This is a long backstory, but I will try to keep it short. I’m on a performance improvement plan that ends next Friday, after 45 days. I got in trouble for sending an email that made an overly sensitive coworker tattle on me. I took her responsibility for it and apologized profusely, but it was too late. Anyway, the issue at hand is trying not to get fired next Friday, only because I need to stay employed at a nonprofit or government until my loan forgiveness comes through which should be in the next 30 to 60 days. I am currently waiting for student loan forgiveness for my entire loans, because I worked in non-profit or government for the last 10 years (not the new Biden relief plan). I have another job lined up in the private sector, but if I get fired from this nonprofit job before my loans are forgiven, I am in a bit of a bind. My back up plan is to work at Goodwill (a nonprofit) until the loans are forgiven then move to the better job in the private sector. I feel it’s a 75% chance I WONT get fired only because they keep assigning me new projects including a very high profile national project that they assigned me after the performance plan started, and wont end for a couple months. But ive also heard you always get fired at the end of a performance plan.
My question to the group is, should I file a hostile workplace environment complaint (regarding a specific incident) next week before the performance plan expiration date? If I file a complaint like this does it mean they are much less likely to fire me without setting themselves up for a bad lawsuit? Here’s the hostility: My boss’s boss told me a couple weeks ago, while we were talking about the performance plan, that “I would want to fight you“ if he was his younger self, for some of the “things that come out of your mouth” (oh the irony!). It really did feel hostile and threatening, and inappropriate at minimum. He is a 50M in a position of power over me, a 40F. I don’t know if he meant physically or verbally, but apparently intentions don’t matter otherwise I wouldn’t be in trouble for the original email I sent to my female coworker that started all this. I documented the conversation at the time, and my boss was in the meeting too. I did consult two employment attorneys, and they both thought I should ask for a settlement. But it’s more important to just stick it out a few more weeks and be employed at this nonprofit so I can get my loans forgiven. Getting a job with another nonprofit or government will take too long. Or should I just cross my fingers and plan to work at Goodwill in two weeks until my loan forgiveness goes through?