Utah Supreme Court: Right of Self-Defense Outweighs Employer-Mandated ‘De-escalation Policies’

Breitbart ^ | 09/19/2015 | AWR Hawkins

[E. Pluribus Unum]

On September 18 the Utah Supreme Court ruled that under circumstances where retreat is not possible, business policies requiring employees to disengage or withdraw when under duress cannot be used as grounds for firing an employee who takes action to protect his or her life.

The decision came in a case revolving around a 2011 incident in which “six workers were fired after they fought with a shoplifter who pulled a gun on them inside the Layton Wal-Mart.”

According to Fox 13, when Walmart defended their actions, Utah Supreme Court Justice Christine Durham asked if employers should be able to fire employees “for refusing to take a bullet for the company?”

[goldstategop]

Wal-mart had no right to fire its employees for defending their lives and that of customers.

My life is more valuable than the corporate bottom-line.

This is a powerful and overdue message to companies with corporate anti-Second Amendment policies.

Kudos to the Utah Supreme Court for upholding a fundamental American freedom.

[hoosierham]

Corporate policies demand employees be victims.

[goldstategop]

Like pizza delivery companies that will terminate you for defending your life from a thug.

[Mr. Blond]

No duty to retreat, this should spread.

[Rusty0604]

The courts get it right every once in awhile.

[ASA Vet]

I’m approaching my 4th year doing pizza delivery. Every day of that has been packing.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I hope other states pick up on this. Just recently, an armed robber robbed three 7-11 stores in Phoenix within an hour, likely choosing them as targets because of their no guns for employees policy.

Outside of corporate policy, this is Arizona, where armed store employees are common. Stripping companies of their ability to risk their employees lives would be a major kick in the pants to the Bloomberg gun controllers.

[Fightin Whitey]

Good on you.

Stay safe, FRiend.

[basil]

The Second Amendment is a very unambiguous statement. Words have meaning.

I personally would not go into a Walmart store unarmed………Although I live in a “safe” community, who knows what’s lurking out there?

Congratulations to the Utah Supreme Court for ruling correctly.

[Vigilanteman]

Very powerful second amendment culture in Utah. Their first settlers were driven out of their previous place of residence (Illinois) and vowed that it wouldn’t happen again.

[Rodamala]

In the world I grew up in, Rule L of the Standard Code (Railroad operating rules) applied:

In case of danger to the Company's property, employees must unite to protect it.

[BBell]

About time walmart was put in it’s place. I used to work there and people would walk in and take things and walk out. You could not do anything but call a manager or police.

[Myrddin]

I was very dismayed to find the annual "ethics" corporate training included new directives against having firearms anywhere on the property...including your personal vehicle. Pre-1999, it was common to join some of my co-workers for a trip to the range at lunch. Forcing a diversion to my home to/from the range made the timing impractical. As for not having at least a folding pocket knife...pffftt. I keep one on my person at all times. It gets used almost daily to open boxes from various suppliers. A more capable folder with a seat belt cutter and glass breaker stays in my backback. That is my insurance against being trapped in a building wrapped in glass windows and doors. The glass breaker will get me through. The backpack has an emergency flashlight and AM radio too. All items were immediately valuable when much of southern California lost electrical power for almost 6 hours.