I receive a two-week paycheck with a one-week delay, plus five business days (a week) for the bank to verify my employer actually has the funds to cover it. So that's four weeks already. I'm not sure where the other 17 days come from, but it's important to note that most people would not quit on the spot if their paycheck doesn't clear; there's too much risk in that. This is how employees end up weeks to months behind on paychecks with employers stringing them along.