ABA Family Legal Guide

Computer Law

Computers on the Job

Must I return all the nifty software my employer allowed me to put on my home computer?

Yes. The software belongs to your employer, or is licensed from another company by your employer, who lets you install it or download it to your computer for the very limited purpose of doing the company's work. Once that employment ends, the law or perhaps an agreement with your employer may require that you return the employer's goods to the company.

The law is not settled, however, on the issue of whether companies can require ex-employees to surrender their home computers for the former employer's inspection. Employers, having lent their software to the employees, might want to ensure that no company-owned programs or proprietary information has been downloaded to the personal computer. Companies, especially those that have licensed their own software, are especially concerned in the Internet age with protecting their products and confidential data. A lot of companies provide in their employee nondisclosure agreements that they have the right to inspect any computer that you may use in order to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.