Background <p>Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a group of centrally mediated inflammatory disorders characterized by symptoms such as seizures, cognitive deficits, psychiatric symptoms, and movement disorders, often requiring prolonged hospitalization and rehabilitation. Although studies have explored the prognosis of patients with autoimmune encephalitis (AE), the return to work (RTW), a crucial indicator of quality of life, remains under-researched. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the RTW status and its influencing factors among AE patients one year post-discharge, providing new evidence for clinical practice and facilitating optimized rehabilitation management and improved quality of life for these patients.</p> Methods <p>This prospective observational study was conducted from August 2021 to April 2024 and included 124 AE patients who were recruited from the neurology department of a tertiary hospital in Southwest China. Demographic, disease-related, and work-related questionnaires as well as a social support rating scale (SSRS)and the Modified rankin scale (mRS) were used to collect data. The RTW status and current work characteristics of the patients were assessed via telephone interviews one year after discharge. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of RTW status.</p> Results <p>Approximately 46.2% of AE patients returned to work within one year after discharge. Logistic regression analysis revealed that AE patients who were the primary contributors to family income, had fewer children, had high levels of social support, or had low mRS scores were more likely to return to work.</p> Conclusions <p>At one year post-discharge, the RTW rate among AE patients was significantly low, influenced by the complex cultural context of Chinese society. Early identification of low-risk RTW patients and targeted interventions to enhance work motivation and readiness are essential for supporting successful RTW in AE populations.</p>