Private employers can prohibit firearms in the workplace in MS

Q           As a private employer, can we prohibit employees from carrying firearms and other weapons on our premises, including those with a valid concealed-carry permit, and are there any legal or privacy concerns with requiring employees who are carrying to disclose this information to management?

In Mississippi, employers may not establish, maintain, or enforce any policy or rule that prohibits a person from transporting or storing a firearm in a locked vehicle in any parking lot, parking garage, or other designated parking area. However, this law doesn’t apply to vehicles owned or leased by an employer and used by an employee in the course of business, and a private employer may prohibit an employee from transporting or storing a firearm in a vehicle in a parking lot, a parking garage, or another parking area the employer provides for employees to which access is restricted or limited through the use of a gate, a security station, or other means of restricting or limiting general public access to the property. 

Additionally, private employers may prohibit employees from bringing firearms into buildings, as long as they post written notice readable at a distance of not less than 10 feet indicating that carrying a pistol or revolver is prohibited.

Martin J. Regimbal is a shareholder of The Kullman Firm and may be reached at mjr@kullmanlaw.com.