Who owns the personal documents save in the employer's laptop after I am dismissed?

[alicesuper]

I just got dismissed by my previous employer. I saved some personal documents and researches I did for writing academic articles on a employer's laptop's hard drive. When I was let go, I was not given the opportunity to copy my personal documents and researches or delete them. The HR manager promised that she would copy them to a CD and will send the CD to me. I informed her that there is personal information on the hard drive and indicated my wish that I would not like them to be reviewed. She told me that no one will look at them. However, after I have been contacting that HR manager for the CD for more than one month, she told me that the boss of the company will review all the contents in the CD before she can send it to me. I am very anger as she assured me that no one will look at my personal documents. That is the reason I did not insist on deleting those personal documents on the day I was forced to leave within 10 minutes and signed the release form to give up all my future legal right to sue them for anything related to my employment with them.

I do not know if the empolyer is allowed to look at my personal documents I saved on the laptop or if they are allowed to keep anything such as some useful researches I did in my spare time for academic purpose that I saved on the laptop.

In any event, the HR manager lied to me.

 

[Green_Hornet]

H.R lying is not unusual. My guess is the employer owns the computer and can there fore review any information prior to release. The reason the employer wants to ensure that confidential company files are not released, or that you did not access information you were not entitled to, or since no longer work there information that you were entitled to but are no longer entitled to is handed over.

I would not worry about it much I doubt your boss will sift through all that is on there, more than likely it would be the I.T dept ensuring that your final C.D does not have company data on it.

 

[Patricia_Young]

Any documents on the employer's PC are the employer's. If you didn't want them seen, you shouldn't have put them there.

 

[theretoo]

i would agree with greenhornet, it will most likely be the it folks to ensure there is no company information on it and patricia is correct, the laptop is company property and therefore anything on it belongs to the employer. it would be a courtesy on their part to provide anything to you on cd

 

[alicesuper]

Well, thanks for the answers from you people. I have been contacting the HR manager now for more than two months. She will constantly tell me that when the boss has the time, she will look at the contents of the CD and I have to wait whenever she is free. I am sure that my previous boss will never spare time looking at the CD just for me. She is not professional at all. She will fire everyone who has a slight different opinon from her. So how can I get my personal documents back? Can I file an officail complain against her with some professional society?

 

[jharris352]

Never put something on your employer's computer you don't want them to see!!!

 

[Patricia_Young]

Never put something on your employer's computer you don't want them to see!!!

Didn't I say that nearly a month ago? Yes, I did. :yes:

Alice, you might as well consider those documents lost and start recreating them.