Forced to take work laptop home

[SueEllen]

You could point out to them that YourCo. Ltd is not insured to cover client co. equipment and so cannot take rsponsibility for it outside client premesis, nor will YourCo. or any of it's employees be held liable for loss or damage occuring in such circumstances. If Client Co. cannot or will not provide secure storage for such equipment on site it is at their own risk.

Oddly the only arguments I've ever had in taking laptops home was when I was permie. The company was too cheap to insure their laptops of the premises. It was brought up because a guy I was working with got his front door kicked in and his own laptop stolen. We all made it very clear that if that happened we weren't responsible for the laptop.

As a contractor all companies have insured their laptops to take of site.

[rocktronAMP]

Like most places these days, I've been provided with a laptop by the client which I hook up to a docking station.

At previous clients, at the end of the day, I've either locked it in a drawer or it has been tethered to the desk by a cable.

Not so here - you have to take it home with you & it's a right PITA when you have a 2 hour commute by train & I've already got all my gym stuff, lunch etc to lug around. Rules out any option to cycle to the station too.

I was thinking of leaving it in a locker at the station overnight but it seems such facilities no longer exist. Anything else I can do?

Let me guess, is this HSBC ivory Canary Wharf towers?
Probably not. Ask your line manager for his or her private cupboard or locked cabinet and stick it in there.
This is a ridiculous situation. It is their equipment. They should insure and provide adequate facilities for employee or contractual usage, not barmy excuses and policies.

[Mincepie]

Genius!

I was once forced to go 10 pin bowling with colleagues (great). I was then going straight from there to meet my pals for a night out. I changed out of my work gear at the bowling alley and didn't fancy carrying my bag on a night out so I handed it in to reception and said I'd found it in the toilets.

Next day I went in and said "Did anyone hand a bag in?"

You could do that. Every day.

[cronemeister]

leave it on the desk

Just walk out and leave it on your desk, shut down of course. It's their office, their desk, their laptop. If its nicked it's their problem surely !

Your post got me thinking though. I've just moved back to the UK from Australia but I'm still working for the company, and they've given me about $7000 worth of kit to bring back with me. Technically I'm still employed by them for the next month or so so I guess if something got damaged or nicked then I'm covered perhaps but will have to look at the longer term picture.!

Good luck finding a solution.

[unixman]

Let me guess, is this HSBC ivory Canary Wharf towers?
Probably not. Ask your line manager for his or her private cupboard or locked cabinet and stick it in there.
This is a ridiculous situation. It is their equipment. They should insure and provide adequate facilities for employee or contractual usage, not barmy excuses and policies.

This. Carrying your client's equipment around several counties to keep it secure represents a service. If it isn't in your contract, don't do it. Or charge them for it.

[psychocandy]

This. Carrying your client's equipment around several counties to keep it secure represents a service. If it isn't in your contract, don't do it. Or charge them for it.

When I was perm one of the guys I worked with got asked to bring a bit of kit home from a foreign country. It was a comms card for a carrier grade network node.

Anyway, turns out he needed the proper paperwork (import docs etc) for this thing which he didnt have. At the airport, they got hold of it and it was nearly finger up the arse time for him.

He wasnt impressed because employer knew full well the score and just couldnt be arsed and though it'd be easier this way.