Dallas employment counsel Keith Clouse advises employees not to save personal data (such as music, photographs, on-line bill payment receipts or contact information for family members and friends) on company-owned computers because companies typically retain ownership over any files saved on their computers. But what happens when an employee who has saved personal data on a company-owned computer is fired or laid off? While an employer might take a hard-line approach and refuse to give the employee access to the data, other employers may be willing to work with the employee to avoid a contentious separation.
An employee should first let her employer know that she wishes to retrieve her personal data. She could offer to do so in her supervisor’s presence so that the employer can verify that the employee is not downloading sensitive company information. If the employer denies this request, the employee could ask if the company’s information technology team could retrieve the data. Some employers may allow this if the employee provides an external drive and a list of the files requested.
To speak to Mr. Clouse or to another Dallas employment lawyer about a work-related dispute, contact the employment attorneys at Clouse Dunn Khoshbin LLP at [email protected].
