Disney Employee Suspended For Bringing Gun To Work

[bubba1]

http://www.wesh.com/news/16791034/detail.html

A Disney employee was suspended after challenging the company’s gun policy.

Edwin Sotomayor is a security guard at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He said Disney is violating his rights by not allowing him to bring his gun to work.

"When it comes down to my personal rights, that’s where I draw the line," Sotomayor said.

Under a new state law that went into effect on Tuesday, Floridians with concealed weapons permits are allowed to keep firearms locked in their cars while on the job.

Disney claimed a loophole in the new law means the company does not have to comply. There is an exemption for businesses that import, manufacture or deal in explosive materials and Disney has a federal permit to handle fireworks.

Sotomayor said Disney has a weak excuse and he arrived at work on Friday with his gun locked in his trunk.

"I’m ready to be terminated because their stance is zero tolerance, if that’s the case, let it be," Sotomayor said. "They want to control government. They want to control society, society is us."

A video shot by Sotomayor on Friday shows Disney bosses and sheriff’s deputies waiting for him.

They asked him if they could search his vehicle, and when he refused, he was suspended and banned from the property.

"They are breaking the law," Sotomayor said. "I mean policy is one thing, but policies do not rule society, the law does."

Sotomayor said he is prepared to wage a legal battle if he is fired.

"Of course, it’s not just for me. It’s for everyone involved in this," Sotomayor said.

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez explained the suspension.

"Mr. Sotomayor refused to allow a search of his car as part of our continuing policy prohibiting guns on our property," Suarez said.

Other Disney employees agree with the company’s policy.

"No guns on property," Disney employee Lee Morgan said. "It’s a family facility. I don’t think their should be any firearms at all."

Sotomayor said the issue is not his safety at work; it is his safety during his commute.

"I’m willing to lose my job," Sotomayor said. "I’m not the only one; I’m doing this for everyone."

Disney did not say if Sotomayor is suspended with or without pay.

A spokesman for the union that represents Disney’s security guards said he personally supports Sotomayor’s efforts, but also believes Disney should be able to keep guns off the property if they have a valid exemption.

Go to the link and watch the video - it looked like they had half a dozen sheriffs deputies waiting for him to show up at work.

While you're at it, go vote at: wftv.com/news/16784153/detail.html

Cut & Paste it to vote

 

[AndyC]

I'd be amused if he hadn't actually had a firearm in his car after all and they just leaped to conclusions

 

[AirForceShooter]

I'm wondering why the Sheriff was there.
This is an civil employment matter.
They let the guy go to work and after 4 hours suspended him?

Too bad this may not be the best situation to use in fighting the Disney position.

AFS

 

[oneshooter]

Choice Votes Percentage of 6167 Votes
Yes 5634 91%
No 533 9%

Looks like they are loosing!

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[oneshooter]

It dosn't matter if he had a firearm in his vehicle. Refusal to allow a search is grounds for dismissal.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[bubba1]

Yeah, the number of deputies waiting for him was amazing - it shows you who really runs the orange county sheriffs department, doesn't it?

Mr. Sotomayer seems like a very sharp person - having a camcorder on hand, refusing to consent to a vehicle search, and being totally nonconfrontational - good strategy.

 

[Standing Wolf]

"It’s a family facility. I don’t think their should be any firearms at all."

People who can't distinguish among "there," "they're," and "their" shouldn't try to masquerade as journalists.

 

[Noxx]

It dosn't matter if he had a firearm in his vehicle. Refusal to allow a search is grounds for dismissal.

Both sad and true. This guy has shot his gun case in the foot by violating his agreement with the company in another fashion, refusing to allow the search.

While Florida is a separate entity (I work in Anaheim), some of the basic policies are identical, including this one.

3. Any vehicle used by an employee to come to or leave Company property, wherever located, is subject to search.

4. An employee’s refusal to permit a search pursuant to this policy is grounds for discipline, not excluding termination.

You consent to these when you sign on, you don't have to, it's a like it or lump it situation.

 

[AndyC]

It dosn't matter if he had a firearm in his vehicle. Refusal to allow a search is grounds for dismissal.

I didn't know that - so anyone can be searched at any time for no apparent reason whatsoever?

 

[MaterDei]

If he's concerned about his safety on his commute why does he lock the gun up in his trunk?

 

[woodsja]

Too bad he didn't allow them to search his vehicle.

 

[rbernie]

Disney's employee parking lot search policy is the norm rather than the exception at most larger companies. They tell you when you sign up; either accept their restrictions, or find employment elsewhere.

I may be in the minority here, but I believe that the parking lot is still Disney property and as a result they reserve the right to set any policies they want. If you don't like the policy - don't work there.

Pushing this issue to the benefit of increased carry rights simply decreases the actual property rights that each of us retain. I consider that a very hollow victory.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

"I’m ready to be terminated because their stance is zero tolerance, if that’s the case, let it be," Sotomayor said. "They want to control government. They want to control society, society is us."

You go, boy! May the force be with you. (sorry, been watching Star Wars re-runs on Spike lately).

 

[4v50 Gary]

Choice Votes Percentage of 6457 Votes
Yes 5923 92%
No 534 8%

 

[jeepmor]

It's in every company policy I've worked for. And, unfortunate as it may be, you sign away those particular rights when you sign up with the company. Obviously, some people don't read the fine print because this clause is always there buried in the legalese somewhere. Signing that you will oblige by their rules, then turning around and fighting them as a violation of your personal rights will be quite a tough row to hoe in my opinion.

I dislike these policies as much as anyone. My question is this, why was this guy so lacking in discretion that he let it out that a firearm (allegedly) resided in his vehicle on company property?

jeepmor

 

[TexasRifleman]

I didn't know that - so anyone can be searched at any time for no apparent reason whatsoever?

As a condition of employment most states allow companies to be able to demand just that or face termination. Pretty common I'm afraid.

 

[papercut]

Oneshooter said:

It dosn't matter if he had a firearm in his vehicle. Refusal to allow a search is grounds for dismissal.

Interesting. Georgia law just changed on this subject, too. The new law here appears (to me) to be clear that employers do not have blanket authority to search an employee's personal vehicle, and cannot make employment decisions (such as termination) on whether or not an employee has a gun in the car.

That's not to say that employers absolutely cannot search an employee's car, but they have to have a damn good reason, such as loss prevention.

According to the article, Disney isn't claiming a simple blanket right to search vehicles' of its employees--it's claiming to be exempt from Florida's modified gun law because they have "explosive materials" (fireworks).

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in court, which is where I'm sure it's headed.

 

[zxcvbob]

I dislike these policies as much as anyone. My question is this, why was this guy so lacking in discretion that he let it out that a firearm (allegedly) resided in his vehicle on company property?

Looks to me like he wanted to be a test case -- and IMHO he misplayed his hand.

 

[HeavyDuty]

Last edited by 4v50 Gary : Today at 11:36 AM. Reason: Link made cold so WFTV won't know its us.

FWIW, I always open a new browser window, go to aclu.org, and then to the poll. If anyone is looking at their referral sites this should confuse 'em!

 

[Green Lantern]

It dosn't matter if he had a firearm in his vehicle. Refusal to allow a search is grounds for dismissal.

This is a good point - my understanding of the law is that they can STILL require you to let them search your vehicle, but they can't fire you if they find a gun there?

I support Mr. Sotomayor's cause, but to nit-pick he might have been better off to LET them search and find the gun and take it from there.

Hehhehehheh...better yet...gone for about a month or so WITHOUT bringing the gun, see how much the cops enjoy being called out there every single day he works, for naught!

 

[lacoochee]

Why didn't he just conceal the weapon and carry it to work? I assume he has a concealed weapons license to do so, even though that's not required in Florida while carrying in a private business while you are employed by that business.

They didn't want to search him!!! Lol, they wanted to search his car for a gun which he wouldn't have been able to access anyways. The stupidity is appalling....

 

[HeavyDuty]

I support Mr. Sotomayor's cause, but to nit-pick he might have been better off to LET them search and find the gun and take it from there.

I agree!

 

[Tyris]

Corporations have too much power.

-T

 

[STAGE 2]

This is a contractual issue, NOT a firearms issue. If he didn't like the conditions of his employment he coul have either 1) complied with them by parking off site or 2) found employment elsewhere.

Freedom is not exclusive to firearms. It also includes the ability to run your business how you see fit.

 

[TexasRifleman]

It also includes the ability to run your business how you see fit.

Not when there is a state law to the contrary. You can't violate state law just because it might be good for your business.

The law went into effect last week, we'll see if Disney's challenge of the law is successful.