From what I've read, full disk encryption was optional in the House until very recently. If this was a shared machine it's almost certainly not encrypted.
full disk encryption is also possible with a shared computer. TPM and PBA are some keywords
Absolutely it's possible, but as it was a shared computer, it's also likely to be one of the oldest in the fleet. It's also likely to be one that no one bothers to ask for specific attention to. As a result, it's likely that no full disk encryption was ever applied.
Possible? Very. Likelihood of the computer's login password and thus hard drive decryption key attached to the computer's screen with a post-it note thus obviating the protection gained from full disk encryption? On a shared computer, high.
For a computer most will use the back of the keyboard :)
The user doesn't need to enter a password if they are using a TPM.
If they stole the laptop, they also stole the TPM inside the laptop, so having the key stored there doesn't help.
True. I was thinking they'd be using their centralized accounts once they reach the OS logon screen, thus no post-it necessary, but maybe that's not the case.