Many people involved in workplace violence prevention are concerned about recent legislation of a different kind. More than 40 states now have laws making it legal to carry a concealed weapon. Usually after a defined licensing and training process, a license is issued, allowing a person to carry a concealed weapon. The availability of a handgun in or near the workplace dramatically increases the potential for violence. Employers should review the impact of having armed employees on their property and then develop a written policy on weapons.
Most companies prohibit firearms on the firm's property, with job loss as the result of violation.
Entrances to company property and buildings must be posted with a message prohibiting guns on the property. The vexing questions facing employers is how to deal with guns kept in a vehicle parked on company property. Prohibition or allowing weapons in cars creates two separate legal dilemmas, which are best addressed by the company's legal counsel. For example, an employee who has been terminated but failed to surrender his ID badge might pose a threat to the workplace. With an integrated system, if the former employee presents a canceled card to an electronic reader, it will trigger an alarm.