Laptop with GE employee data stolen

An employee laptop containing the names and social security numbers of 50,000 current and former General Electric workers was stolen from a hotel room this month, the company said.

Russell Wilkerson, GE director of financial communications, said he has no reason to believe private information was accessed, but he said the company is taking steps to protect employees and it is working with authorities to try to recover the laptop.

GE is notifying all affected workers via letter and is providing protection against identity fraud, Wilkerson said. That includes including credit monitoring and insurance against losses resulting from identity theft for one year.