msoad

Hey HN,

I'm in a tough spot and could use some outside perspective, especially from anyone who's navigated startup politics or EU/Dutch employment law.

I'm a senior engineer with a background at bigger tech companies in the US. A few months ago, I took a job at a small-ish (around 150 people), fully remote tech startup based in Europe. The pay is good for the EU, though definitely a big step down from my US salary. The main reason for the move was to get a visa and work in Europe, and the project (AI stuff) seemed really exciting.

It's been a chaotic ride. The project has been in a constant "prototyping" phase, with the product direction pivoting at least 4-5 times since I joined. As the main frontend dev, I've been building and refactoring constantly to keep up. It's been high-pressure, but I thought we were making good progress.

Recently, things took a sharp turn. My manager, who is new to management and I report directly to, put me on a formal PIP. This was a total shock, as it was literally the first time he'd ever given me any formal managerial feedback. We've never had a single 1-on-1. The reasons cited in the PIP are subjective things like "code quality" and "seniority."

The part that feels off is that the "messy" code they're pointing to is a direct result of the constant pivots and the "move fast" culture we've all been working in. My manager's own PRs have introduced critical bugs that I've had to stay late to fix. It feels less like a real performance issue and more like they needed a scapegoat because the project is under pressure.

Now things are escalating. I was recently excluded from a key project Slack channel where launch feedback was being shared. And I just got an automated email asking me to sign a contract amendment that cuts my salary by nearly 20%.

I know my contract (permanent, Dutch) gives me strong protections, and I've started pushing back on the procedural flaws with HR, which seems to be working. I'm documenting everything.

My question for the HN community is:

1) For those who've been in a similar startup PIP situation, what's the real end game here? Is this a genuine attempt to "improve" me, or is it just the first step in managing me out?

2) Any advice on how to handle the day-to-day emotional drain of working with a manager who you feel is actively trying to undermine you, while still needing to be "professional" and collaborative on PRs?

3) Are they trying to pressure me into quitting or accepting a lowball settlement offer (VSO)?

4) I'm trying to stay strategic and not get emotional, but it's tough when you feel like you're being disrespected.

Any advice or shared experiences would be incredibly helpful. Thanks!