Employee Cou Devices When You Leave

Originally Posted by mySRT8U

it is actually Cingular OFFICIAL use and/or Company Official Use. The handset is purchased by Cingular and is owned by the employee. all handsets given to the employee are GIVEN with no strings attached. The manager cannot ask for the handset or multiple handsets back because he never loaned or demo'd it out. the handset belongs to the employee. end of it. the Sim card needs to be returned but the handset is not to be returned.

Originally Posted by Crispysaturn

That would be a C.ompany O.wned U.se phone. If it was given to you to use because you work there, you will have to return it. If you purchased it you can keep it.

Originally Posted by officiallygone

But why would they as company want a discontinued phone back, especially if it is used and scratched up not to mention. That does sound kind of ridiculous in a way.

Originally Posted by cingtd

Technically, it is still company property and it would be up to the manager's discretion.

Originally Posted by cingtd

I would think that is the discretion of the store unless the OP purchased the phone outright. At&t (aka.. Cingular) also has exclusive rights to the assigned phone number on COU lines and does not have to release it to an ex-employee.

B.T.W. there is no reason to request an ex-employee to turn return an old SIM, it can just be deactivated through the billing system.

Originally Posted by mobilopt

The sim is still property of the company, and if im not mistakened, Sim cards can be resused, they get reset after a certain amount of time.

Lastly, I cant believe there is such responses here. This is a standard policy that applies to all employees, doesnt matter if the phone is old or not, the phone unless purchased by you, is not legally your property.

Do the right thing, its not worth burning bridges or getting into legal trouble over this.

Originally Posted by droptop97ta

once deactivated the SIM can not be re used. it may still contain phone numbers but it will never be reactivated

Originally Posted by droptop97ta

the phone gets adjusted back into inventory as non sellable just like a phone that is returned and it is sent away..... its the same as all the phones on display, they are all sold out when they put them on displayand when they are discontinued they are put back into inventory and sent with the rest of the DOA phones..... in the store they should have a log that has all the IMEI numbers, ICCID numbers, phone numbers and so on for every employee's phone and every phone that is on display.... the phone you have in company owned and should be returned.

Originally Posted by officiallygone

Actually I had gotten it from the prior manager and then he moved on and eventually quit. Then a new manager came and I asked him several times if I could get a different phone while every other employee in the store got to use demo blackjacks or the manager even worked it out so other employees where able to use 8525 models, I continuously had to keep using this wonderful 8125 phone.

Then sometime earlier this year I would say March or April, the manager had all of the employees fill out a paper indicating what COU phone and IMEI for it. Did anyone else have one of these? Anyways other employees had filled out their older models they had used and/or never "turned in" while some are gone .

I just believe he is trying to sell for his own profit from it but the only thing he would get would be the phone minus battery, stylus, charger, and box/manuals because like I said I had to buy new stuff for it. So if at&t actually wanted it back, would they really want just the phone with nothing with it?

Originally Posted by JP Whoregan

AT&T is not going to have you locked up for theft if you don't return your 8125. Don't sweat it so much. Keep the phone, or better yet donate it, and move on with your life.

Originally Posted by Sonix

O boy...I can answer this one!

When you get the use of a company phone it isn't going to be considered theft, it's a civil matter. If your employment contract addresses this issue they can however deduct in from your pay.

Thats why I do prepay for the people who don't have phones, it leaves me with some crazy bills(yes in the thousands) because all of a sudden use goes up and the phone goes missing before I figure them out and shut it off. Usually over a long weekend.

Originally Posted by Sonix

O boy...I can answer this one!

When you get the use of a company phone it isn't going to be considered theft, it's a civil matter. If your employment contract addresses this issue they can however deduct in from your pay.

Thats why I do prepay for the people who don't have phones, it leaves me with some crazy bills(yes in the thousands) because all of a sudden use goes up and the phone goes missing before I figure them out and shut it off. Usually over a long weekend.

Originally Posted by officiallygone

I don't get it, we are talking about COU handsets and you are talking about prepay phones.

Originally Posted by Jayden0606

The bottom line should be that you did not pay for it. Why let that hurt your future if they chose to put that information for your next employer after running a background check. You did state that you don't even use the phone. To me it seems as though you rather this manager (that you probably have some dislike or hatred towards) not sell the phone to someone for his own benefit. Who cares? Not bashing you, but you need to realize that this can easily turn into a losing battle for you. What I would do is definitely have proof that it was given back so if he has something against you, you are not screwed over.

Originally Posted by oneaznriceboi

They asked for my COU back when I left, and I just trashed it and gave it back since I was so pissed off about the pay cut and management. Just drop it a few times on the cement and give it back.

Originally Posted by officiallygone

Hey thanks for the points and I understand exactly what you are saying but how do I prove that I gave the handset back??? Who is to prove that? The previous manager told me that the handsets are ours to keep...not the plan...just the handset when we leave. It is not that I dislike him, I dislike the way he manages...period. I was planning on giving the handset to my mother actually as she was wanting a PDA and wanted that particular model and liked it(don't know why).

Originally Posted by oneaznriceboi

They asked for my COU back when I left, and I just trashed it and gave it back since I was so pissed off about the pay cut and management. Just drop it a few times on the cement and give it back.

Originally Posted by classylady78

Why don't you BUY a PDA for your mom? If you keep it, you are basically stealing. But you can justify it anyway you want, it is still really cut and dry. You did not buy it therefore it is not yours. (if it was a gift you would have paid taxes on it).

Originally Posted by classylady78

I see why you were promoted to customer.

Originally Posted by oneaznriceboi

They asked for my COU back when I left, and I just trashed it and gave it back since I was so pissed off about the pay cut and management. Just drop it a few times on the cement and give it back.

Originally Posted by Jayden0606

I'm not sure what the policies are in stores... but "did you lose the phone?" or "did some steal it?"

Originally Posted by Jayden0606

Email him... from a home email but in a slick way. "Hey Mr. Dipstick... Hope all is well.... I was hoping to get the device back that I had given in. I was actually told by the previous "whoever" that I was able to keep it." At this point if he answers yes or no, he just admitted to receiving it.

Originally Posted by officiallygone

Well let's see... As per the IRS, even if they "gave" it to me then you would not have to pay any taxes on it anyway because the value is lower then $600(Not even worth $25 as far as I'm concerned ) and so that is the reason why I would not pay any taxes on it either way.



Thank god I was ABLE to self promote myself.

Originally Posted by classylady78

Why don't you BUY a PDA for your mom? If you keep it, you are basically stealing. But you can justify it anyway you want, it is still really cut and dry. You did not buy it therefore it is not yours. (if it was a gift you would have paid taxes on it).

I see why you were promoted to customer.

Originally Posted by Isriam

since when are refurbished phones worth nothing? stop feeding into this. it is stealing, and cingular policy is that COU devices MUST be turned in to your manager on your last day as an employee.

Originally Posted by Isriam

Maybe you should get someone to read the corporate policy on mycingular. If you pull up the managers letter for leaving employee's it specifically states that you MUST turn in your COU device and SIM.

What you are trying to do is called stealing. You do not own the phone, it is loaned to you.

And whether your manager turns in your COU phone or not isn't your business. He is a manager, it is his responsibility to turn it in. This is why people are promoted to managers, to oversee issue's like this.