Second PIP, seek help! Please and Thanks!

About me: an honest, decent, female developer with four and half years
experience in one industry and a few more years experience in research center.
Kind of quiet due to the limitation of non-native English speaker.

Background on First PIP: I was hired about 4.5 years ago by my #1
manager. I'd admitted that I didn't have enough experience in that industry.
The work there was very complicated and involved both Server and Client side
applications and industry Knowledge. I
didn't get any training and was assigned work from Day3. Some people there were
willing to help when they weren't busy. Some people were not that friendly.

Anyway, I managed to learn and tried my best to understand the industry and business needs.
But my #1 manger still thought I was slow, even thought people always think he is ridiculous
when he is estimating the development hours for the new project or defects. He
got the reputation of "Worst Manager" in the words of my co-worker.

 

After I worked there for 6 or 7 months, I was assigned a very big project - create a new UI application.
There was no document, no requirements, no nothing. Just a few mock-up snapshots.
No specific deadline. I was told to finish it in about a week to demo that to
him. When I worked along, I realized it was trying to replace a similar screen
but with the different table in MySQL. I tried everything to finish all the features
that another had, but he thought I was too late. He gave me one day to finish
it up.
 

Off course, I didn't finish. So, in one of my e-mail to him and CCed to the lead, I showed
them what I did in one day. I guess he was so mad at me and shortly after that
I was presented with 90-day PIP.
 

Re-Org Background: Make a long story short. After about one
month I got the PIP, our company went thru a re-org. I had a #2 manager. This manager
knew I was a hard-working person and often worked late, so He didn’t give me
hard time at all. He just said to me that now it’s his call and the #1 manager
shouldn’t give me the weekly review anymore.
 

Unfortunately, the #2 manager was transferred to another position that he is interested and I
had the #3 manger.   

The #3 manger is an India guy, smart and hard working. I respect him a lot. He
gives you the space and time to do the work, but in the mean time, he is not generous
to give good words on Performance review. People are saying that he is not
appreciated for what we’ve done on our good work.

Then, we had another re-org. Using this opportunity, our director, the #3 manager’s
direct boss promoted his friend as our #4 manager, working under #3.

The #4 manger was a team lead in another company and was laid off. He joined our
team due to knowing the director. But within 3 months, he was promoted to be our
manager. People were shocked and saying, “Wow, You don’t even finish up
on-board training, and got promoted. But, Congratulation anyway!” What can people
say!!

Second PIP: Maybe because the way he was promoted, the #4 manger was very sensitive
and easily getting offended. Shortly after he started to manage our team, he
let a permanent Qa person go because she once tested the defect he worked on
and kind of challenged if the result was right or not. Another consultant was
let go because he thinks that guy got around him and asked the director some
questions directly, even though they already made an offer to him.

Since those two incidents, I was very carefully with him. I never tried to argue with
him and always say ‘Yes’ for whatever he says.   

But, I can feel that I’m the next person to be gone. He can always find faults in my
e-mails, my communication style, the way I response my e-mails, how quickly I
should response my e-mails, etc…  

About one and half month ago, I was assigned another new project which was so complex
and so much detailed requirements and I was only given two weeks. The day before the
deadline, he came to me a few times to check the status, even though we have
daily stand up meeting every morning. I told him it was very completed and I
have one issue to fix, then I’ll do the end-end test. But he called me to his
office and told me that I cannot finish it up. He insisted that I will not be
able to finish it because I have this to do, that to do, blab, blab…

I said I’m still trying and I still have one and half day to finish it up. Besides,
I can work Saturday (After the deadline). But he wouldn’t let me get back to my
work. So, I said to him I need to talk to #3 manager to let him know what I am
going thru.

The result: Of course, the #3 manager sided on him and said they had the same concern.
And the project was handed over to another developer.  

One month later, I was put on the Second PIP (He knew I had one before) with 6
weeks of review period. Of course, the HR always works on the manager side.

I know that I’m not smart; I didn’t finish the project on time as projected or
estimated. But the project is not easy one, even the developer with 8 years experience in the company 
who took over the project told me a few times that when she saw the requirement documents,
she knew it was huge project and two weeks are not enough.

Now, I know the #4 manger has determined to get rid of me. I can get over the first
PIP, but I can’t get over the second. Not even He tries to get rid of me, but
he also tries to use it to humiliate me.   

I’ve decided to stay until they terminate me. I tried to keep calm and work harder. I
even talked to the #4 manager and apologized for what I did, but this doesn’t stop
his constant criticism when there is nobody around us. He would criticize me
for not asking help, he would criticize me for asking too much help. He would say
I don't know how to do this, I don't know how to do that, etc....
Our system is so complicated, even you work there more than ten years,
you still can't say you know everything. 

So, what I want to ask advice or help from you are: With two PIPs on the record, if
I call ethic hotline to complain this guy, is it possible I can get treated
fairly? Is it good idea to call ethic hotline or write a complaint to the
company CEO?

I don’t expect much! I’m just hoping the best result for me after almost 5 years of hard
work for the company: Get Laid off Or terminated with a package.

Do you think it is achievable?

Thank you for your feedback! Any advice is welcome!