When any employee leaves your firm, regardless of whether they are leaving of their own accord or are being terminated, you need to ensure that your systems are protected. Promptly close all the departed employee’s points of access to your office and computer systems. This includes physical access with keys or access cards, as well as access to computer systems (e.g., login accounts and passwords, e-mail accounts and remote access).

If you discharge an employee who has access to critical company data, let them go without notice, and don’t allow them any access to a computer. There are literally dozens of steps you should complete systematically to make sure all points of access for departed employees are closed down.

This employee departure checklist (Word format and PDF format) will help you systematically review and lockdown all a departed employee’s access points.

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