Do Utah Public Employers Have to Allow Employees to Carry Loaded Handguns?

New Utah legislation, permitting any person aged 21 or over, to carry a loaded handgun without a concealed weapons permit, will have a profound effect on public employers!

Private employers are largely unaffected by the legislation. However, any Utah state public employer will essentially not be able to prevent its employees from carrying firearms at work.

As many Utah public employers will know, about 15 years ago the Utah legislature declared that it alone has the right to govern firearms in the state. As a result, the law prohibits any governmental entity in the state from passing any policy, rule, or regulation, including human resource policies, regarding a firearm other than one that follows state law.

That means that as of May 5, 2021, no Utah local government entity will be permitted to prevent any employee over 21 years of age from carrying a loaded handgun at work except in restricted areas,