I’ve written before about being laid off—it’s something many people in tech are facing these days. I wasn’t planning to post about this on LinkedIn, but then I got what felt like a digital slap in the face on a Friday evening.

An email from HR accused me of stealing company equipment and threatened legal action if I didn’t return items I had already sent back.

I was dumbfounded and honestly pretty triggered. So yeah, I had to respond… Professionally, of course.

What Really Happened

On my last day, IT told me to return only the company laptop. They provided a box, prepaid FedEx label and an address, and I followed those instructions exactly.

The laptop was dropped off on June 16 and delivered on June 17, with tracking and receipt to prove it.

Then, over a month later, I get accused of theft by the company I worked at for over 3 and a half years.

Maybe It Was a Mix-Up, But…

Even if it was a misunderstanding, the first message should not have been a legal threat.

No polite check-in. No asking if I had already sent it.

Just an aggressive accusation.

That’s not how you treat someone who gave years of honest work.

I Get Both Sides

I know companies sometimes deal with people who don’t return equipment and need to be firm. But after 3.5+ years, I don’t think I gave anyone a reason to doubt my honesty.

I believe in assuming good intent and that kindness makes workplaces better. When you’re already dealing with being laid off, a little kindness really matters.

Instead, I got a legal threat late on a Friday. It felt harsh and personal.

What Companies Can Do Better

• Communicate clearly and respectfully
• Verify internal info before sending threats
• Avoid jumping straight to legal language
• Remember how you treat people when they leave matters a lot

People notice. It says a lot about a company.

For Anyone Going Through This

Keep your paperwork. Follow instructions. And if something feels off, speak up calmly and clearly.

I wasn’t going to share this publicly, but when your first message after leaving is a legal threat and you know you did everything right, silence didn’t feel right.

If you’ve been through something similar, I’d love to hear your story.

Let’s work toward workplaces that treat people with respect from start to finish.

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Thanks for reading and to everyone who’s shared support or similar stories. It means a lot.