I just failed PIP, should I ask for management to terminate my employment? [closed]

Question

Today (June 19th) is my last day of my Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) and I know I failed it because my boss told me I am not passing. As of right now, I have not receive a notice termination. I do have a job lined up so I would rather for the company to terminate me rather than resigning myself. I live in British Columbia, Canada, so I am entitled to severance if I am fired for performance issue.

I want the company to officially announce my termination as working here is giving me too much stress and anxiety. Should I take the initiative and reach out to my boss about how we should move forward after failing my PIP? Or should I wait it out? My boss will be taking a two week long vacation starting on the 21st of June 2023.

Answer 1

Or should I wait it out?

Yes.

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I have accepted an offer from another company. I start on (Monday) July 10th. I am required to give 14 day notice.

Begin removing personal items at work today.

Provide 2-week notice on the end of the work week (about this Friday, June 23). @Stephan Branczyk

• Perform as well as able this week and up to your last work-day.

• Boss on vacation - irrelevant. If needed, work with your boss's boss or whoever is the temporary replacement.

• "I would rather for the company to terminate me rather than resigning myself." --> Weak goal. Rather than trying to optimize any payout from the current company, focus on the next step in your career. Do what makes most sense to start that job right.

Look forward, not back.
Good luck.

Answer 2

None of us are mind-readers and can predict whether your boss will fire you or not. If you want to know for sure, just ask him/her ASAP ideally before they go on a vacation.

As you mentioned, you are starting a new job soon. As such, try to have this conversation ASAP. If it's not the outcome you want, give your resignation.

Also I should add, it seems like you don't like this job and you are actively trying to get fired intentionally. It's bit unprofessional behavior. If you don't like a job, you are supposed to resign / sue them (if you have a basis). If they are being unprofessional, the solution is not to stoop at their level. You should maintain professional integrity regardless.

Answer 3

If you can afford being unemployed for 3 days and if you would like to leave your current company with the best impression, I would give notice today.

You mention the job is causing you stress and anxiety, and you already have your next job lined up.

Just looking at the calendar: today is June 20, so if you have a 2-week notice today, your last day of work would be 4 July. You have a confirmed start date of 10 July; assuming you're working a usual M-F schedule, that would leave you between jobs for a total of 3 days, (5-7 July).

Since your boss is leaving for two weeks starting tomorrow, giving notice after he's out of the office might be a way to avoid confronting him. Not sure if that's your goal or relevant to the objective of your PIP. Not having that interaction may also be viewed as cowardly; we can't read your boss's mind or what his issues are with your performance.

I would give notice phrasing it this way: "I anticipate my last working day to be 04 July, but am willing to work through 07 July to facilitate the transition, if requested."

Depending on your company's policies and whatever you've got going on with your PIP, the company may ask you to not come back the day you give notice, so be prepared for that, as well.

But...

All that being said, there's another way I could be reading your question: have you been purposely (consciously or unconsciously) giving your company reasons to terminate you so you can collect a severance? Already having another job lined up, it seems like you've been preparing to leave anyway. Are you playing chicken with your company, seeing who blinks first, hoping to collect a severance on your way out the door?

Answer 4

There's a chance that they are aware of your job offer, and see it as a beautiful solution to the dilemma of what to do with you. Letting you be hired away is their cheapest option, and its spares everyone awkward meetings, bad feelings, etc. They're not worried about 2-1/2 weeks of your salary.

Asking management to terminate your employment is bizarre. It seems like you don't understand how unemployment works. Right off the bat you get no payments for the first week. Then you only get 55% of your wage, capped at $650 per week. And it's not free money - they can ding your employer for that, and even go after you to recover it if you're high-paying. Being terminated for cause also affects your eligibility.

And if you're shy about talking to your boss, how will you feel when the employer objects and you have to go into an audit and fight for your claim.

This all sounds like a clever plan to get less money lol.

Keep working. On June 23, give your notice to whoever your direct report is while your boss is away - a coworker assigned to cover for your boss, their boss, HR, whoever. It is common to fire a person "on the spot" and have security watch them collect their items and walk them out of the building. It's also common to let them work the two weeks, do transition planning, have you train your replacement, etc. Hard to say how it'll go.

"Letting you work out the 2 weeks" is the best scenario and you get 100% of pay.

"Firing you immediately for giving 2 week notice" - guess what that is! That's a termination without cause! So you get your wish and are legally entitled to unemployment. Nothing for the first week then 55% for the second week. 27.5% pay! Awesome! Yes, they will protest you resigned, but you will point out you resigned as of July 10 so you're certainly entitled to 2 weeks of unemployment. (week 1 being $0).

Answer 5

PIP basically means "we plan to fire you, and are working on the best way to get you to make mistakes so we can accelerate the process"--you have a target on you, and they definitely plan to fire you. Your boss and HR are definitely not your friends; they will never be "on your side".

If you work in the software industry, never allow yourself to become fired (because of the impact on career reputation); instead, just resign if you are at all unhappy--you are in the driver's seat here. There are so many opportunities available in software--don't be afraid of the future.

Ignore the 14 days notification--just quit; send an email to HR and your boss saying you immediately resign. But be sure to get your belongings, etc, out of the office before sending the notification.