Tech engineer is put on PIP because of a review that was done while she was on maternity leave, despite receiving raises and bonuses: ‘Is this as problematic as it seems?’

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Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Nov 24, 2025 9:00 AM EST

A performance improvement plan isn't always a bad thing; Sometimes, your manager is genuinely looking out for you and wants you to succeed. Having a plan set in place to track your progress is a bit nerve-racking, but not always the nail in the coffin for your role.

Other times, PIP essentially means that your company is trying to get rid of you. I know, I know. That sounds evil, and that's because it is. Companies seldom believe their employees are irreplaceable, and if you're doing something they don't like, they'll find a way to sack you. Take the woman in this story, for example. She is an engineer for a tech company and had taken maternity leave because she was pregnant with her second child. In the course of her three-year stint at the company, she's received merit increases, bonuses, and the like. Not too shabby for a somewhat newbie, right? You'd think.

While she was on maternity leave, higher-ups conducted a review of her progress at the company, and when she returned, well… She was placed on PIP. Even though her new manager believes she doesn't need PIP, she still has to undergo a 60-day plan. What would you do in this situation?

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  • 01
    woman talking to man who is her supervisor
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    "Put on PIP based on review done while I was on maternity leave by manager who left - even though I got merit raises and retention bonus. What do I do?"

    I'm an engineer at a tech company and I'm trying to figure out if I'm overreacting or if this situation is as messed up as it feels.
    via remy624
  • 03
    Background: I've been at this company since January 2023. I've received three merit increases in under 3 years.
    via remy624
  • 04
    In July 2025, I got a significant retention bonus explicitly for my "valuable contributions and continued commitment." My team has high turnover and I'm clearly someone they want to keep.
    via remy624
  • 05
    The Timeline: August 2024: Announced my second pregnancy (my third child) at work - Shortly after: Director (filling in as manager) suddenly started criticizing my work, said it wasn't good enough for my role, asked if I even wanted to stay in this position, suggested I switch to a lower-paid role I took the feedback seriously and publicly pivoted my work in team standups - Late November 2024: Gave birth, started 20-week parental leave - Late February 2025: I received my full bonus for 2024 perf
    via remy624
  • 06
    woman holding newborn baby
    via Hollie Santos for Unsplash

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 07
    The old "needs improvement” rating automatically triggered a PIP requirement. My new manager explicitly told me: - He disagrees with the prior assessment - He thinks the old feedback was "super shady" He can already think of examples of my good work - He's on my side to get this resolved But we still have to go through a 60-day PIP process to "document my performance" so HR can remove the rating from my file by the March 2026 review cycle.
    via remy624
  • 08
    The Problem: Our company is under financial stress. Only "solid performers" and above get bonuses (reduced due to company performance).
    via remy624
  • 09
    I'm currently rated "needs improvement," which means zero bonus eligibility in March 2026. That's a substantial amount of money I'll lose.
    via remy624
  • 10
    The evaluable work period for March 2026 is basically just the few months I've worked under my new manager (since I was on leave from Late November 2024-April 2025, and he didn't start until September).
    via remy624
  • 11
    But I'm being penalized based on a rating from when I was literally not working. Additional Context: - Two coworkers were promoted in that same March 2025 review cycle (while I got "needs improvement") - We're a skeleton crew now - not hiring despite being understaffed - Company missed revenue targets (though exceeded profit targets) My Questions: 1.
    via remy624
  • 12
    Is it normal to have a performance review conducted while you're on parental leave without your ability to participate?
    via remy624
  • 13
    1. How can I simultaneously get a merit increase, full bonus, AND retention bonus while being rated "needs improvement"?
    via remy624
  • 14
    1. Should I be concerned that even with my manager's support, this PIP could be used against me if layoffs happen?
    via remy624
  • 15
    1. Am I crazy for feeling like the timing of the negative feedback (right after pregnancy announcement) is suspicious?
    via remy624
  • 16
    My manager says he'll work with HR to make sure this doesn't affect my bonus, but I'm not confident he fully understands how the rating system works.
    via remy624
  • 17
    I'm documenting everything and updating my resume just in case. Am I overreacting, or is this as problematic as it seems?
    via remy624
  • 18
    Edit to add: The retention bonus letter literally said I was being recognized for my "valuable contributions and continued commitment" while simultaneously having a "needs improvement" rating on file.
    via remy624
  • 19
    How does that make sense?
    via remy624
  • 20
    Mysterious_9191 How's it fair to have a performance review conducted when you're on parental leave? Is that something you can bring it up with HR?
    via Mysterious_9191
  • 21
    bluesunlion How would you even have a valid PIP if you were on leave, and never met for your performance review? If I were HR, I'd think that was an invitation for a labor investigation and legal liability.
    via bluesunlion
  • 22
    avazah I'm former HR (now I'm industry adjacent) and I agree. I used to work heavily with LOA and something like this would be a massive red flag and the orgs I've worked at would shut it down asap, really easy way to get sued.
    via avazah
  • 23
    remy624 It is 100% not fair. Pip-ing someone on comments made 8 months ago while I wasn't there to participate is wild. I think my manager doesn't have leverage to change the process (or doesn't want to rock the boat because he's new). Which in and of itself is problematic. I don't know if I want to go to hr and open myself up to more scrutiny, or just prepare myself to interview elsewhere if need be. I'm coming up on three years there so maybe it's the signal that I deserve better.
    via remy624

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