This Law Firm Publication by Jackson Lewis P.C. discusses the North Carolina Property Protection Act (NCPPA), House Bill 405. Under this law, which becomes effective on January 1, 2016, North Carolina employers will be able to recover monetary damages for their employees' unauthorized access and property theft. The NCPPA, written broadly to cover property owners of all sizes, makes it illegal to record, photograph or take documents or materials, including financial information, patient records, consumer data and trade secrets, from any non-public area. Parties who intentionally assist or direct others in violating the act are jointly liable. Rather than authorize criminal penalties for violators, the NCPPA allows employers to recover compensatory damages and attorney's fees, as well as exemplary damages of $5,000 for each day the law is violated.