Why employees shouldn’t donate or give away clothing and hats with company logos

(Story by Teresa A. Hall)

It’s not uncommon, especially after the holidays, to box up clothes, hats and other items that no longer fit for donation to second-hand stores like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. But employees are urged to never donate or give away company-issued hats or clothing with an AEP or operating company logo out of concern the items could fall into the wrong hands.

Employees are urged to never donate or give away company-issued hats or clothing with an AEP or operating company logo out of concern the items could fall into the wrong hands.

The issue came to light late last year when two people dressed as AEP employees made their way into the home of an elderly woman in Mabscott, W.Va. The incident is a reminder that the public should always ask for a company ID before letting someone in their home. It’s also a reminder that employees should never donate or give away company-issued clothing or hats with an AEP or operating company logo. The biggest concern is that the items could be used by an impersonator or scam artist.

If clothing no longer fits and is in good shape with current logos, employees may want to see if the items could be of use to a co-worker. If the items aren’t needed or are simply worn out, employees should always cut or shred the items and then throw them away.

“Protecting our customers is of primary concern in situations like this and outweighs our reluctance to throw away a perfectly good article of clothing,” said Jeri Matheney, Appalachian Power’s communications director. “Another concern is protecting our corporate reputation.”

T-shirts or other items that have AEP or an operating company listed as a sponsor of an event can be safely given away to friends and family or donated.