Retail worker quits job, keeps getting paid for months: 'I never said a word'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Aug 31, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

I hope someday you get to be paid for doing absolutely nothing. Some of us dream of being a trophy husband or wife, letting our spouse take care of our every desire while we gracefully lay upon a chaise lounge and watch Netflix all day long. Others would just love to have one of those email jobs where you work for like, 2 hours per week. You send an email or two every day, then kick back and play video games or watch TV all day long. 

Of course, most of us will never get to experience that. Perhaps we'll retire someday (hahahaha can you even imagine?!) and spend our days gardening and baking while living off a pension (again, could you imagine?!) But this person got to live out the dream for a short period of time — they really were getting paid for doing absolutely nothing. Even a little extra unexpected cash can totally change your life! You can have a few months of treating yourself before going back to your normal life, or you can let that cash pile up in a savings account to save for your future. You know… just in case you don't get to retire. 

Check out the entire story down below. Then, check out these job interviews that were chock full of red flags like one person who was stunned that "The manager… showed me YouTube videos for like 30 minutes." 

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  • 01
    Woman in grey dress admiring yellow shirt on hanger being held by woman in pink sweater in a store
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    I quit my retail job a few years back. I put in my two weeks, said my goodbyes, and thought I was done. A couple weeks later I check my account, and there's a paycheck sitting there like I was
    via u/
  • 03
    still working. At first I figured maybe it was for leftover hours or something. But then another check hit. And another. This went on for like 4 months straight. I'd be sitting at home watching Netflix, and boom. Direct deposit
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  • 04
    Woman in denim jacket and jeans looking at orange dress held by man in store
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 05
    like I'd just worked two full 40 hour weeks. I kept expecting HR to call me or send a letter, but... nothing. I didn't go crazy spending it because I was paranoid they'd want it back, but I definitely used it for rent and
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  • 06
    groceries. Then one day the money just stopped showing up, and I never heard a word. It's been years now, and I still wonder if they ever realized or if some payroll system just kept me on autopilot until someone noticed.
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  • 07

    This person is probably right

    wolfbiker1 Ya the payroll person who forgot to take you off didn't want to get in trouble so they quietly turned off your checks without alerting anyone.
    via u/wolfbiker1
  • 08
    missuschainsaw I worked at a place as an office manager. On a Thursday night, my receptionist told me she was fed up with the company (didn't blame her, I was also looking to get out) and was going to put in her two weeks notice. End of my shift, she tells me she'll leave the official notice on my desk. Friday morning, letter was there but I
    via u/missuschainsaw
  • 09
    decided to do some other stuff before submitting it to HR. Thirty minutes later the CEO came in and said we were going out of business. The parent company decided to give us all 8 weeks severance pay, paid biweekly so we could keep our benefits, so long as you were an active employee as of that day. I took the receptionist's notice and shredded it, then texted her and said to come in and act
    via u/missuschainsaw
  • 10
    like it was a normal day. She already had a new job lined up so she got the severance pay while working a new job. It made me feel really good. because my boss hated this girl for no reason and knew she was going to quit. Had no idea I was in on it.
    via u/missuschainsaw
  • 11
    Logash Not quite as crazy but I worked at Walmart for 6 months in college and I had signed up for their cell phone plan. I was paying $25 a month with 50% employee discount and I get unlimited data. Anyway, I quit the job but to this day I
    via u/Logash
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    still pay $25 a month for my cell phone bill with the employee discount. It's been 10 years so I figure that I have saved more money than the total money I earned working there on that cell plan.
    via u/Logash

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workplace-stories jobs job work direct deposit human resources workplace paycheck payment money
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