Returning your salary for not doing the job correctly.

[CatInASuit]

I've seen numerous stories of people giving up part of their salary or not accepting bonuses, but this is the first time I have seen someone give back their entire salary on the grounds they have not earned it.

Gil Meche, a pitcher for the Kansas City Royals has given back his $12m salary having been injury prone for most of the season. He only made 9 starts and didn't have a single win.

More here

I'm stunned. A lot of footballers in England would have happily sat on the sidelines for a year and taken the money while complaining they didn't get a start.

Even though he is well set for life, it still takes something special to do this.

Kudos to him.

ETA: Here's another cover of the story. The Daily Mail is innaccurate, he is retiring instead of claiming a final year's salary at the cost of $12m.

[OneCentStamp]

This is equally rare for USA sports, if not more so. Sure, it's a grandstanding gesture, but it's a pretty freaking cool one.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

Yeah, even Lyman Bostock only gave up one month's pay.

[What Exit?]

Gil Meche did a huge favor for the Royals. However, the newspaper appears to have this wrong. He is walking away from a guaranteed $12 million this year, not giving back last years salary. This is still very rare but not what the paper did a terrible job of reporting.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

Gil Meche did a huge favor for the Royals. However, the newspaper appears to have this wrong. He is walking away from a guaranteed $12 million this year, not giving back last years salary. This is still very rare but not what the paper did a terrible job of reporting.

Right, he's retiring rather that collecting his salary for doing nothing. Still huge.

[Zuul]

Gil Meche did a huge favor for the Royals. However, the newspaper appears to have this wrong. He is walking away from a guaranteed $12 million this year, not giving back last years salary. This is still very rare but not what the paper did a terrible job of reporting.

Thanks for the clarification. I don't know enough about baseball and would have just assumed the Daily Mail article was accurate.

That's pretty impressive, still.

[Sarahfeena]

I hereby officially offer to take over his contract and sit on the bench next season. I can not earn his salary just as well has he can, I'll bet...maybe even better!

[Orual]

Part of me is thinking: "man, that's classy."

The other part is thinking: "man, I'd like to have the luxury of turning down $12 million."