Perhaps this is a late comment but as a new Zappos hire I can attest that Zappos still makes this offer (and now it's $3,000 and is valid for 3 weeks after trai

Perhaps this is a late comment but as a new Zappos hire I can attest that Zappos still makes this offer (and now it's $3,000 and is valid for 3 weeks after training). The reason is two fold. First, Zappos wants to retain employees that want to be here. The culture is unlike anyplace you'll ever work. For some people it's attractive from the outside but overwhelming once you get in the door. Zappos wants to provide an enticement to help you make the decision to leave in case you want to. More importantly, Zappos realizes that for a lot of people, staying in a job is a matter of finances. I may be miserable but I can't afford to miss a paycheck or two. For a lot of people, $3,000 can provide a few weeks or more of stability to help them find a new job. It makes fiscal sense.