So yesterday, I went through my 4th compliance inspection, I get one every time I move or every year, to a year and a half based on where I live (border town). Every time it's the same. Your records look great you do a good job etc. NOTE: I've had 9 transactions in the last two years and I operate out of my home, selling profit free to coworkers exclusively. So the point is, it's not hard to do a great job with such low volume, but it is what it is.

So this time same story, looks great etc. However this time the inspector asked who I work for, no problem, I reply I work for the federal government. He then asks do you have an "off duty employment letter filed with your employer". (this is a letter between me and  my employer allowing me to have a outside job, aside from my job with the government). I then ask what business is that of the ATF regarding anything I need or don't need from my employer. He digs in, "well we just need to make sure everything is right" "I'm a federal employee too, and I know you need one" I say to him again "what does me following any rules with my employer have to do with my records or the ATF"? I then explain to him "produce a regulation or a law that requires this to be provided to you and I will gladly comply"

Well long story short, he wouldn't let it go. I told him to have his supervisor call me and have him be armed with regulation or law to cite to me so we can all be informed. Still waiting. The inspector did call me and state he was going to call my employer and find out if I have one. I told him to be very careful in doing that, because if he caused me any grief at work, or disciplinary action of any sort, he and the ATF are not going to like it. He then call back later and stated that he had spoken to his chief council who told him no such regulation exists. I called her, she has not returned my call. She represents ATF, so this is no surprise.

If I worked for Dell computer would the guy have asked? I didn't check my civil rights at the door when I went to work for the government.

So my question, has anyone encountered anything like this before? Does ATF have a right to even ask such questions? Is this questioning even in the scope of a records compliance check?

One of the operating conditions of your license is that you will be in compliance with all local, state and federal laws and regulations related to your operation of your firearms business.

If a particular condition of your employment with the federal government is that you obtain permission to run an outside business, then I'd think it's fair game to require you to be in compliance with that federal regulation.

Any rules about running an outside business from a private employer does not constitute a local, state or federal law or regulation, so would not be up for consideration.

My $0.02

I have never had them ask me who I worked for, let alone if I had filed a letter with my employer, which when I first got my FFL was the Federal Government.  So nope never heard of them doing that one before.

I had a .fed job that required prior approval for outside employment.

However I find it highly unusual it would come up during inspection (never has for me). Did you do/say anything to suggest you had .fed employment? Perhaps on your application or something.

I got tired of dealing with the bullshit being a home based FFL, I gave it back to them this year.  Freaking ridiculous. They said my HOA was rejecting because of traffic from customers.  I had 9 in a year.

Sounds unprofessional and over-reaching. Is your State Rep or Senator pro gun? Maybe a nice polite letter to him about the overbearing and over-reaching behavior of the inspector    is in order.

It doesn't have to be a Batfe inspector.  My last employer was a plasma donation company.  I dealt with the FDA inspections which were usually about the same frequency.  Last idiot I dealt with noticed a donor leaving with both arms wrapped due to having both arms used to donate. This is about a 10% occurrence.  No big deal. Errors happen, some donor can't donate,or tech might make error, or we have machine error.

FDA inspector started questioning us on qualifications of the tech, (very experienced btw) and for two days kept trying to pick at us in different ways pushing at us to discipline the employee.  We finally pushed a bit and told him that our dealing with the employee were no consequence to him as employee handled the donor exactly per our SOPs.  Donor had no ill affects, subject was closed.  
He still wrote recommendation into his report that was both ignorant and outside his inspection, hr matters don't fall under FDA.  Government employee!  What dopes.

I believe that.


HOA's are anti's as all get out, so even if they can pin one car generating traffic for reason of denial they will do so.



I almost bought an awesome house in an HOA and I spoke to the HOA president and board directly "yeah sure you can operate a business, we do very little regulation", that was until I started probing and found out via fb that most of the board and president are flaming anti gun libs... no thanks, I know where that is going to go.

Who do you work for?  CBP, or BP?

My IOI told me that I had to have a letter from my wife stating that I had permission to operate the business from OUR home.   She wouldn't let it go either. 

You can't make this shit up.

wat the fuck.

My guess is you two were both on the title of the home which makes it also her involvement.  They are very clear that ANY owners of the property needs to sign off on the business idea.

No such requirement in any ATF regulation.
Sounds like the IOI is inventing his/her own rules.

I am aware of multiple FFLS who have had the IOI notify the property owner to see if a FFL will be allowed and the owner was aware of the business.  

The IOI explained that if the renter was violating a rental agreement and would be kicked out then there was no use issuing the FFL, same as they check zoning.

Yeah on that, most husbands do not rent their own home from their wife. YMMV.

I called an ATF supervisor in Atlanta who claimed I was not allowed to mail handguns.  I didn't bother to correct her as she was getting something done for me after a move to a new location.

I'm in a sub under an HOA.  Very pro gun and they were happy that a home based ffl was ready to buy a home in the sub.