Is It Fair to Face Termination a Year After a PIP Deadline? Seeking Advice on Job Role Concerns

Performance Improvement Plan and Job Role Concerns

I need your help. I am working in a consultancy as a recruiter. When I gave the interview, they didn't have the complete job description. They told me it was for a coordination role. I agreed and joined. Two months after joining, my manager put me on a performance improvement plan (PIP), saying that I was not performing well. He assigned me the responsibility of a recruiter and put me on PIP, even though I agreed and completed my work. After the PIP deadline, I waited for my manager's final conclusion on my performance, but he didn't respond or meet with me. I sent him many emails to discuss this, but he didn't respond. After a year, during the COVID-19 situation, he mentioned that he is looking for candidates with more experience and responsibility, which my profile doesn't suit.

He is indicating that if HR decides on termination, I have to leave within 15 days, or it's better for me to resign on my own terms to serve the notice period.

Validity of the PIP Decision

My question is, if they put someone on a PIP in January 2019, and the deadline was February 2019, can they come back after a year in February 2020 and still consider it valid?

I am unsure what to do in this situation as I don't have any job offers at the moment.

Understanding Your Situation

From your post, it is clear that you were on a 2-month PIP, which you have cleared without further feedback from your managers. Since then, you have been continually working on your role. Due to this pandemic situation with COVID-19, many companies are downsizing and trying to save costs. Therefore, if your manager is asking you to resign, it may not be due to your performance but rather because of the current situation. If he had concerns about your performance, he likely would have addressed them a few months after your PIP. So, it seems the scenario is different.

Considering the Company's Situation

You know your company's situation better than us. If your company is also trying to save costs, that could be a reason for your situation. While it is unethical for any employer to act this way in such a critical situation, there may not be much that can be done as the situation is challenging for everyone.

Exploring Options

You can request a meeting with your manager and ask for an extended notice period. This will give you more time to find a new job, or you could propose extending the notice period with a salary cut. Again, considering the situation is not entirely within your control, exploring these options could be helpful. Many people are facing similar circumstances, with some being forced to stay at home without pay or experiencing pay cuts.

Performance Review and PIP Concerns

Today, I received an email from my manager stating that due to my poor performance, he is not satisfied. He has scheduled a call with HR for next week. Before sending this email, my manager and I had a discussion over the phone. After I submitted an update on my PIP plan, he mentioned that he was pleased with my work and wanted more experienced individuals to handle operations. This was not part of the goals outlined in the PIP plan when they hired me.

However, he has now completely changed his stance, attributing all mistakes to me in his email. I informed him that I am not in a position to resign immediately as the job market is unfavorable at the moment. I will continue searching for a new job and will resign once I secure an offer, even if it takes 3 to 6 months. I requested him to provide me with some time, but he did not agree.

Concerns About PIP Duration and Company Stability

Regarding potential downsizing and salary cuts due to the pandemic, I do not foresee any issues with the company as they recently hired a few employees. In his email today, he mentioned that my performance during the 9-month PIP period was unsatisfactory. I am confused about the duration of the PIP; should it be 6 or 9 months? In my understanding, it typically lasts for 1 or 2 months.

He wrongly indicated in the email that I have been on a 1-year PIP, which is not the case. He was supposed to meet me much earlier. I am unsure how to handle this situation.