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I dunno. If the company gives me one day's notice that we're done, I think they want me out of there. What possible reason would I have to set foot in the place again for niceties like returning their stuff?

Let's just say things were done correctly and professionally and I was given, say, even a week's notice so BOTH the company and I could settle up what needed to be settled? That would seem a much more civilized choice.

Companies so mismanaged they give their employees one day's notice before going under really don't deserve any thoughtful consideration. Just my opinion ...

Companies don't have to give any notice to seizing one's desk and anything in it, and escorting an employee to the door or off the site, then separating and sending your stuff later is OK. They don't have to give any reason. In this case, it probably was to cut owed wages to the bone. The point is to prevent access to the site by a terminated employee lest there be malicious theft or damage of company property.

Owed wages are a completely separate transaction, depending on the verbal or printed hiring policies unilaterally entered into by the employer at the time of hiring, and as modified thereafter. Allowing back wages to accumulate is merely a risky undertaking by both parties, both subjected to loss at the point of baskruptcy. Probably, documented loss of owed wages can be claimed as deductions on the employees federal and state income taxes, not as income, but as tangible losses against any other income sources. See a tax lawyer on that.

Any property in the possession of the employee is due back to the employer immediately, and is a separate matter from the owed wages.

Keeping the property without immediate return after notification to do so could be seen as theft, maybe not just as petty larceny, depending on the value of the asset. If it were an auto, that could be grand larceny. The actual street value will be far less than the book value that will be the amount owed the company if it is not returned. No computer is worth this possible tangle with the law on it. Using company property, even the employees time to make a telephone call for personal purposes, is something no employer would countenance and is a form of theft by the employee.

(Speaking not as a lawyer or Personnel manager, but having been on both sides of the issue for many years, as an experienced opinion. Offered only as sound advice.)

I worked for Gateway. Was told to gather in the cafeteria for a meeting. Was told the company was closing, and we were fired. That quick. Oh, and when we went back to our desks, the pcs were offline, you we’re not going to get s*** from thoses pcs. There was a box on the desk, pack your s*** and leave the building. That was it. Took all of five minutes.