How long to hold on to company equipment?

22 Comments

1. AnonymousJune 28,2022 at 7:17PM UTC

   You never want to be in a position that you have to be charged for lack of return of the equipment.

   I would thrown the stuff in a random box and drive it over to get it out of your house.

2. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJune 28,2022 at 8:09PM UTC

   I recommend doing this also but I would add make sure you get some sort of receipt saying you have turned it over.

3. Sarah MayoJune 28,2022 at 8:24PM UTC

   You could try calling Fedex and see if your company has an account there; if so, take it to a Fedex location, they will box it all up for you and ship it to the address on file and charge their account. Anything they don't like about that is their problem.

4. Sabine MorrowJune 28,2022 at 8:35PM UTC

   If there are other remote staff, there should be a protocol in place to return company laptops, etc. Keep record of your communication with you company about this issue. They should send a box and shipping label so you can return the equipment. Or they can send you a gift card to cover the cost of the return or to cover gas to drive 60 miles round trip to return it. Or let them send a courier to pick it up from you. You can put it all in an email and see what they want to do but keep a record of your communications and their responses.

5. Liz MilneJune 30,2022 at 12:38PM UTC

   Don't get complacent with it - one day, probably quite soon, there will be a stock check or audit, and someone will blow up your former manager's phone, and they will then get in touch with you with a plan to retrieve their goods.

   If it gets to a year or more, then it's a free gift, yay! (Slightly sarcastic, don't assume that's true, YMMV! Just usually things must be seen and counted for year end, so often, if it's not counted then, it's just written off)

6. AnonymousJune 30,2022 at 1:05PM UTC

   I'd drive it to the staffing company and send email to everyone. Be done with it!

7. Melissa NobileJune 30,2022 at 1:06PM UTC

   30 miles is nothing! My kids drove 20 miles each way to high school every day. My husband drives 50 miles one way to work every day. Put it in a box and drop it off! Do get a signed itemized receipt that you dropped it off and with whom.

8. Kate VonDerheideJune 30,2022 at 1:17PM UTC

   30 miles may not be nothing… where I live that can easily take 90 minutes one way.

9. Melissa NobileJune 30,2022 at 1:24PM UTC

   That 50 mile commute each way can take well over 2 hours. Watch the traffic and go when it is light. I suspect that next week will be a light commute week…

10. AnonymousJune 30,2022 at 1:18PM UTC

    I would drive it back to the staffing company, get a receipt & be done with it. Holding on to it seems kind of petty at this point - were you at a company site when it was issued (i.e. did you drive there for work or was it shipped to you?) Because sitting at home and expecting them to send you boxes to ship it back seems kind of weird to me. I’ve always had to drop off company equipment previously- no one has ever sent me boxes for return.

11. Mich.Fr.June 30,2022 at 1:40PM UTC

    Return it any way you can. Is there a UPS store you can take it to and have them charge on delivery? Or get an account number (UPS/FedEx) from your former office? Due diligence or not, it is still their property.

12. laJune 30,2022 at 2:40PM UTC

    Make every effort to return it. Document the attempts you have made so far. Don't count on the company to reach out to you when they finally get around to noticing it gone.

    Consider this- equipment audit is done and someone notices this laptop is missing. Employee is now on the block for this but blames you. Do you really think they are going to call and verify this with you? No, they are going to believe current employee because 1- it means they dont have to deal with reprimands or HR issues and 2- you arent part of the company anymore so they owe you nothing. There is a good chance they are simply going to believe current employee and report that you stole the laptop without every contacting you. That could impact your unemployment now and in the future as well as result in negative references should anyone call to verify your employment (theft means not rehireable). All because they didn't want to go through the hassle of reaching out to you and the cost of the laptop was negligible.

13. JYJJune 30,2022 at 2:44PM UTC

    Pack it up and drive it there. Get a written receipt with a signature of everything that was returned and to whom. Just be done with it.

14. surfnwriteJune 30,2022 at 3:05PM UTC

    I've had my company computer for over a year. Finally they sent me an email asking me to return it and they'd send a mailing label. They never did. I sent a reminder, they said they'd get to it when they get to it. Very strange.

15. Alexandra DJune 30,2022 at 4:06PM UTC

    IT is notoriously slow with this stuff, until they need it.

16. Alexandra DJune 30,2022 at 4:05PM UTC

    if you can hold onto it, just leave it in a corner. If you need the space, drive it over. They will certainly come looking for it sooner or later, but if left to them they will wait until THEY need it. Personally I have the space and would rather not make the drive, so I wouldn’t mind waiting but if you just want it gone you may need to buckle up and drive it over.

17. AnonymousJune 30,2022 at 4:35PM UTC

    I would return as soon as possible. Also get some form of receipt or acknowledgement of who took it from you.

18. WJYWJune 30,2022 at 4:42PM UTC

    I saw one comment that suggested calling FedEx to see if your previous employer has an account. FedEx (or UPS if that's what they use) might not answer that question so my suggestion is to ask your previous employer for their account number (to charge the shipping to the company) which you can then use at a location close to you. If you want to reach out again.

    I also do agree with other suggestions about leaving it somewhere if you have the space. But if you feel up to contacting them again, I'd suggest emailing and cc'ing all the people you mentioned into one email so they can see who else has gotten the email. In the body, I'd include the previous messages so they can all see (if they actually read I guess) that you did your part and everyone else dropped the ball.

19. AnonymousJune 30,2022 at 11:07PM UTC

    if it’s their equipment, it’s their responsibility to make every effort to retrieve it.
    You shouldn’t have to pay, waste gas, etc. on something that is their responsibility. Just hold onto all correspondences that proves you trying to coordinate returning the equipment with them.

20. anonymousJuly 1,2022 at 12:42PM UTC

    Had this issue in my last company.

    Think you need to drive to the staffing company, otherwise this will keep on annoying you.

21. AnonymousJuly 1,2022 at 1:30PM UTC

    Why risk burning bridges??

    In my opinion, you have completed DD but have not completed the task.

    When it comes down to it, this is a direct character reflection of personal ethics which could come back to haunt you. It doesn't matter whether the company is being difficult because the solution on your part is simple.

    Get the company's FedEx or UPS account number and ship it back. These kiosks are on every corner, so this should not be inconvenient. They will box it up for you & you will get a verification receipt for the drop.

    -or-

    Drive the 30 miles & drop it off

22. AnonymousJuly 1,2022 at 2:07PM UTC

    30 miles? Drive it over there and be done with it.