USAID to Remotely Wipe and Dispose of Former Employees' Abandoned Devices

USAID has decided not to collect devices abandoned by former workers, instead opting to wipe them remotely and mark them as disposed. An email sent to employees on Thursday, obtained by The Verge, outlines this new policy. Each terminated worker, whether a direct hire or contractor, will now be responsible for disposing of their equipment. However, the email does not specify whether this decision affects employees both within the continental U.S. and those stationed abroad. The announcement comes after a prolonged period of uncertainty for some former employees, who had been waiting months to send in their devices. In one of his early actions, President Donald Trump temporarily halted foreign aid funding and shut down most USAID programs. With over 10,000 employees posted overseas, this freeze left many in limbo. Former overseas workers were initially told they would receive shipping labels to return their devices but never received them, as reported by The Verge last month. A U.S.-based former employee described a chaotic process for returning their laptop at the end of February, where devices were carelessly thrown into large garbage bins. This method raises significant environmental concerns, as e-waste often contains hazardous materials such as lead and mercury, which can pollute landfills. Many states, including Washington, D.C., prohibit the disposal of certain electronics in standard trash due to these risks. The delay in device collection also posed serious security risks. Former employees continued to have access to work accounts and emails, even after termination. These devices could hold sensitive information, including personnel records, contact details, and bank data used for payments. By not retrieving these devices, the agency placed the responsibility on terminated workers to protect such confidential information. Remote wiping of the devices is intended to mitigate these security concerns. This practice is common among federal agencies to safeguard data on lost or stolen devices, as explained by a former government official who spoke to The Verge in March under conditions of anonymity. Once wiped, the devices become non-functional and cannot be easily reused. Former employees noted that the wiped devices would require a new operating system to function again, and their personal identification verification (PIV) cards for logging into USAID computers would no longer be valid. Typically, federal employees return their equipment upon leaving a position, and these devices are either reallocated to other staff, transferred to different federal agencies, donated to state and local agencies, or put up for public auction. Alternatively, they may be sent to a secure disposal facility. Under federal regulations, equipment valued at less than $10,000 can be retained, sold, or disposed of by recipients without further obligation to the federal agency. This decision, aimed at simplifying processes and reducing the burden on former employees, has drawn criticism for fostering waste. "Isn't that just such a waste," commented a former USAID employee, speaking anonymously due to the fear of repercussions. "They will all be unusable," they added, highlighting the environmental and logistical issues associated with abandoning functioning devices. The State Department, which now oversees any remaining USAID programs, declined to comment on the decision. The move reflects broader changes in how federal agencies manage their assets and highlights the challenges faced during transitions. While the new policy may offer immediate convenience, the long-term implications for security and sustainability remain a point of concern.