Florida Woman Fired for Carrying a Gun at Work In Violation of Company Policy

Ivette Ros Market Watch Ivette Ros carries her 9-millimeter handgun almost everywhere, saying it makes her feel safe. Then she brought it to her job at Wells Fargo, where she worked as a branch manager, and it got her fired. So Ros is suing the bank, saying it violated her constitutional rights and other protections afforded under Florida law. The bank, which bans employees from carrying guns on company premises, replied in a court filing that only the government, not a private employer, can be sued over alleged constitutional violations. The case in Florida is unfolding as part of a bigger debate on how far the rights of gun owners extend into the workplace. Wells Fargo & Co. bans employees from bringing guns into work except in very limited cases, such as when employees are granted permission by a chief security officer at the bank. Says the bank: “Possessing firearms and weapons on company premises or at company-sponsored events is dangerous to team members and is strictly prohibited.”

Things started to unravel around July. Wells Fargo’s corporate security received a complaint that Ros was bringing a gun to work. So corporate security came to her branch and asked her if she had a gun in her car and if she’d ever brought it inside the building. She said yes. The following week, she was fired.