Offered a PIP or 10 week severance package!!!

Hi all,

I work in the cybersecurity field as a Senior Analyst

So a new boss of mine who has quite a different background than 95% of cybersecurity executives comes all of a sudden yesterday and gives me an offer between a 10 week Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) or a 10 week severance package. So I either take the severance package and have my last day as May 20th, or opt for the 10 week PIP, after I'll be given a 2-week severance if my performance does not "improve".

Geezzz. This guy never had any monthly 1 on 1s with me or shared anything definitive on what standards or scope of performance were, and all of a sudden, yesterday evening he says I was not performing up to the standards, which he never announced.

So now there's a protege of his he brought in who is cowboy style often taking on out-of-scope work designated for other groups (System Admins) which basically increased his performance numbers. The guy randomly comes up with what he feels is right from his own opinion and just does it. He has free meetings to other support teams speeding up the flow of his work while I have to get approval and schedule these meetings making my workflow a much slower pace.

I was given less than 24 hours to respond to this offer (something that's also strange and abrupt).

This guy is basically the no-college degree-type that evaluates capability to do work from a bottom-up approach, compared to his counterpart CISOs. This means that he feels that somebodys capability to perform is based on his exposure to "individual named brands of technologies" as opposed to the underlying concepts that drive those category of technologies. (top down). As a relatable, everyday example, his philosophy is that if somebody is experienced with driving a Honda Accord, a Lexus GS, Nissan Altima, and a Toyota Camry, that makes them a better thinker about automobiles than somebody who has proven industry endorsements and credentials, trainings on how automobile sedans work and has experience with a Honda Accord and a Toyota Camry.

Seriously I'm drawing blanks on how to deal with this. Please, please, give me some guidance. I'm not skilled with these type of situations.

 

Once the manager has offered me the severance package in writing (10 weeks of full pay), he can't turn around and say "gotcha! I was just trying to get you to quit. You only get two weeks. Sorry".

I mean the written severance offer is legally binding as they say right? He represents the company at this point and can't change his mind?

I mention this because as of the writing of this reply I have not read not one communication (written or verbal) from the companies Human Resources.

 

Speaking of "legal situation", as I have mentioned in another reply already. Once the manager gives a written offer of 10 weeks severance that's the same as the organization offering it right? I mean it's legally binding correct? He can't come back and change his mind saying stuff like "it was just my opinion", or "this is no longer possible" after I've indicated that I want the severance right? ...just so he can finesse me into exiting as a walkout.

I say this as Machiavellian tactics have been his go-to approach and the written severance offer was from him and not Human Resources.

 

I'll obfuscate as needed and upload...thanks.