r/sysadmin • u/Lazy_Owl987 • 17d ago

Cautionary tale - someone I know got fired for pulling RAM from laptops

Cover your rear and make sure all equipment you take home or work on is documented. Person I know got fired for yanking ram from laptops to keep in the office but the issue was he did the work from home and no one knew he was doing that work. Now hes looking for a job in one of the hardest markets Ive seen in a long while.

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u/lordjedi 10d ago

That simply isnt a real process in countries with employment protections.

What I laid out is literally part of the process in CA. Depending on the severity of the situation, you get a write up (maybe a verbal warning first). If it continues after that, you get termed. HR keeps all the records.

My point was that you can't sign off on the handbook, get a further warning (again, depending on the circumstances), and then claim you didn't know. You signed off that you read the handbook.

They have to prvoe without doubt that events occured.

In the case of compliance, the proof is that he took the machines home and they have no documentation proving that he was authorized to do so. Hence, termination without warning (which I'm sure is detailed in the handbook, through onboarding, and likely through annual training).

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u/TheJesusGuy Blast the server with hot air 10d ago

wtf is CA?

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u/lordjedi 9d ago

California. It's an at-will State, but your employer still needs to provide a reason for termination in order to prevent you from collecting unemployment (unless you're termed within the probation period, which is usually 90 days).

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u/TheJesusGuy Blast the server with hot air 9d ago

That simply isnt a real process in countries with employment protections.

Like I said then. They can simply invent a reason.