What it is
A PIP documents measurable gaps and a window, often 30, 60, or 90 days, with a stated outcome. It is used both as a genuine fix plan and as documentation for termination. The measurable targets, the evidence required, and the check-in dates are the parts that decide the outcome.
What to do about it: Ask for the targets in writing, the evidence that will be used, and the check-in dates. Verbal targets that never reach the document are the most common path to a rating you cannot contest.
Plain-language description of US practice, not legal, tax, or financial advice. The paired guide carries the citations, dates, and thresholds; the state pages carry the local windows.