Workplace decisions can sometimes come with unexpected consequences.

In this story, an employee was offered a new position at his marketing agency, which he turned down.

Suddenly, he was told his performance needed improvement, even though he was working hard and reaching his goals.

The warning seemed to come out of nowhere, so he’s unsure whether to involve HR or quietly wait things out.

What do you think he should do? Read the full story below to find out more.

I Think I’ve Been Marked for Firing as Retribution

I need advice from people who are not drinking corporate Kool-Aid.

I work at a marketing agency.

A few months ago, I politely turned down a new position.

It felt like a sacrificial lamb.

This employee was advised to improve his performance.

Now all of a sudden, I am told I need to show improvement in my performance by the end of the year.

Otherwise, I will be on a performance improvement plan.

But my performance has not changed. My manager even said like a month ago that I am always reliable.

That is why I get more work.

Now, he’s thinking about going to HR to raise the issue.

My question is this. Do I go to HR to make a note of this?

I know HR is not our friend, but is it worth it to have it marked somewhere?

Or should I just keep my head down? Should I hope they go after someone else? Thanks in advance.

Uh oh! I think the timing feels a little too convenient to be a coincidence.

OP seriously didn’t do anything bad. He simply rejected a position offered to him.

It’s understandable why he would feel like something else was going on behind the scenes.

Let’s read the responses of other people to this story.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Here’s some sound advice from this one.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a contractor who flew along way and spent 3 days on a fix only to find a breaker that needed to be flipped.

Start looking for another job, says this person.

Finally, here are other important suggestions.

Sometimes, saying “no” at work comes with a surprise plot twist.