[bluejays]

My story, and would like some advice (I find it weird opening up on a forum, but here goes):


1) I work in banking, have been good with stats in the past years, and moved into a PM role 3 years ago. In the past year I got a new two faced VP, she suggested I moved into a nonsense role which I'd be better at, and I declined her multiple times. There just wouldn't be growth there but she was trying to get me to do it for about a year now. She's brought in her own people completely

2) Recently a parent was diagnosed with cancer. We're still going through diagnosis so it's been hard. I've immersed myself in work to cope and it's largely been good in that regard. I confided in my bosses my situation and they said all the right things but something made an about turn. More on that in a second.

3) My project should be easy on the surface but it's hard AF, and because my VP has brought in her own, more experienced people, 2 weeks after I told them about my parent's diagnosis and they said all the right things, again my VP asked me to take another role (some of which would be simple, and some would require specialty training). I declined saying I wasn't interested (in more polite words).

4) Last week they started to put the screws to me and said they're starting enhanced coaching for me to get my standard up. My parents situation hasn't affected the work at all, it's just an ungrateful project where nobody wants to do it and complains about everything. It been a grind, and I've given leeway, etc., but issues always come up. So they suddenly started getting HR involved and documenting every email and approach I take. It has floored me and this is anticipated to go on for a month. They've made it known the standard is rising on the team and this was the VP driven path to do this to me. Suddenly I've been anxious to have everything micromanaged to the 100th degree. The though of being let go after 17 years is painful. I'm finally taking time off next week because I haven't this year but in the past week my mental health is a 2 (can't even sleep properly). I've also noticed some people on the team being dropped with no word of them leaving, and it's apparent they've done this in hindsight, to others.

Anyway, I don't feel like taking a hardass stance with them and refuting everything. I genuinely want to learn (though there's a motive for the VP to bring in her own person), but I also don't want to be hurt compensation wise if they let me go. My performance has never taken a hit until the I've taken on this project. They simply want me to take on much more even though I'm easily doing 50 hours a week. They think that's ridiculous but they don't see the hand holding.


Anyway, I just want to protect myself from being let go with cause (no compensation). More and more I get older (40s now), I'm having some come to Jesus moments where I just want to help people and not deal with corporate BS. I've had a 6 figure salary for years now, but the constant ups and downs and politics I want no part of, rears it's head more and more as companies vie for higher profits and taking on more. I'm also thinking of taking teachers college to teach highschool with the compensation coming if they fire me. It would be a pay cut but I'm thinking that's wildly fulfilling. Just thoughts.