I always just tell everyone to ask the LOD. Unfortunately that then prompts the LOD to immediately call me. As the signing specialist it is my job to know and to say that because of copyright laws and licensing, we cannot give out any signing (actually it is that we are required to destroy any signing, but guests take that really hard and usually use the fact that it is trash to push harder for it). So, if you ask me, I have to say that, or technically I wouldn't be doing my job. I always refer to the LOD though because really whatever they says goes, and they can overrule me. I used to get a mixed bag of answers, but now they all default to me. I always feel like I'm ruining everyone's day, but I don't want to get fired, and I would hate to see someone else get fired for taking a sign out of the trash.
<sigh> I wish people would stop saying "copyright laws" prevent giving away signs. Copyright laws *only* prohibit people from *reproducing* something that is copyrighted. Unless you are actually manufacturing whole new signs in store, you are not violating copyright laws.
Giving a sign to a guest may violate a *licensing agreement*. This is a *contract* between Target and whoever gave them the signage, and there could potentially (but not always) be a clause in that contract that prohibits Target from giving the signs to someone else. Because stores do not have access to the text of these contracts, no one at the store level can make the determination whether or not giving away a sign violate the contract. Yes, that includes the STL. The fact is, they simply don't know what the agreement says.
(FYI - you have entered licensing agreements probably dozens or even hundreds of times your self. Ever install a piece of software? Usually you have to accept a licensing agreement. This is basically restricting what you can do with the software. For example, when you install Windows Home edition the licensing agreement may say that you agree only to use the software on a computer at home and not at a company.)
Now, could Target "get in trouble" if a TM gave away a sign to a guest? Sure, but only so far as the company the sign belonged to decided to take the matter. The most the company could do? Take Target to civil court for breach of contract. This is because violation of licensing agreement (a contract) is a violation of civil not criminal law. Now, in reality, would a company be stupid enough to do that? Would that company dump thousands of dollars down the drain in litigation expenses AND risk ending a very lucrative business arrangement with Target over a sign? Extremely unlikely. And what could the company hope to gain? In civil court you have to prove damages. Could that company legally prove that they were "damaged" because a random TM gave away a sign to a random person? Probably not.... at least not more than perhaps the cost of the sign. So maybe after dumping thousands of dollars in litigation costs, they might get compensated for the cost of the sign. Maybe 25 cents.
So, take the software licensing agreement I mentioned. Totally unknown to you, you probably have violated the terms of software license agreements more times than you could count. (have you ever actually read the 100+ page contract you agree to when you install software before clicking "I Accept"?) But, do that company ever sue you? Absolutely not. Could they? Hell yes. But to whose benefit? So they can dump thousands in litigation expenses to possibly get a small cash sum from you? Or so they can cause themselves a PR nightmare for suing the poor end user who was ignorant they violated some clause in their agreement?
The fact is, licensing agreements basically exists as a way for companies to cover their ass in the case of real a** holes who want to completely screw them over. For example, take some clever IT guy who decides to buy up 1000 copies of Windows 7 Home edition and install them on 1000 corporate computers for his company. Windows 7 Home edition costs way less than Windows 7 Enterprise edition. He could have just easily cheated Microsoft out of $300,000. Is he getting sued? Yup. If you have a small business with 2 or 3 computers at home and technically should be installing Windows 7 Pro according to the agreement and not Home, are you getting sued? Nope.
Nevertheless, in the corporate world, being known for not doing your utmost to meet your contract responsibilities is terrible for business.... and if it became a pattern (i.e. hundreds of stores were doing it all the time), then yes, litigation might occur.
Like I said before, the biggest risk is to the TM not Target.... because that TM could easily be nailed by AP for causing "loss" to the company, and they could even twist it to theft for giving away company property. (which, btw, is a violation of criminal law not civil law.... so unlike the IT guy that ripped off $300,000 above and only gets sued with no nail time, you, the retail worker making minimum wage and "stealing" a 25 cent sign, go to jail. Lesson here? White collar crime pays.)