Taking a leave of absence
So I've been with my firm (BB NYC) for six years now and up for VP promotion next year. Lately, I've been going through some unknown health issues. Paid many visits to the hospital, ran many tests, but doctors haven't a clue of what's going on - so no diagnosis yet. Would like to take a year off and go back to my country of birth (Singapore) to find out if there's something really wrong, but not sure when's the right time to ask.
Are BBs receptive of letting employees take a leave? (Preliminary conversations with HR have been rather dry.) Should I make the ask now or after I get my VP promotion? Would appreciate any advice.
bump
Hey, bro - Sorry to hear about what you're going through. Your health comes first. My personal advice would be to seek treatment sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed, it's something benign, but you never know. New York has some of the best medical institutions in the country (maybe even the world), so perhaps it's worth getting a second or third opinion? Alternatively, if you have a good relationship with your superiors, you could ask for an internal transfer to the Singapore office and explain what you're going through. They should be understanding of your situation. Recognize that it's very possible you may not have the same seat and latitude when you're ready to return because things change rapidly in an industry like ours, but that's no reason not to take care of yourself now. PM me if you want to chat more.
Thank you for the advice. I guess communication with my superiors will be key, but unsure when to make the ask or even to consult - before or after promotion. Do you have experience taking a personal leave?
You said you're up for promotion in a year, right? Regardless of your professional situation, I just think that's too long to neglect your health. You know yourself best and you know how manageable your symptoms are, so if you think you can tough it out then wait. Otherwise, how good is your relationship with your team and do they think highly of you? Are you someone they want to retain? If the answer's yes all around, then I think you should speak to them sooner rather than later.
Sorry to hear about your health issues. I’m in the exact same situation. I know my firm (BB in APAC) has a medical leave policy and you can take up to 3 months paid leave. You can try speak to your occupational health team first - at my firm they are very helpful in providing medical support (doctor recommendations and second opinions) and leave support AND the conversations are strictly confidential so your manager will not know. Maybe do this first and see how serious of a problem they think this is and whether you need to be on leave right away? If you need to take leave now, it will most likely have an impact on your promotion. But then, is promotion really that important for you compared to your health? That’s a personal call. Also, would not recommend transferring back to Singapore office - the skillsets for banking in Asia are very different from the US and it’s a much more intense work culture. Most people I know that transferred back (including myself) wish we had stayed in NY. PM me if you want to discuss!
In similar situation as you guys. Not exactly medical, but contemplating a 6-8 months leave to be with my S/O - we got married when I was ASO1 but couldn't even go on a honeymoon and bascially been absent for her for the past 3 years. Trying to fix relationship now. Not sure though if I should mention this to HR/firm. Anyways, how did it go with you guys? Did you get the leave that you needed?
I honestly would have threatened to resign if they prevented me from going on honeymoon. Culture in the US seems terrible
OP, how did it go?
Good luck
I hope you can get better soon. Refuah shlemah. Hope to see you back soon guy
Life is short. Prioritize your health over everything else. Take the leave and think about coming back later. I left banking during my last year of associate for personal reasons because the firm's HR couldn't accommodate. However, I maintained very good relationships with the team, especially the MD and Head of IBD and managed to come back as associate 3 a year-and-a-half later. I also got my VP promotion a year later.
As long as your reputation is good, you had good reasons for taking the leave, and you're not too senior (i.e. Director or above), I'm confident that you'll be able to find a job at another bank after a 1-1.5 year leave. Don't worry too much about getting a job. Worry about your health.
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