Out-of-state companies mislead Ohio businesses to peddle ''no-guns'' signs

8:11am Thursday, March 17, 2005

Buckeye Firearms Association has learned that several workplace signage companies, based in states with severe gun control laws, are attempting to profit from fraudulently misleading business-owners in Ohio into believing there is a legal requirement to post "no-guns" signs.

While each company words their "Compliance Warnings" a bit differently, the premise of each is similar to that of g.Neil, which uses an address in the gun control capitol of America - Washington D.C.

In an advertisement distributed to companies in Ohio recently, g.Neil wrote as follows:

CHANGE IN OHIO LABOR LAW REQUIRES IMMEDIATE POSTER UPDATES

In 2003, the state of Ohio modified its labor law affecting this poster:

----->Weapons Law Poster

We have not heard from [your company] regarding the change in posting requirements. We’re concerned that you may be posting outdated information. To ensure compliance and avoid confusion caused by posting outdated information, please make certain you are displaying current posters."

And later in the advertisement:

"The easiest way to ensure compliance with both federal and state posting requirements is with our Complete Compliance Kit specifically assembled for your state and industry. A kit saves you time and money by ensuring that all your requires posters are in one single order."

The final scare tactic leads to a money grab:

ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH OUR LABOR LAW POSTERS

[ ] YES! I want to be in compliance with state and federal requirements.

The products offered to ensure businesses are "in compliance" are as follows:

The OH Weapons Law poster offered for sale by g.Neil is, of course, the standard "no-guns" sign mentioned in Ohio law as an option, not a requirement, for private Ohio businesses.

Despite this fact, g.Neil is one of several out-of-state companies which are attempting to make money by scaring Ohio business owners into purchasing "no-guns" signs. In fact, not only are they offering the signs for sale as above, but they are also including the signs in the packages labeled "Complete Federal and State Compliance Kit" - once again, implying that the signs are required by law.

As a result, when Human Resources directors, small business owners, etc. receive their "Compliance Kits" from these companies, many are unfamiliar with the actual requirements of Ohio law, and assume that they must post the included "no-guns" sign.

As a result of this duplicity, these out-of-state sign marketers are certainly endangering lives, and they may be in violation of federal laws protecting our civil rights.

According to federal law (42 USC 1983), if a business owner asked one of these companies to send them a packet of all "required" signs that must be posted, and they received a "no-guns" sign in said packet, these companies' actions could be viewed as conspiring to commit a "deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws". As such, under US Code, the following companies would be liable to parties injured.

At this time, BFA is aware that the following companies from states with severe gun control laws are using these misleading, and potentially illegal, marketing tactics to peddle "no-guns" signs in Ohio:

gNeil
611 Pennsylvania Ave. S.F. #3150
Washington, D.C. 20003-4303
Phone: 800-999-9111
www.gneil.com

J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
3003 W. Breezewood Lane, P.O. Box 548
Neenah, Wisconsin 54957-0548
Phone: 800-558-5011
www.jjkeller.com

PersonnelConcepts
2865 Metropolitan Place
Pomona, CA 91767
Compliance Hot Line: 1-800-656-5297
www.personnelconcepts.com