Let us begin with a scenario:

The receptionist at the office has a stalker ex-boyfriend. The receptionist says that he has made threats against her life, and that he has a criminal record for violent offenses. She is afraid of him and has gotten a restraining order.

Now as the employer the practical, yet immoral (and possibly illegal) thing to do is to get rid of the receptionist. You certainly don’t want an incident at work and additional security is probably not in the budget. Another option for the employer is to simply ignore the problem. Hopefully there won’t be an incident, and if there is it will probably only involve the receptionist. Maybe the employer already has some kind of in-house security and they can be notified of this heightened threat. Beyond this there isn’t much that a typical employer can do. All of these options are little comfort if you happen to be the receptionist.

It is entirely too common for an employer to have a “no weapons” policy in the workplace. Their argument is that this makes the workplace safer for their employees or customers, but in reality it is simply a measure to reduce their liability. If fist fights between coworkers are rare then there is no reason to believe that permitting firearms would suddenly have employees shooting it out.

It is important to remember that a corporate policy prohibiting firearms is not a law. Assuming you have the legal ability to carry a firearm (such as a concealed carry permit), and your workplace is not a prohibited area (like a federal building) then you are not breaking any laws for carrying a firearm to work. Your employer may fire you on the spot and demand that you leave immediately should you be discovered.

Firearms are not all-purpose self-defense tools. Less than lethal threats are not appropriately addressed with a firearm so other skills and tools are probably more applicable normal self-defense issues. With that being said here is how you carry a firearm at work without the blessing of your employer:

Concealed means concealed. Nobody needs to see that you have a firearm. Nobody needs to be told. Carrying a firearm is not an exercise in ego, it is preparation for the possibility of a dangerous confrontation. Ensure that when carrying the gun it doesn’t print through clothing, or become exposed.

Secure means secure. You must restrict access to the firearm at all times so that it is only available to you. Generally the best method is to keep the gun on your person, but some circumstances might prevent you carrying the gun undetected. In these cases a locked briefcase or drawer are your only other options.

Consider the situation where the firearm will be used. If you work in an area that the general public doesn’t have access to it is probably not paramount that the firearm be instantly available. Should a disturbance occur you might well have a few seconds to access the firearm. If this is the case optimize for concealment and security. If this is not the case then the only solution is to conceal the firearm on your person.

Consider other options. A firearm will only help in the face of deadly threats. Pepper spray and combative skills are useful in dealing with less than lethal threats. Verbal deescalation skills may be sufficient in some circumstances.

Make use of all security precautions made available by your employer. Lock your office door, have security escort you to your vehicle, etc. Consider changing the hours or location that you work in if possible.

Make use of all legal and law enforcement precautions available. If you have a specific threat get the police involved. Get a restraining order against the person threatening you. Make sure that you are follow all of the laws regarding your firearm.