Resignation and Office Chair

Whether an office chair can be taken away upon resignation depends on the specific circumstances, primarily on who purchased the office chair and the company's management policies. Here is a detailed analysis:

Can be taken away if self-purchased and evidence is sufficient

If the office chair is purchased by the employee at their own expense, they have the right to claim it upon resignation. For example, an employee, dissatisfied with the company-provided office chair and finding the replacement process cumbersome, spent 28,000 yuan on a lumbar-support office chair and retained the purchase invoice and communication records with the administrative department, successfully taking it away upon resignation. In another case, an employee spent 50,000 yuan on a Herman Miller Embody office chair and, due to self-purchase and sufficient evidence, claimed it upon resignation. The key is to retain purchase documents (such as invoices and payment records) and communication records with the company (such as emails and chat logs) to prove the ownership of the office chair.

Usually cannot be taken away if it is company property

If the office chair is company property, employees generally do not have the right to take it away upon resignation. The ownership of company property belongs to the company, and employees only have the right to use it, which should be returned upon resignation. However, if there are management lapses in the company, such as failing to clearly inform employees of the ownership rules for self-purchased items, or if employees can prove that the company has tacitly allowed them to use self-purchased items (such as long-term use without being stopped), disputes may arise. For example, an employee had a dispute with HR upon resignation because their self-purchased office chair was mistaken for company property. Eventually, the company leader confirmed that the chair was purchased by the employee at their own expense and disciplined the relevant HR personnel. The core of such disputes lies in the sufficiency of evidence, and employees need to prove the purchaser of the office chair and the company's tacit attitude.

Precautions

When dealing with the issue of office chairs upon resignation, it is important to handle it properly to avoid unnecessary disputes. It is recommended that employees communicate with the company to confirm the ownership rules before purchasing an office chair and retain relevant evidence; upon resignation, actively negotiate with the company to clarify the ownership of items and avoid conflicts due to misunderstandings. If the company refuses to return a self-purchased office chair, employees can safeguard their rights through legal channels based on the retained evidence.