The term PIP comes from the federal government. In the federal government you can only be put on a PIP if you have a performance appraisal in which at least one critical element is "Unacceptable." You can't be put on a PIP for conduct, including attendance issues.

In my company, anyone with attendance issues eventually gets put on a PIP.

Ditto about not messing up to be on a PIP. I had a coworker who was put on a PIP. Her only fault was out shining the person in charge.

Anonymous wrote:In my last job, the PIP was the precursor to the firing...not a way to improve performance. It was a way to cover our ass to avoid both a lawsuit and having to pay severance.


But lets be honest...if you've messed up enough to be on a PIP...you probably shouldn't be surprised with a termination.

You do not have to mess up to be on a pip

Anonymous wrote:Large financial firm in tysons fires people on PIPs and does NOT pay severance.

In fact the main reason employees get put on PIPs is to prepare them to get fired without severance.

By the time you are on a PIP you are a target and will be fired within 6 months.

HR is there to protect the corporation not you folks.

:waves:

Hi fellow coworker!

Indeed. Pips there are a heads up it's time to go.

Do you have a contract, collectively bargained or otherwise, that contains a severance provision? If not, its probably at the company's discretion. But many companies will give you the severance to get the release of claims. If the policy manual does not have appropriate disclaimer language and promises severance, it may be binding on the company but it really depends on the language in the policy.

In my last job, the PIP was the precursor to the firing...not a way to improve performance. It was a way to cover our ass to avoid both a lawsuit and having to pay severance.


But lets be honest...if you've messed up enough to be on a PIP...you probably shouldn't be surprised with a termination.

There is no law or regulation that would control this. It is up to the company.

Large financial firm in tysons fires people on PIPs and does NOT pay severance.

In fact the main reason employees get put on PIPs is to prepare them to get fired without severance.

By the time you are on a PIP you are a target and will be fired within 6 months.

HR is there to protect the corporation not you folks.

Depends on the policy. The employer can do whatever they want as long as it is consistent and nondiscriminatory. If it is their policy to provide severance for anything but a cause termination, you may get it. If they provide it only for RIFs or ad-hoc for stick situations, then you may not.

I would first look closely at the policy. If you don't have a written policy, then it is an internal informal procedure and it will just depend on what they have done in the past.

I'm not sure what right you would have to severance payment regardless of whether you were on a PIP. Do you have an employment agreement or is severance provided for in the employee handbook? If not, it's really at the discretion of the company to pay severance or not; usually in exchange for you signing a release of all claims against the company.

Not a lawyer, but have had to fire a couple people over the last 2 years. All were on PIPs before they were terminated. Most got severance-- one did not, but the reason for termination was flagrant violation of company policy.

Any labor lawyers out there? If you have been with a company for say 12 years and the company normally pays out 2 or 3 weeks of severance per year of employment, do you still get your severance if you were put on a PIP prior to being let go?