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Left Job...never asked for computer and related items back

M

mitchelt

Senior member
I worked remotely in IT for a company for 8+ years, as you can imagine I acquired a lot of hardware. I decided to leave the company and have asked repeatedly for the materials to send it all back (labels, boxes, tape and so on...).

I emailed them including the IT Director and Manager and called the IT Director and nothing.

It's been over 4 months...and I am no longer going to make any effort to return the equipment. I can sleep very comfortably knowing that I have done my best and will no longer lose sleep over it.

When can I say they have abandoned the equipment and I am keeping it?

Thanks!
 
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I'm not a lawyer, but I would think that as long as you made a good-faith effort to return their stuff (and can document it), then you're probably fine. Also, after four months they definitely don't care.
 
Did you have to sign anything out or document what you had in your possession? If so might be worth it to just return it yourselves to save future headache.
 
BeauJangles said:
Also, after four months they definitely don't care.
Click to expand...

Eh - not necessarily true - they could just be very poorly managed (I've seen it happen)

How many times did you email, how many times did you call? I would imagine that at least a couple of each would need to be made and documented

IANAL
 
I did not have to sign anything out...I was on very good standing with the IT guys and they sent me whatever I needed. I called twice and emailed at least 6 times. They are across the country so I am not paying for the shipping.

I have the room in the basement to store the stuff...it's just a pain.

FYI:

- 1 awesome pc laptop
- 1 sweet pc laptop
- 1 ok pc laptop
- 1 old mac laptop
- 22" lcd and 19" lcd
- external drive
- hp business ink jet printer
- cisco router
- IP business phone
- misc items

I won't lie that I would love to keep the awesome pc laptop for myself...I'm just wondering when does it become there responsibility to call me?

Maybe after a year I will consider it all mine. The IT dept. is so poorly ran they will probably think they lost it.
 
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Exterous said:
Eh - not necessarily true - they could just be very poorly managed (I've seen it happen)

How many times did you email, how many times did you call? I would imagine that at least a couple of each would need to be made and documented

IANAL
Click to expand...
When I left a job about 5 years ago, I asked and emailed my manager and HR several times about the laptop and the blackberry that they had issued me with no response. My conclusion was that they didn't care, as long my ability to access their systems was disabled. About 3 months after leaving, I backed up the contents of the laptop hard drive (just in case they wanted it back) and formatted and installed my own OS. I still have and use that laptop. The blackberry is in a box in my attic somewhere probably (it was already an old model back then).
 
geecee said:
When I left a job about 5 years ago, I asked and emailed my manager and HR several times about the laptop and the blackberry that they had issued me with no response. My conclusion was that they didn't care, as long my ability to access their systems was disabled. About 3 months after leaving, I backed up the contents of the laptop hard drive (just in case they wanted it back) and formatted and installed my own OS. I still have and use that laptop. The blackberry is in a box in my attic somewhere probably (it was already an old model back then).
Click to expand...

*shrug* I worked for a company that noticed they were missing a laptop about 9 months after an employee left the company (hence the poorly managed comment). I do not know what happened or what effort was made (if any) to return the equipment since I switched jobs shortly after this started but I do know that lawyers were involved
 
Exterous said:
*shrug* I worked for a company that noticed they were missing a laptop about 9 months after an employee left the company (hence the poorly managed comment). I do not know what happened or what effort was made (if any) to return the equipment since I switched jobs shortly after this started but I do know that lawyers were involved
Click to expand...

The lawyer part does not worry me as I would never sell the equipment or let it leave the house. I just think it would be nice to have another sweet laptop to use while hanging on the couch. 😀

I may however ask them to fly someone out to pack it all up now that they waited so long. I really thought they would hold my last pay check until they got the equipment back but I think they can't do that?
 
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Douse the parts / machines in chloroform, ditch on side of road, plead not guilty. You'll get away just fine.
 
OP is going to have his home raided by the Feds - watch.

I am sure you are running a human trafficing operation from your home "base" as well. You use this stolen hardware to post offers for human organs, don't you?

Scumbag - SEE YOU IN HELL!!!
 
I say, use it for your own needs with the assumption they'll eventually want it back. Don't add/remove anything from it, if you install your own OS ensure you image the existing OS and keep it somewhere safe etc. Just ensure you email them a few times about it to leave plenty of paper trails that you tried and when they have not responded it will show they are incompetent.

If they try to bring you to court at least you'll be able to say you tried, and chances are if you just tell the judge you want to give it back the case would just be dismissed and they'd get their equipment back... of course I could be wrong.

Have you tried calling your old boss so you can speak directly to him/her? Maybe you'll get a clearer answer that way. Maybe your emails are hitting their spam filter for some reason.
 
Exterous said:
*shrug* I worked for a company that noticed they were missing a laptop about 9 months after an employee left the company (hence the poorly managed comment). I do not know what happened or what effort was made (if any) to return the equipment since I switched jobs shortly after this started but I do know that lawyers were involved
Click to expand...
Unless you left on bad terms, or secretly smuggled your laptop out with you, I doubt lawyers would need to be involved. They would probably just ask you for the equipment back. In my case, had anyone asked, I would gladly have handed it over (which is why I kept the backup of the laptop HD just in case). But no one seemed to care (HR or my manager). In fact, my manager and HR both said they would let me know the 2-3 times I asked, and my subsequent emails were largely ignored. I think at larger companies, the equipment budgets are so large, that they probably don't care about a few individual items here and there. If you had confidential client data or contacts on your laptop, it might be a different matter though.
 
Some companies upgrade often and just don't want the old stuff back. I did web admin from home and had a couple of laptops, a blackberry and 2 PC's from over a 3 year period. When I left I offered everything back but they refused because the hardware was too old. It's easier to just cut the loss than have to get it back, especially when it's over a year old.
 
How big is the company? They either don't give a crap, or they don't document anything. Either way, you are probably fine.
 
Red Squirrel said:
Have you tried calling your old boss so you can speak directly to him/her? Maybe you'll get a clearer answer that way. Maybe your emails are hitting their spam filter for some reason.
Click to expand...

My boss = IT Director...that's what is so sad. And yes...I called him.
 
geecee said:
Unless you left on bad terms, or secretly smuggled your laptop out with you, I doubt lawyers would need to be involved. They would probably just ask you for the equipment back. In my case, had anyone asked, I would gladly have handed it over (which is why I kept the backup of the laptop HD just in case). But no one seemed to care (HR or my manager). In fact, my manager and HR both said they would let me know the 2-3 times I asked, and my subsequent emails were largely ignored. I think at larger companies, the equipment budgets are so large, that they probably don't care about a few individual items here and there. If you had confidential client data or contacts on your laptop, it might be a different matter though.
Click to expand...

I left on great terms...I even agreed to delay my departure to help them out. They are a very big company...no confidential stuff on the computers.
 
You SHOULD cover your ass and send a certified letter to whomever is in charge of the equipment.
State that you've called and sent numerous emails requesting the necessary boxes and pre-paid shipping labels so you can return it.
List the dates and times of each call/email and who it went to...

While they MIGHT not want it back, you don't really want them to decide later to prosecute you for theft...
 
BoomerD said:
You SHOULD cover your ass and send a certified letter to whomever is in charge of the equipment.
State that you've called and sent numerous emails requesting the necessary boxes and pre-paid shipping labels so you can return it.
List the dates and times of each call/email and who it went to...

While they MIGHT not want it back, you don't really want them to decide later to prosecute you for theft...
Click to expand...

Good advice, I do however think they would have a hard time prosecuting for theft seeing that it's all in my house and they are free to ask for it anytime they want.

Heck...I should start charging them rent. HA!
 
mitchelt said:
Good advice, I do however think they would have a hard time prosecuting for theft seeing that it's all in my house and they are free to ask for it anytime they want.

Heck...I should start charging them rent. HA!
Click to expand...

NOW you're thinking...$500/day storage fees...FTMFW!
 
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