Just another day at the office: Lotto winners are back to work
They're Newfoundland and Labrador's newest group of millionaires … and they're keeping their jobs.
It's been a little more than a week since a group of 31 colleagues from the Come by Chance refinery hit the Lotto Max jackpot, sharing an N.L.-record $60-million prize.
Most of the lucky winners work directly for PTL Services Ltd. in Southern Harbour, which means about half of PTL's staff are now millionaires.
According to general manager Lloyd Parrott, there have been plenty of happy faces around the office all week.
"It's been a good week," he said.
The office lottery pool lives on.- Lloyd Parrott
"But I got a lot of employees that weren't included in the big win, so there's a lot of people there with a lot of 'what-ifs?'"
Despite being excluded from the group of winners, Parrott said he's very happy for his staff.
"I'm not a big lotto player as it is, but I'm extremely excited for these guys," he said.
Here are the 31 new millionaires in Newfoundland <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cbcnl</a> <a href="https://t.co/JZSK6BbGxs">pic.twitter.com/JZSK6BbGxs</a>
—@PeterCBCEmployees from PTL are subcontracted out to the Come by Chance refinery.
Parrott said he was questioned by representatives from the refinery last weekend who were wondering if anyone would be showing up for work on Monday.
"My strong belief right from the get-go was that they would."
He was right.
Nearly every single employee who was in on the winning draw has decided to continue working.
"We try and treat our manpower fairly, and these guys certainly treat us good," Parrott said. "We got a great staff."
So far only one person — the company's office manager — has given notice that she'll be leaving the company.
"We have one couple — they both work for me. She has put her notice in, and she'll be leaving," he said.
Some of the other lucky winners are starting to rethink their retirement plans.
"We got some guys that are very close to retiring, and they will," Parrott said. "We have some other people who had indicated before they would probably work until they were 60, and now they may go when they're 55."
Parrott still has hope for the rest of his employees that lightning could strike twice.
"This one wasn't from an office lottery pool — this was a job specific group of guys that were working on the tank," he said.
"The office lottery pool lives on."
With files from On The Go