Intellectual Property Expert: Employee Termination Checklist

In today's technology world, almost every company uses computers. Over the next few weeks, Evidence Solutions, Inc. will be delivering some sample policies which can be used in your organization. Our Gift to You.

Employee Termination Checklist

1. Personal computers, including terminals and modems and software and printers:
   1. Computing assets are tagged to an individual, when leaving the company the individual must return the assets to their manager
   2. Managers should provide receipts to the departing employee
   3. Manager should ensure the appropriate action is taken for these assets, returning them to the Information Technology department for re-deployment unless otherwise advised by Company Counsel.
   4. It is the responsibility of the Information Technology department to ensure that all sensitive data is deleted from the PC if it is to be transferred to an individual who should not have access to this information.
   5. Once notified, the Information Technology department will immediately deactivate all appropriate accounts used by the departing employee. Deletion of the employee’s account will happen approximately 60 days after the departure of the employee unless otherwise directed by Company Counsel.
   6. IMPORTANT NOTE: All access to systems must be rescinded before the individual's last day of service.
2. Access cards, ID cards & Keys:
   1.  Managers must ensure that all Company access, swipe and proximity cards, as well as ID cards, are returned to the Company prior to the departure of the employee
   2. Employee’s Manager needs to ensure that all keys are returned to the Company.
3. Equipment, software, and non-consumable items; Items purchased for work purposes:
   1. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that all equipment, software, and any other property purchased for work purposes are returned to the company prior to leaving.
4. Combination locks and code locks:
   1. All combination locks, door codes and other coded locks to which the employee had access shall be changed.
5. Protective Clothing:
   1. Managers should arrange for the return of all protective clothing provided to the employee by the company.
6.  Company logo clothing, etc.:
   1. Managers should arrange for the return of any and all clothing that has the company logo on it that has been provided to the employee by the company.
7.  Financials, Cash advances, Corporate charge cards:
   1. Managers should document and give receipts for the return of all money, etc.
   2. Corporate cards must be retrieved from employees leaving the company, cut in half, and sent to the HR department.
8.  Communications: Cell phones, pagers and other mobile devices:
   1. Employee shall receive a receipt for all mobile devices that are returned to the Company.
   2. All technology returned by the employee shall be delivered to the Information Technology department for cleanup, re-use or disposal.