Luis Rivera worked for Volkswagen at the company’s Chattanooga, Tennessee plant for 14 years. He was a production team leader there. Rivera is also a reserve deputy in the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Last June Rivera stopped at the VW plant after some training to pick something up and had his service gun in his car. That, VW says, violated the company’s no-weapons-in-the-workplace policy and the German auto maker fired him.
However…Tennessee is one of the most gun-friendly states in US of A. Volunteer State law — Section 39-17-1313 — permits lawful gun owners to store firearms in their vehicles as long as the firearm is kept out of sight. Rivera has now sued Volkswagen for violating Tennessee law and he’s seeking at least half a million dollars.
According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press . . .
The weapon was unloaded and secured in a double-locked holster, “consistent with safety protocols and Tennessee law,” the lawsuit said.
When he arrived at Gate 1 at about 11:40 a.m. that day, a security guard told Rivera that his vehicle would be searched, according to the complaint. Rivera “immediately and voluntarily disclosed” that his duty gear, including his firearm, was in the automobile.
At no time was the firearm displayed until security personnel instructed Rivera to move it to the passenger seat for a photograph. He was immediately suspended pending an investigation and ultimately fired June 25 for having a firearm at the facility, the lawsuit said.
Rivera contends that he had fully complied with Tennessee law, but VW says the law allows the company to ban guns — even in personal vehicles — within its secured perimeter.
According to the lawsuit, Rivera lost about $39,570 in base pay plus overtime and quarterly bonuses. He also incurred more than $4,000 in out-of-pocket medical insurance costs and significant expenses due to lost company coverage. Additionally, he and his family were forced to return four leased vehicles — a Volkswagen GTI, Taos, Atlas and Jetta — and incurred about $25,000 in replacement vehicle costs, repairs and increased insurance premiums.
Rivera is seeking the option of immediate reinstatement to his former position with full seniority and benefits, according to the lawsuit. He’s also asking for economic damages for lost wages, bonuses and benefits.
The company, of course, isn’t commenting on the pending litigation. We’re not lawyers and we’ve never played one on TV, so we won’t presume to predict the outcome of this legal drama. That said, don’t be surprised if this is eventually settled with an undisclosed amount being paid to Deputy Rivera.
VW; founded by N@zis and currently run by N@zis, surprised?
Pablo–good one. No we shouldn’t be surprised!
Same scenario in Florida decades ago lead to a strengthening of the Castle Doctrine to include your vehicles.
Don’t know Tenn law.
If this happened today in Florida, Mr Rivera would be a rich man.
So conservatives are now against private property rights?
VW owns their facility, don’t they have the right to control their property?
Wouldn’t it be more government intrusion for Big Brother to force private property owners to allow weapons on their property?
He knew the rules, he voluntarily worked at VW, he could’ve found a job at a place more congruent with his desires.
Anyway, who can afford to drive anywhere, now that Donald Trump has raised the average price of gasoline to over $4/gal.
So Democrats still want segregated lunch counters?
You must not have gone anywhere during the Biden debacle
The TDS is strong in this one.
The problem is in not allowing it to remain in his car they ate effectively depriving him if his right to self defense *off* company grounds, in his way to or from work.
Newt–right on. Apparently some folks missed that.
I’m sure you felt the same when prices escalated considerably under the previous administration for both new and used cars and fuel prices averaged higher per gallon continually higher throughout Biden’s presidency.
And, do you really want to talk about Big Brother? Let’s see your Covid jab papers!
So if VW banned black people from their property, you’d be OK with that? Constitutionally-protected freedoms are constitutionally protected freedoms. Not just the freedoms lefties think are allowable.
As for the gas prices? Blame Iran. They ‘just stopped oil’, like your stormtroopers wave on their placards. Or is some oil more equal than others?
You have good points. Then you stuck in that last paragraph and declared yourself a nutter with raging TDS.
VW knew the law allowing the storage of firearms in vehicles on private property, VW voluntarily operates in Tennessee, they could have found a locale more congruent with their desires. That’s how it works, right?
Yes.
Ok, thanks for letting us know that you are retarded
Tennessee law says otherwise, and since this will work its way through the courts we will see. But of course, you give up your game with the “Donald Trump has raised the price of gas” comment. Thanks for making it clear you’re not the least bit interested in the legalities of this man’s rights.
Nope. VW violated TENNESSEE law, which controls what they can do on their property. This just stinks of a set-up. He was coming from training; somebody knew that and instigated a search. He was a team leader; somebody, or VW, wanted to get rid of him. The Tn law says nothing about a “secured perimeter”; “parking area” means (that is, is DEFINED IN THE STATUTE) as ANY PLACE he’s regularly allowed to park at work. ANY place. No mention of “secured”, etc. VW is blowing smoke. He’s got them cold on black letter law, and a Tn jury won’t be sympathetic to VW’s argument. He won’t go back, but VW is about to pay him everything he asks for and probably punitive damages as well. He’ll get retirement money out of this one.
Poor butthurt baby. He wasn’t even within the perimeter of the plant. Read the story. He voluntarily informed security of the presence of the gun. They could have offered to hold it until he returned. This is punitive and typical of leftists. Dork.
He’s also a sworn officer, deputized and technically always on duty. Can VW prevent a deputy from entering the property armed? Is the paid security staff at that plant armed? See where I’m going with this?
It’s a guns in cars law. Even government employees are allowed to keep a weapon in their trunk in most cases. There are exemptions like prisons and military bases. Why are people like you only for property rights when it comes to banning guns?
FWIW, you can keep a private firearm in your trunk even on a military base these days if you have a CCW. That way you are protected to and from work.
Hi!!! FOAD. VW had no right to stop him from following the law.
Goodbye!!
Not only are you broke but you also have TDS.
One would think (perhaps you would too) that an unloaded/double locked weapon that a Deputy Sheriff is expected to have at his disposal at all times (on or off-duty) would be recognized as NOT what the VW policy is designed to prevent, i.e., keeping employees from coming on-site with a loaded firearm . . . . this is “regulation” ignoring reality, and if not reinstated, this gentleman should be handsomely compensated . . .
This is not a private property case. VW has a factory with many employees. A private factory cannot demand female employees engage with in sex supervisors. They cannot violate any other laws or constitutional rights.
VW was the creation of Hitler and so can’t be anti gun
What kind of company searches its employees’ cars when they’re coming to work? Sounds like a pretty crappy one.
Move to a Red State with no unions, have work rules that completely contradict local laws. Good move VW!
Tennessee is a Red State. I don’t know if VW has a union, I do know that the VW workers have rejected unions in the past. I think VW will lose this one, Tennessee law is clear on guns in cars. It’s allowed.
In WA state our car is part of our home and we can keep firearms in our car, even on company or government property. Tennessee needs to follow anti-gun WA on this one.
People don’t understand that the 1968 Federal Gun Control law was almost a direct copy of the NAZI 1930’s-gun laws. Senator Dodd (Senior) was part of the post war NAZI trials, and it took almost 20 years before Senator Dodd’s draft proposal (from 1964 – until 1983) that was created from his original translated German documents until the Military released a copy of the original translation. Surprise – that copy showed that it matched almost word for word what became the 1968 Gun Law with what the woman who did the translation, back in 1964. But even as early as the 1850’s Democrats had push various Gun Control laws.
He is a sworn law enforcement officer. He is covered by LEOSA. Who would the company call if they needed help. They should be rewarding him for his public service. Another reason I don’t like Volkswagen. Look where they are ranked for reliability