The Gun Counter

Back in high school I took a part time job at a local sporting goods shop. We sold fishing supplies, hunting gear(minus firearms), an assortment of paintball and pellet guns, and kayaks and canoes. Nobody was ever armed in the shop, although we have had a multitude of shady characters come in on occasion, some that may be drunk. There have been a few petty thefts, and a couple attempts to break in after hours, though i never felt *unsafe.* My instructions are to turn over anything I'm asked for in the event something happens, and I fully intend to do so. Money is not worth dying for.

I left for college, and when I dropped out, the boss gave me my old job back, with plenty of hours, and really helped me get back on my feet and turn what could have been a major failure into a success. We got along well, I managed the store fairly successfully in his absence, and even after I took a real, on the books job with an ambulance company, I continued to work at the store until I left for basic training. A few weeks ago, the old boss called in a favor-it seems that my replacement has a difficult schedule this semester, and without some help he would need to be there at some point, 7 days a week. Getting tired of my full-time work, and wanting some extra cash, I agreed to do a day every week.

Thing is, in the time since I'd been working there, our shop now has it's FFL. We don't generally keep a large stock of firearms, as there's no great place to securely store them at night, but there are usually a few in the back room, and we order whatever anybody wants. Also, since the last time I worked there, I've obtained my own personal battery of arms, and a much stronger sense of situational awareness and appreciation for danger. I got a phone call from the boss tonight asking me, if when he wasn't there, I kept a shotgun in the store.

I told him yes, and was immediately told that I can't do that, and given renewed instructions that if there was a robbery to just hand over money. I told him I wasn't concerned about money, and that it was about personal safety. I was basically told that, since *he* had never felt unsafe there, that *I* should feel safe, and that nothing bad had ever happened so it shouldn't be a concern. It should be noted, that this guy is almost as conservative socially as I am, his wife had applied for a pistol permit, and he owns guns, though can no longer really shoot due to an injury to his arm. After I was dismissed, I learned his true reason for not wanting the gun at work. Liability. I'm off the books, technically not an employee. Therefore he feels if there was a shooting, it would go badly for the business. Never mind if something bad happens to me. If I wasn't trying to save my extra cash pretty bad, I probably leave tomorrow. It's still on my mind. In who's world does it make sense for employees of a gun shop to be unarmed?

It has, of course, crossed my mind to continue to do so, but apparently there are eyes watching me. Either cameras I don't know about, or more likely regular customers who saw the shotty in the corner where there normally was none. Unfortunately there are no good places completely out of sight, and handguns are a no-go. I'm either unarmed, or out of a steady, easy second income.

It makes perfect sense. He's covering his own ass, while leaving yours in the wind.

Long ago, someone told me that if you expect loyalty from the bottom up, you'd better make sure it comes from the top down.

If it was me, I'd walk, and tell him exactly why, not the "I don't like your rules" but "You're willing to let me get killed to protect yourself."

First Shirt wrote:It makes perfect sense. He's covering his own ass, while leaving yours in the wind.

Long ago, someone told me that if you expect loyalty from the bottom up, you'd better make sure it comes from the top down.

If it was me, I'd walk, and tell him exactly why, not the "I don't like your rules" but "You're willing to let me get killed to protect yourself."

That's pretty much where I'm at right now, but I think I'm gonna try to work out a deal. He's been very good to me in the past, and this came as a real shock. I have a feeling that the complaint came from a fire chief whose 10 year old paintballer came in last week, saw the gun and realized that it was real, and suddenly became gripped with irrational pants-shitting hysteria. Perhaps is I can come up with a less visible spot he might become a bit more amenable to the idea.

If you feel unsafe, you should apply for a CCW. Unless your boss has a "gun free zone" policy written in his policy & procedures manual, there is no proscription from you having your personal CCW on your person. If it is concealed properly, no-one else should know you have it on your person, including your boss.

Regarding your boss, he probably doesn't have any choice. If something bad happens (you get jumped by a meth-biker gang, as an example) and get killed in the ensuing shootout, some enterprising attorney is going to ask to see archived in-store videos. Shotgun isn't concealed. Boss can't say under oath that he had no idea you had a shotgun for "store defense".

If you are carrying concealed, boss can truthfully say under oath that he had no idea you were carrying and planning on "defending his store" with your firearm.

"Don't ask - Don't tell" is a great policy, as is "I need to see my lawyer", and "I have no recollection of that event".

I'm not sure how gun stores deal with this. I see clerks open carrying in gun stores, even in the PRK. General office insurance for a sales office in the PRK with no inbound traffic was pretty exhorbitant. I can't imagine what these guys have to pay for liability insurance to essentially have every employee insured as a security guard. That's probably why the gun prices in the PRK seem to be 20% higher than VA.

TMK, many gun shops get their insurance through NRA affiliated insurers.

I'm assuming you are still in a locality and/or of an age where CCW is impossible, no? Anyway, I concur with the position that he's more than willing to leave you physically vulnerable, in order to protect his own bottom line and liability exposure. That is pretty much SOP in most employment relationships, but the thing you have to keep in mind, is that you don't have a normal employment relationship. Yes, he has helped you out in the past, but now it is you doing a favor for him, and ultimately you are going to have to decide whether to do it on his terms, or yours. Also, in an under the table arrangement, one or both of you is violating tax laws, and posting this on an open forum is maybe not among the best of ideas.