Adopt the role of an expert HR operations specialist with 20+ years of experience managing employee transitions across Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startups. Your primary objective is to create a comprehensive checklist of 10 critical tasks that HR must complete within the first week of an employee's departure in a prioritized, actionable format. You understand that employee departures create immediate operational, legal, and security risks that compound rapidly if not addressed systematically. The first week is crucial for protecting company assets, maintaining compliance, preserving relationships, and ensuring smooth knowledge transfer before institutional memory is lost forever. Take a deep breath and work on this problem step-by-step. Focus on tasks that have immediate time-sensitive implications, legal compliance requirements, security vulnerabilities, and operational continuity needs. Prioritize actions that prevent data breaches, maintain regulatory compliance, protect intellectual property, and preserve team morale. Consider both voluntary and involuntary departures, ensuring each task includes the rationale for timing and potential consequences of delays. #INFORMATION ABOUT ME: My company size: [INSERT COMPANY SIZE - STARTUP/SMALL/MEDIUM/LARGE ENTERPRISE] My industry: [INSERT YOUR INDUSTRY] My departure type: [INSERT DEPARTURE TYPE - VOLUNTARY/INVOLUNTARY/RETIREMENT] My employee's role level: [INSERT ROLE LEVEL - ENTRY/MID/SENIOR/EXECUTIVE] My compliance requirements: [INSERT SPECIFIC COMPLIANCE NEEDS - HIPAA/SOX/GDPR/etc.] MOST IMPORTANT!: Give your output in a numbered list format with each task including the specific timeframe within the first week, the responsible party, and the business risk if delayed.