I worked at my current company for 2 years. I got a promotion in first 6 months. I have been a high performing employee. i took over all the work, trained everyone and kept the ship afloat when my manager went on her maternity leave. I got pregnant after and let my company know. I also hired and trained a team to get the work done. My manager started lashing out on me on unreasonable things after she came back. I thought she was trying to establish her control again or was going through something so I let it go. She has been trying to find my faults in random things even petty small things. I was very polite but she wouldn't leave any opportunity to highlight the minor issues in emails to entire group and higher ups. I went on vacation and before I left there was a problem in one of my projects. I was swamped with work and put in so much extra effort to fix the problem which I did. After I came back, she completely changed. She started assigning my projects to other people, took over my team without asking me. she still kept on belittling me, making sarcastic comments. She started hiding things from me. She escalated her attacks on me and in my review, gave me a performance improvement plan. Before that she lashed out at me in front of my colleagues and my direct reports, blamed me for things as if trying to set me up. HR was there in my review and she gave me a PIP which was fabricated. She didn't care that I was 9 months pregnant, so close to my labor. All she cared was how I'm going to transition my projects and kept on reminding me of that. I tried to explain my position to the HR but it was of no use. i couldn't resist but writing a rebuttal to that PIP explaining my story with facts and evidence. My health was deteriorating. After I wrote my response, They discussed all the points and the higher ups acknowledged that' it's a miscommunication problem but the manager didn't back down. Eventually the HR sided with her and they retracted few points but didn't take the entire PIP back. No one seemed to notice my pregnancy and that I was in so much stress etc etc, all they cared was me to improve in my 9th month on things that were made up. the higher ups agreed with me on everything but said that they cant do anything to help. My doctor was worried about my health and took me out due to health reasons which led me to start my maternity a month early. They stopped my PIP but wanted to start the clock once I came back after the leave. they even wanted me to blame my direct report but I didn't do that. My doctor removed me from that situation but it put me through a lot of stress. Upon return, they gave me the same PIP on the first day so I gave notice the same day. I wonder if this is a norm in most companies?
Cars
Yesterday
1297
Why are Americans obsessed with SUV?
Software Engineering Career
Yesterday
3719
28 terrorist worshipping idiots just got themselves fired and I've never been prouder to work at Google.
Tech Industry
10h
1859
Go woke, go broke: Google fires 28 employees involved in pro-Hamas protest
Tech Industry
Yesterday
25137
Goog Employees Arrested
Health & Wellness
4h
2808
Why are women naked in gym?
Sue their asses. PIPing a 9 month pregnant lady is just brutal. There are always two sides to a story, but in this case, I don't even have to listen to the other side. The fact that they PIPed you while you were about to go on maternity leave just shows how bad your manager is. Sue. You will never have to work for someone again!
But they didn't pip her based on her pregnancy, it was performance based. That's clear since the person who piped her was literally pregnant herself
The truth doesn’t matter in this case, but merely the circumstances surrounding the event is enough for a great lawyer to convince a judge of wrong doing. It smells bad and looks bad. It will be hard for the company to backpedal. Also, a doctor had to intervene on declining health. You can try to screw them on pregnancy risk alone.
NOT NORMAL. This is an old strategy tech companies used to use to get rid of people. Please contact an employment lawyer and get opinions. I wish you didn't leave as it sounds like they were about to do an improper termination. Either way you probably still have them for harrassment and evidence they essentially forced you out with lies. Especially if you have evidence of your work and success, contact an attorney. It is bullshit how you were treated and the people involved need to know they can't use people like this. :( Lastly you kept "letting it go" throughout, it would have been much better to push back constantly and harder. Especially if you have evidence. You should be treated relative to your worth and if they are not, hold them accountable ASAP rather than let it build and build. Your manager essentially bullied you. :/ Bullshit, hope their startup gets named and shamed.
My stare at that point of time when I was going through this was to get peace and protect my baby. My health was so bad that the most obvious choice was to take myself out of that negativity. I was on bed rest after I left and was focusing on my health. I agree that I shouldn't have let it go. It was my first job and for the most part I couldn't believe what was happening and why. I agree I was bullied and I let it go to avoid any confrontation in the last month of my pregnancy. I have learnt my lesson. However, they got away with it still bothers me.
usually you cant pip without evidence. But you could take advantage of the recent women's right movement and purse legal action! Lawyer up
Well the evidence was made up and I did write a rebuttal to counter it. They took down few points which shows that they didn't think before accusing me. I had more evidence to prove my points.
Hahaha that’s cute. So idealistic. Um no, you don’t need evidence. It’s an awful practice, and it was all too common in tech. I hope it’s less common now, although certainly not less scarring of an experience. Previous reply is correct though - things work out as they’re meant to. You’ll land on your feet and in a better place.
I left few days back because the stress was not worth it with my small baby at home. Spoke to a lawyer but lawyer said that it can't be proven to be discrimination since they let me take my maternity leave and paid me as well. Harassment yes it was. Will speak to lawyer again if something could be done. Also, I was asked to leave the same day as soon as I gave my notice.
That’s such a load of bullshit. I worked for a company where the CEO said he preferred hiring single women in their mid thirties so they wouldn’t be distracted by babies. That shit mentality is at other companies too where they’ll get rid of women who have kids because they assume your priorities will have changed.
Im so sorry you are going through this, you deserve better, come and join us at Amazon :) , its an amazing company to work for, especially parents.
Sue them
I really felt bad for you. It's hard for me think people like your manager and management exists. One of the reason for their existence is employees who can even work for shit company and culture just for money. That led the company grow and realize culture is not important. Guys it's our responsibility to see and act if you see such incident in your company with your coworkers. You might not be in such situations today but u can be in the future. Never work for such manager and company. These are just work shit in the earth. Having good worker does not make you a good man.
Well I got my lesson and a reality check that people like these exist and how you are solely dependent on one person's liking or disliking no matter what you do.
What company is it? You seriously need to out them!!!
Yes if you have already left.. name them. That would definitely defame them
I would even name the manager!!!
It was a small startup which now has been acquired by a big company.
Fitbit?
Find a different lawyer. If you do not sue them now, imagine what they’ll do to the next person.
Her manager went on maternity leave for 4 months. This isn't pregnancy related. It's an issue between her and her manager. If she communicates the same way in the OP, I understand why HR didn't side with her. Tough read.
Who has the money to sue a giant tech company?
Definitely not the norm. You might be covered under local employment law, depending on where you live. Try to talk to a lawyer
Spoke to the lawyer when it happened and the lawyer suggested not to do anything till I get terminated.
Tbh I think you should have let them fire you instead of quit. I think you would have had a bunch of evidence for wrongful dismissal. Probably harder to prove discrimination. Btw maybe you can sue them if you can get your doctor to document the stress they caused you while pregnant, resulting in medical leave. Also name and shame.