If you work, you likely depend on that income to run your household. Your income will be crucial if you are divorcing so you probably do not want to upset your employer and lose your job.
They can’t fire you because you are divorcing, but they potentially could if your divorce affects your work too much. Note, they still wouldn’t be filing you because of your divorce, but because your work is no longer meeting the required standards.
As divorce will almost certainly affect your work, telling your employer is usually a good idea.
It can help them to understand your situation
Let’s say you choose not to tell your employer. They are left wondering why you seem distracted or why you snapped at a customer. They might just figure it is because you have had enough of the job or have another offer, when the reality is that you’re stressed and short on sleep due to the emotional turmoil of the divorce.
Or, maybe you turn up late to work a number of mornings running. Your employer might assume you no longer care when the reality is you moved out of the family home to the other side of town making it harder to drop your child at nursery and still get to work on time. Plus, if you need extra time off to deal with court hearings or mediation sessions, your employer may be more accommodating.
By telling your employer that you are divorcing, it allows them to understand why you might not be performing the same.
It allows them to offer help
Some employers can be incredibly helpful when an employee is going through a divorce. Maybe they have been through one themselves so know how tough it can be. Or perhaps they just value their staff as people, not just as workers. If your employer knows, they might offer you flexibility in your hours or offer to ease your workload temporarily.
You don’t have to tell your employer you are divorcing, but doing so could help you both.
