RES-NEWSLETTER-QUITTING-RBT — BACB Newsletter: RBTs Quitting Without Sufficient Notice (Mar 2023)
What does RES-NEWSLETTER-QUITTING-RBT say?
The BACB addressed the issue of RBTs leaving positions without adequate notice. Key guidance: (1) RBT Ethics Code 1.04 requires RBTs to assist with service transitions and follow reasonable policies for discontinuation. (2) While the BACB cannot enforce employment contracts, leaving without notice may constitute an ethical violation if it harms clients. (3) The BACB will generally not accept a Notice of Alleged Violation solely based on an RBT's departure from employment. (4) If the departure results in actual client harm (missed critical services, behavior regression), there may be grounds for an ethics complaint. (5) Organizations should have policies and contingency plans for unexpected staff departures. (6) Supervisors and BCBAs should use the Continuity of Services Toolkit to prepare for such situations. (7) Creating a hostile work environment that causes RBTs to leave abruptly may itself be an ethical concern for the supervising BCBA.
Official source: read the full text in the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (2022) (official document).