Workplace Ethics: Have Gun, Will Travel
Gun control is a seriously debated issue
in the United States. Lawmakers and the executive including the presidency
often finds itself in hot water when wrongful deaths occur due to civilians
misusing guns at schools, workplaces, or homes. School shootings have become
commonplace. In fact, last week, 17 unsuspecting students and tutors died at a
Florida school after a teenager shot them with an alleged legal gun. The ordeal
has sparked criticism from the school’s students who have called for immediate
gun reform. Numerous other students from Florida yesterday conducted a ‘lie in’
protest outside white house to make their voices heard about gun reforms (Grunberger, 2018). Workplace shootings are also a
great concern for employers and business owners since guns at the workplace has
resulted in homicide in the past. While the 2nd amendment of the constitution
makes it clear that the individual right to bear arms should not be
contravened, what seems clumsy us where the carrier can legally take their
licensed firearm.
- The legal and moral right to own a
firearm and the right to park a vehicle with a loaded weapon in a
privately-owned parking area despite the owner’s perspective about it
It’s legal to keep and carry a gun
according to the constitution’s 2nd Amendment thus the state doesn’t allow
infringement of this right. Americans
have had a longtime culture of bearing arms, but occasionally, the culture has
been tainted and compromised by gory incidents resulting in deaths of innocent
individuals. The state might deem it legal, but if the parking lot owner
weren’t okay with me bearing a weapon, I would feel like I have a moral
obligation to respect his perspective and comply. This where Kantian Ethics
come to play. The owner might be acting in that particular manner due to past
experiences to caution themselves or people around them. Supposing a situation
was to occur at the place and prompt me to reach for my gun and cause a mess?
Perhaps it would be important to ignore the right for the safety of others.
However, I would remind the owner that the gun would be useful if an event such
as robbery were to occur in the area thus permitting its use. Perhaps that is why
half the states in the USA allow firearms in locked vehicles.
- My view about the moral and legal
rights of employees to park cars with firearms in them in the company
parking lot / What I believe should be the property rights and safety
concerns of employers.
I believe employees have a right to keep
their guns to the parking lot of their workplace without restrictions if their
states say so. Half the states in the Unites state require businesses,
employers, property owners, tenants, invitees, or lessees to allow firearms in
their parking lots. The laws may differ in each state since some limit this
freedom in certain places. The issue of morality should be upon the employees.
If the employers are not comfortable with the idea of employees carrying guns,
they should resolve the matter amicably by holding meetings about the issue and
coming up with a unanimous decision. If the employees point out their fears
about security, then the organization should take charge and fortify its
security. If it’s about carjacking, employers can notify the authorities about
the matter or advice employees on safe routes to use and secure places to live
- My view on state legislatures
getting involved rather than leaving companies and employees to settle the
matter
The cardinal obligation of the state to
protect its citizens. Therefore, it’s only right for state legislatures to get
involved in matters to do with weapons. However, if the laws they’re making are
not protecting people, then they should review them. Perhaps they should be
stricter about gun ownership and where to take them. Companies also need to
settle the matter with employees by developing a certain culture. For instance,
if carrying guns to work is becoming problematic, then they can resolve it by
agreeing not to carry and instead tighten security.
Recent studies indicate that workplaces
allowing guns are five times more likely to encounter homicides than those that
don’t. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of 2013, shootings made
up around 80 percent of workplace-related homicide. That accounted for over 400
deaths at work thus leading to work laws campaign, yet guns are still looming
in parking lots (Fernandez, 2014).
- Perspective on private companies
allowing employees to bring guns into the parking lot and the workplace
itself/ Circumstances where doing so would be reasonable / Possibility of
the presence of guns infringing the rights of other workers to be
guaranteed a safe working environment.
It would be unreasonable for companies to
allow employees to bring guns to the workplace. In fact, that would be
violating the rights of other employees to have a safe working environment.
Consequences may include wrongful deaths whether by will or by accident. A
heated argument might also agitate an employee and escalate to a gun fight or
threat. However, if the external surrounding of the workplace is dangerous,
perhaps employees should carry guns at least to the parking lots.
Alternatively, the company could beef up security.
Gun control proponents claim that allowing
guns at the workplace gives deranged and disgruntled employees easy access to a
weapon they could use. Supporters of gun-rights on the other hand indicate that
the provision helps workers defend themselves against carjacking while
commuting. Human resource experts say guns at the workplace are a liability to
security. Private property owners want a right to ban guns on their property.
Business groups claim they have been denied a right to decide whether they want
a gun-free workplace or not (White, 2013). These
are issues the state has to deal with currently. The state should remember to
address the rights of everyone when it comes to gun reforms. They should work
hand in hand with local governments to make stricter laws that are satisfactory
to every group.
References
Grunberger, A. (2018). Teens hold
'lie-in' outside White House to demand gun reform. CNN. Retrieved 20
February 2018, from
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/19/politics/white-house-protest-teens-gun-control/index.html
Fernandez, K. (2014).
Guns-In-the-Lot. Parking.org. Retrieved 20 February 2018, from
http://www.parking.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TPP-2014-03-Guns-In-the-Lot.pdf
White, M. (2013). Guns
in the workplace: A safety issue or a nightmare. NBC News. Retrieved
20 February 2018, from
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/guns-workplace-safety-issue-or-nightmare-8C11457700
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