Ownership
State that equipment remains company property at all times and cannot be transferred by the employee.
A formal contract clarifies responsibilities, protects company assets, and documents employee consent to device and data-use policies. It provides a written basis for recovery of costs, enforces security controls, and establishes procedures for lost, stolen, or damaged items — reducing administrative ambiguity and legal exposure.
Keep a signed copy in both HR and IT records and attach it to the employee’s personnel file and asset inventory for auditability.
HR Managers approve issuance and ensure the contract aligns with personnel policies; they retain the signed agreement in the employee record and manage return procedures at separation.
IT Asset Owners register devices, record serial numbers and configurations, and enforce security requirements such as encryption, MDM enrollment, and access controls tied to the contract.
State that equipment remains company property at all times and cannot be transferred by the employee.
Limit personal use if applicable, define prohibited activities, and link to acceptable use and data policies.
Require encryption, password standards, MDM enrollment, and immediate reporting of loss or theft.
Allocate responsibility for repair, replacement costs, and whether negligence increases employee liability.
Describe where and when assets must be returned, and outline inspection and settlement steps.
Specify payroll deduction consent, invoicing, or collection options for unrecovered costs.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signature Method | Email link with audit trail or SMS code for stronger attribution |
| Authentication | Optional SMS or SSO to match HR identity provider |
| Retention Policy | Store signed PDF and metadata for the retention period required |
| Access Controls | Restrict HR and IT edit permissions; read-only for managers |
Use a platform that supports secure signatures, audit trails, and exportable signed PDFs compatible with corporate archive systems.
Ensure the platform can produce an audit trail (timestamps, IP, signer email) and export signed files to your records system for retention and audits.
Record on issuance; starts custody obligations
Require return by last working day or specified deadline
Complete inspection within 5 business days of return
Notify employee of charges within 14 days of inspection
Retention begins on the issue date or last signature
| Document Type | HR Equipment Contract | Property Transfer Agreement |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership Clause | company retains title | title transfers to buyer |
| Return Requirement | ||
| Payroll Deduction | possible | not typical |
| Security Controls | required | not required |
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Envelope Cap | No cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies | Varies | Varies |
A startup issued laptops to remote hires and required MDM enrollment before shipping.
A clinic issued tablets to clinicians with patient access apps and strict HIPAA rules.