handbook.

So, in short, if you get caught, you will lose your job and you could face charges. No sign is required and you can't "play dumb" and argue you didn't know the rules.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

The company does do security for some nuclear energy plants across the country and I'm hoping to transfer to one of those outfits eventually.

I smell cancer!

Yeah, I used to live in Michigan. Michigan is what happens when Alaska and california collide.
Pretty nice gun laws, but liberal everything else, especially in the major cities.
Pretty pro-gun out in rural areas, where just about everyone hunts or shoots, though the rural areas there have a very high concentration of crazy people. (Like dangerously crazy.)

 

[butters]

One other point that could be of importance is Michigan's "stand your ground" law. From the mcrgo.org site:

One of the results is that you are no longer covered by the "Stand Your Ground" law that went into effect late last year. The Stand Your Ground rule allows individuals to use proportional force in self defense without having to retreat, so long as they are in a place where they have a legal right to be.

You would legally have to attempt to retreat unless this was not possible before using deadly force in self defense since you were not in a place you were legally allowed to be.

 

[RPCVYemen]

The company does do security for some nuclear energy plants across the country and I'm hoping to transfer to one of those outfits eventually.

I am guessing the tiniest weapons violation on your current job will kill that option forever.

Mike