I’d keep working, assuming my role needed to train a replacement or tie up loose ends somehow. I’ve thought about how I’d react if I suddenly became rich, and I’d try to be as normal and low key as I could, for as long as I could. Eventually I’d start to get more self-indulgent and out-of-touch with the plebs, but it would be a slow progression.
Well, it [del]is[/del] was my business. If we are talking huge money, I give my employees each an overly generous separation package, but the business closes when the last number is drawn.
Unless I were in a job where the only reason I hadn’t quit was because I was desperate for money, which I’m not, I’d let them know. Hell, knowing I’d not be working full-time, at least not in the sense I have been, I’d probably even be willing to go an extra mile to help them out. Like, for instance, I’d offer the two weeks, and even be willing to probably do some part time stuff to fill out the stuff that’s harder to transition. Part of that would be because I think it would be reasonable, but also because that stuff I’m almost uniquely qualified for is stuff I tend to enjoy and as I said I’d make sure I got it done, I’d offer to make sure it got done.
That said, if it were my last job, where I seriously considered quitting a couple times even without another job lined up, because my boss wasn’t just a horrible boss but a horrible human being, I’d quit on the spot. I don’t feel my obligation of professional and personal courtesy extends to people who active stab their employees in the back for personal gain; it goes both ways. However, as that was a contracting position, I’d have then offered to one of the customers, who hated my boss too, that I’d be willing to finish up what I was working on and help train a replacement through some kind of consulting or alternate contract.
I really like my job, and they think they’d fall down dead without me. It’s a crappy low paying restaurant job, though, and no way would I keep working there. Like many I need something to do with my time, but I think with all that money I could find ways to keep busy.
I’d have a hell of a party for my coworkers, though. Probably give them lots of presents to make up for leaving them in the lurch. Maybe open my own restaurant and hire them all at grossly inflated wages! Money’s no fun if you don’t spread it around.
I am completely replaceable in my job. I might give notice, but more likely I would just come in for a few hours to collect my things and help the new person get going. My boss can train her new assistant herself.
If I were to quit my job (and I’m not at all sure that I would!), I’d definitely wait until the end of the semester; doing anything else would badly screw over my department chair, who doesn’t deserve that. (It wouldn’t be very fair to the students either, although I’m sure there are a few who would be thrilled.)
I would buy my company and run the place myself.
If I quit my job, I would give about 1 year notice. Leaving sooner would screw the team and the project.
Same here. I’ve got a pretty good job, on the scale of jobs, but it’s definitely not in “if they didn’t pay me for this, I’d do it for fun” territory. So I’d quit. But I like the people I work with and for, and I don’t want to screw them over too badly.
I’d probably tell my boss, in confidence, that I’d come into a windfall, without getting specific about its nature, and we’d figure out a transition plan. But I wouldn’t work more than another two months, tops.
I would probably stay (I like it there even if the money isn’t much at all) but were I to leave I would give at least 2 weeks. That way after I blow the Hundred Million I could return on good terms. 
I own my own company but I’m sick of the other owners. I’d send off an email telling them I quit and then head in and pack up my stuff. I’d reimburse the shareholders that I want to maintain relationships with if my lawyer told me it wouldn’t open me up to having to payoff all of them but besides that they wouldn’t get another day out of me. Either that or I’d buy them all out for pennies on the dollar but building it back to what I want would be more expensive than starting over.
I’d give at least 3 weeks notice because I have that in vacation time accrued. I’ll give them at most one day of actual work to make sure any loose ends are tied up. It’s not that I refuse to do any more work, it’s just that I’ll be too distracted to do anything useful, and they’ll realize that.
I’d give the notice, but I wouldn’t tell anyone why I was quitting. I believe my contract says a month except in emergency situations, which suddenly becoming filthy rich doesn’t match.
I have been in a simliar situation. I did not win the lottery, worse luck, but I quit and they required me to work the full month. I made a good-faith effort to actually document everything I was working on, train my replacement, and generally prepare for the handover, but admittedly as the end date approached I did not work a lot of overtime or spend a lot of effort trying to get things done before I left.
I’ve told the story before. I was sitting in a QA meeting on my last day, and it was dragging way past five o’clock. Finally, I stood up, said “As of about half an hour ago I don’t work here. Good luck with the turnover” and started to leave. My boss said, “Sit down, we’re not done here.”
I said, “What are you going to do - fire me?” and walked out.
Regards,
Shodan
There are a lot of fine sentiments in this thread, a lot of people staying on and working hard so as not to cause any hassle for co-workers or customers.
Frankly I think most of you are just fooling yourselves. Maybe you like to think you would stay on to help out JimBob the nice manager, but push come to shove you will be a multi-millionaire with different priorities and will no longer be prepared to sit and do the drudge work simply because of some strange sense of obligation.
Stay for a year so as not to screw the team or the project? Yeah right.
One of the perks of having a $100 million is not caring about an employer anymore.
I doubt I would quit my current job but I’d work fewer hours.
My previous job? Not only would I have not given those SOBs notice, I would have given all my co-workers a year’s salary to walk out with me.
A little…I’d stay a few days to reschedule important stuff and arrange for coverage.
I probably would stay longer to train a replacement, but they can’t even open the job until I’m gone, so that’s moot.
Believe it or not, not everyone thinks like you. I would absolutely give my employer ample time to replace me or restructure to cover my job. In my current position that would reasonably take 2-3 months. To me, there is no reason not to make it as easy on everyone as possible. YMOV (Your Mileage Obviously Varies)
Is it fighting the hypothetical to say that I’d continue doing my job if I suddenly became rich? Because my job is fun, at least most of the time, and no amount of personal wealth would replace the good qualities about this place.
But if I were forced to quit, I’d certainly give notice and train in my replacement. That would probably take a little over a month.
Most of the time I love my job and, after four years, I still am amazed by how fortunate I am. If anything I would negotiate a part time arrangement of some sort so that I would still be plugged in to my work and have time to use the winnings.