Sorry if this is covered somewhere else, I didn't find anything when searching...
I'm looking for advice or insight into anyone else's experience in this type of situation:
I am waiting on my CHL app to process, so I was looking into the policies at work to see if there was anything prohibiting me from carrying at work, once I get my license.
My troubles began when I was searching for the employee manual on the company intranet. I asked a co-worker (over a text chat) if it was immediately available somewhere without having to contact HR and request it (today is a Saturday, and they won't be available until Monday). I subsequently found what I believe is the current manual and started searching for policies, clarifying to my coworker that I was searching for policies regarding our office.
Background on the coworker: She knows that I am applying for my CHL, and since we'd had discussions regarding her getting a handgun for home defense, as well as possibly going to the range together, it didn't seem to be of much consequence discussing CHL-related things with her.
As I was searching through the manual, she asked me what I was specifically looking for. As I had discussed CHL-related things with her before, I didn't see a problem telling her. So I told her that I was trying to see if there was anything prohibiting me from carrying at work once I got my CHL. Suddenly, she seems to turn very ANTI, and tells me that she would throw a fit if I did, and that she does NOT want me carrying. She states that there is no reason for me to have it (as we work indoors all day, etc.), telling not to ever bring it on the property "at ALL", telling me I should get a taser instead if I felt I needed it. This came as a shock to me, and as it didn't seem to be a rational argument, I didn't give her any response after that. I did e-mail the HR manager (located in Chicago), asking when a good time would be to contact her, but not stating what it was specifically about, other than that it was a request clarification on policy.
Now, some background on my workplace. Our facility is not located in the best of areas, and crime is relatively high where we are. We have had 6 vehicle breakins to employee vehicles in the last month, mine included. We are located across the street from a bar, and in the general vicinity of many more, with drunk people walking next to our building coming from those bars during the late shift hours. Arguments and near-fights break out in the street directly in front of our building regularly. Theft is high, and there are lots of transients roaming around our building at all hours of the day, but more notably during the night and the early morning. Unlike the facilities in other cities, ours does not have security guards, and is very minimally staffed during the night time hours (such as when I work).
It is not an implausible that an assault could occur to an employee going to or from his/her vehicle (the parking lot is adjacent to an alley).
The company is based in Chicago where there is no such thing as Concealed Carry, so I'm not aware of any policy against it. This may put me at a disadvantage because this may make the company ANTI by default. If they do say that it is allowable to carry, I then face the issue of my coworker vehemently demanding that I do not carry at work. I do not feel comfortable leaving my handgun in the car, due to the breakins. I do have a secure lockbox, though access to it is limited to either crawling over a seat, or opening a sliding door (it's a van), which would seem rather conspicuous to me, either way. I do suppose I could install a new one up front (under the seat, etc.), though leaving the gun in the car would mostly defeat the point of having it in the first place.
If any of you have had a similar problem, I welcome your insights to how you've dealt with the situation.
Thanks in advance.