Exiting the workplace

For employees diagnosed with dementia, it is a progressive disease and there will come a time when your employee is no longer able to carry out the essential duties of their job. For dementia care partners, there may come a time that they choose to leave the organization to focus on care giving.

If you know that your employee will be leaving your workplace at some point in the future, it is a good idea to speak to them about:

• Succession planning, including steps that you can take together to ensure there is someone ready to move into their role upon their departure.
• Any available employee benefits programs, including any financial planning, retirement planning, short- or long-term disability, life insurance, and how their access to benefits changes after their departure.
• How they would like to share the news of their departure with staff and stakeholders.
• Whether or not they would like a gathering or some type of recognition to mark their departure, and what would make it comfortable for them.
• Any pre-departure requirements, such as returning equipment or other artifacts owned by the organization, terminate signing authority, and receive record of employment.

If your employee is leaving your workplace with little to no notice, it is still appropriate for you or the member of your organization responsible for employment to ensure they have:

• Information about available employee benefits programs.
• Completed pre-departure requirements.

You can also ask how they would share the news of their departure with staff and stakeholders, and, if appropriate, if they are interested in a gathering or some type of recognition to mark their departure at a later date.