theft of employer property

shirley

Does anyone have suggestions on how to discourage employees from "losing" their laptops and palm pilots that we give them to use while employed? My concerns with pre-authorized withholding forms in exchange for the loaned equipment are (i) that they will simply reject the equipment that we want them to use and (ii) how to handle the inherent inequity for those who truly did "lose" it or have it stolen. Thanks for your tips -

Peyton Irby MS

your current method is legally the proper way to proceed. you might be able to reduce problem 1 by making it a job requirement that they use the appropriate equipment. if they use the company's, they sign the acknowledgment. if they use their own, the the company can be assured it is compatible. if you are going to enforce requirement 1, then the truly non-guilty would still have to pay.

CuriousG

I have a hard time feeling sorry for someone who "looses" company equipment worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, too many employees are unwilling to accept personal responsibility for their job and the tools used to perform it. Many times they expect the company to provide those tools, with no thought or concern for the cost. I suggest you have every employee who receives a company electronic device of more than nominal value ($25?) sign an acknowledgement and receipt. This should acknowledge they are personally responsible for the equipment, and should it be lost or damaged other than by theft, or an act of god they will be responsible for the actual replacement cost of an equivilant unit. I would even state what the value of the issued equipment is at the time issued.

For years I carried a company issued lap top computer, cell phone, and pager. I knew that I was responsible for those "tools" and that should I damage or "loose" them I would be subject to negative ramifications. In the case of a bona fide theft of equipment there would be police reports filed, and our company casualty insurance covered such losses.

I suspect what you mean by "loose" is "stolen." I have traveled with my lap top through the U.S.'s busiest international airports. There were a number of times that I was traveling through airports that were being "worked" by gangs of lap top theives and even the FAA and airlines were issuing warnings. It required me to be vigilant at all times, but never did I loose sight of my equipment, even during security procedures.

If the employee being issued a lap top or palm pilot is in a position of that level of trust, then their selection needs to be based, in part, upon their dependability and integrity. Someone like that will not resent signing an agreement to repair or replace equipment they loose or damage, because they know that is not going to happen outside of theft or an act of god,which your policy/agreement can exclude.