Over the years we have seen more and more interest in carrying concealed. As this interest grows you eventually come face to face with workplace concealed carry.
Unwilling Victim
A problem many Americans face is working in a gun free zone. Working for a business or organization the prohibits firearms at work. It makes things challenging and my suggestion is not to do anything to potentially threaten your employment or career. What you can do is ask for clarification or an explanation. If you have unique or special circumstances such as being the victim of domestic abuse, violent crime or have someone under a restraining court order it might be worth mentioning. You can voice your concerns for your safety and ask for special permission to carry discretely. If you still are denied you can consider other types of weapons or worst case scenario improvised weapons. You might be unarmed, but that does not make you a willing victim.
Uniform Policy
If you are one of those few who does not have a restrictive work policy count yourself lucky. Being able to carry concealed in your workplace is unique. Hopefully becoming more popular as the number of Americans who carry concealed continues to increase. It does pose a few problems. A big one being work environments usually have some type of uniform policy. The formality of said uniform can vary from khakis with a polo to a coat and tie. It all depends on what is considered normal and acceptable. The later challenges your weekend carry choice in the workplace. You may have to consider a backup gun or at least a subcompact handgun. While at the cost of some performance, the smaller size allows for more concealment option. Remember how a gun is better than no gun when thinking about the the tradeoffs.
Working Off The Waistline
When you move to carrying a subcompact it offers more carry options. An important consideration since it is quite common to remove one’s jacket after the pleasantries. The two most popular are pocket carry and ankle carry. I like both, but they are not without their limitations. The biggest compromise for ankle carry is the slow draw stroke. The mere distance you must travel to obtain a firing grip along with reorienting to the threat make it challenging. Pocket carry in the front pocket limits your access when in a seated position. Sitting is the norm in an office setting. You can opt for carrying in your back pocket instead. As long as the pocket is deep enough and you can still quickly gain a firing grip.
Deep Concealment
We eventually work our way to deep cover options. While these may do a great job, they are not without complications. The drawstroke for these is typically more complicated or at a minimum slower. I’m fond of the holster shirt especially in the summer months. Gaining access through your dress shirt is the most complicated task. For some it can knock this option off the table because of the difficulty in accessing. The belly band gives many the option to carry a firearm and other supporting equipment. I have had the most luck with carrying a belly band for extended periods in these conditions. They are comfortable, but they also create the opportunity to sweat profusely in hot climate conditions.
My hope is workplace concealed carry grows in popularity as we educate the public. The more it becomes our norm, the less we have to worry.
