My manager did provide guidance on where to improve, so there's that at least.

But still, it smells like discrimination to me based on illness and having to step down a few steps to a lower level for a while. I would expect them to want to help me through it so that I can perform the job I was hired to do. I did not feel supported in this review; I felt attacked, which automatically puts me in a defensive position.

It certainly wasn't fair.

I haven't applied much lately because it's so exhausting to go through interviews. I am still waiting to hear back from a company, too.