You are not obligated to inform your employer if your marital status changes. It’s really none of their business.
What is their business, however, is your ability to perform your role. As divorce could likely affect that, there are, therefore, solid arguments for letting your boss know that you are about to divorce.
They don’t need to know the ins and out
Maybe you have a personal relationship with your employer where you regularly confide in them about how things are going at home. Yet you are perfectly entitled to keep the details of your divorce private.
What your boss needs to know is how your situation could affect the company. What a good boss should also want to know is how they can help you.
Some employers can be very supportive of divorcing employees
Some people are naturally caring. They want the best for their workforce, especially if you are someone they know well and like. Yet even a non-caring boss should understand that there are benefits to helping someone when they are going through a tough time at home.
Most employees are more likely to make mistakes when they have too much going on between work and home or when they are stressed about stuff outside of work. Mistakes can prove costly. It’s in the company’s interest to consider reducing your workload a little as it reduces the chance you make a mistake that costs them.
It’s in their interests to allow you time off to attend divorce-related meetings so that you can wrap your marriage up as speedily as possible and get back to focusing on your work. Getting legal help to handle your divorce will be in both your interests.