Employer Considerations under the Illinois Concealed Carry Act

The Illinois State Police began accepting online applications for concealed carry permits pursuant to the Firearm Concealed Carry Act (430 ILCS 66/1, et. seq.) on January 5, 2014 and expects the first licenses to be issued by mid-January. This means that business owners and employers who opt to ban concealed firearms from their workplaces should immediately post signage approved by the State Police for that purpose. Places such as schools, government buildings, hospitals, gaming facilities, public parks and playgrounds and other “statutorily prohibited areas” must ban firearms from their premises and therefore, are required under the Act to post the sign.