One of my friends has been laid off. When I talked to him, he said they didn't let him take a copy of anything he worked on. When he asked how to show what he worked on to another employer in an interview, he was told that he will have some explaining to do.

Should we, as programmers, be allowed to take samples of our previous work former employers? What sources of code should we be expected to show off in an interview? When almost every employer asks for sample work, how are we to justify what can be sent? Is it our responsibility to maintain after-work projects for our entire life so we have code we can legally show to our next employer?