Another work related rant

Last night we went to the local ballpark to catch a game. I ran into an old friend (Mark) that I worked with a few years ago. We talked for about 20 minutes. The conversation turned to comparing the places where we work. In any factory, the attendance policy is always a hot topic of conversation. I told him we have the most lenient attendance policy I have ever seen. An employee is allowed to miss 14 days a year without losing their job. This is not including vacation and appointments. We work 10 hour days so that means an employee where I work has three and a half weeks a year where they can wake up, decide to skip work and still keep their job. Mark thought that was amazing (I think his cutoff is around 5 days a year). I agreed and told him I used to have an employee that hovered around the 14 day mark for years. He would consistantly call in within a week of getting a day back. Eventually he got sick, missed too many days and lost his job. It was a shame but a blind man could have seen that coming. I had numerous conversations with him about his attendance, I warned him about the dark future that awaited him, even told him there was help available if he had a problem that contributed to his poor attendance. Every time he assured me that he knew what he was doing and I was foolish to let it worry me. Mark told me it was a shame that the guy worked there for so long and I got rid of him for something silly like that. I just laughed and explained that the policy is more than reasonable, if an employee can't show up there are people looking for a job who can. Mark told me I had changed, become the man. It was unfair to fire a guy just because he couldn't make it to work for almost a month out of twelve. I changed the subject and we talked for a while longer. That conversation has been on my mind, it is amazing to me that anybody can justify missing that much time from work. Don't get me wrong, I like my time off. I have been known to call in or leave at lunch because it's too nice outside to be stuck in a factory. I have never missed more than three days in a year. Moderation is the key. Regardless of what you do to live thrive and survive, you have a responsibility to your employer to do the job you are paid for. If you can't or won't do that much, then don't waste my time. Hmmmm maybe I have become the man. I'm hiring too.