Taking Office Chairs When Leaving a Job

Whether an employee can take an office chair when leaving a job mainly depends on the funding source for the chair's purchase and the company's relevant regulations, with the core principle being 'who funds it, owns it'. This can be divided into the following scenarios:

If the office chair is fully purchased by the employee at their own expense, it belongs to the employee's personal property, and they have the right to take it when leaving the job. For example, an employee who finds the company-issued chair uncomfortable spends 28,000 yuan to buy a lumbar-support office chair. The invoice shows the employee as the payer, and when moving it in, they informed the administration, which did not consider it company property. In this case, the employee has full ownership of the chair, and the company has no right to demand its return. Before leaving, the employee should keep purchase documents such as invoices and payment records to prove ownership and avoid potential disputes.

If the office chair is uniformly purchased and distributed by the company, it belongs to the company's fixed assets, and the employee only has the right to use it and must return it when leaving the job. The company purchases office chairs to meet daily office needs, and their ownership belongs to the company. During use, employees only have the right to use them and do not have the right to dispose of them. When leaving, employees should return the chairs to the designated location according to company regulations to facilitate subsequent asset management and allocation.

If there is a mixed situation such as company subsidies or joint funding by the individual and the company, it should be handled through negotiation based on the original agreement or common practice. In this case, the ownership of the office chair may be more complex, requiring clarification of the funding ratio and agreement between the two parties at the time of purchase. If there is a written agreement, it should be followed; if not, the company's common practice or the result of mutual negotiation can be used as a reference. For example, the company may subsidize part of the cost, and the employee covers the rest. The two parties can negotiate that the employee pays the subsidized amount to take the chair when leaving or returns the chair to the company, which refunds the amount paid by the employee.