Due to a payroll processing error, a bus monitor in Nashville, TN, quit her job yet still received a paycheck for an additional eight weeks.

When asked how it could happen, a spokeswoman for the school district simply said, “It didn’t get communicated to the person in payroll.”

Eventually, someone noticed the error, MSNBC reports. No word on how much money was paid, or if the district will try to recover it.

The worst part: School officials say the district may need to cut up to $15 million from next year’s budget. So, like at most employers these days, every penny counts.

This news comes less than a week after it was a reported a bus driver in the district was caught stealing more than $9,000 worth of gas for her personal car.

These days, even innocent phrases uttered by HR can make employees jumpy.

So, courtesy of buzzwhack.com, here are the Top 10 things nervous employees don’t want to hear right now:

1. “Can I see you in the conference room?” Just as bad: “Can we talk?” and “Gotta minute?” In all cases, initiating contact with a tap on the shoulder makes things even worse.
2. “Isn’t your performance review coming up soon?” Particularly if it isn’t due for another two months.
3. “We don’t look at this as a problem – but as an opportunity.” Generally delivered with an insincere Pollyanna-ish lilt.
4. “I’ve always thought of us as family around here, but … ” Given the choice of laying off you or his mother, guess which he will choose?
5. “You’re a great contributor, but … “ A compliment followed by a “but” is never a good thing.
6. “Maintaining the status quo is no longer an option.” Generally, the next sentence contains really bad news for someone.
7. “We’re going to refocus and concentrate on our core business.” That generally means refocusing on the business the company was in before it hired you.
8. “We’re not planning to have layoffs, but there will be some restructuring.” Hmmmmm.
9. “Due to the ongoing turmoil in the capital markets …” Any sentence that has “turmoil” and “capital” in it can’t be good.
10. “They’ve asked everyone to come to the Employee Appreciation Room for a 4 p.m. meeting.”

Do you have your own suggestions for this list? Make your nominations in the Comments Box below.

El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Bob Balink’s staff stopped answering their phones after a layoff of 19 employees.

Voice messages on the clerk’s phones now refer people to the assessor’s and treasurer’s phone lines, according to The Gazette.

It would have been nice if Balink informed the other two offices of what he was doing, but he didn’t.

Treasurer Sandra Damron says her employees have been slammed with calls.

The Gazette tracked what one person seeking help from the clerk’s office had to go through.

An elderly man who couldn’t get the information he needed called the Area Agency on Aging. They e-mailed the assessor’s office, asking him to get a message to Balink to call the man.

What does Balink have to say about all this? Take a guess.

The Gazette says he couldn’t be reached for comment.

A wire service was able to contact Balink, and he denies telling any of his employees to stop answering the phone.

California government has asked more than 200,000 state workers to stay home two Fridays a month in an effort to save $1.3 billion in the next 18 months.

Among the government agencies forced to close on some Fridays: the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Others, such as fire stations and employment centers will stay open.

The furloughs will reduce the average state worker’s salary by 9.2%. The state has a $42 billion budget shortfall.

And perhaps the furloughed workers can help pump up California’s economy by taking advantage of some special deals. Squaw Valley ski resort was offering $49 off of lift tickets on furlough days to state employees who show a valid government ID card or a recent pay stub. State employees can ski or snowboard every Friday for the rest of the season for $20 at Boreal ski resort.