Here's a silly one - if you've pulled a sickie, it may be because you're not very bright - eh??

I work for myself - even with pneumonia and a raging fever, I struggled on with intermittent cold baths and periods of lying down. No choice - no work, no pay.

I do think that feeling needed can make you struggle in while if you are not valued you might think "What the heck, I'll stay in bed." Being satisfied and appreciated at work is so important as well as knowing that if you aren't there, somebody will be disadvantaged. So I think I can see that less skilled jobs which are perhaps less satisfying or where there is less personal input don't inspire the same commitment.

Perhaps they have genuine health problems?

In my experience I don't find there's a crucial difference between those who have interesting jobs and those with boring jobs - it just seems to be the same handful of people who are always phoning in sick.

I've had 3 days of sick in 16 years. I can't help but feel that no one actually notices that where I work; I don't want a medal for it but I would like to be appreciated for it.

I've been to work today and I'd much rather have been in bed with a box of tissues and a hot drink. If I'd have cancelled the whole session would have had to be cancelled. That is very stressful for the claimants as well as costing you the taxpayer money!

I am sure you are right, nannym.

I don't think it's only teachers who went into work feeling like death, I'm sure the work ethic is pretty firmly embedded in the majority of us, and as in most instances it's the small minority that give a bad name.

I know we have a good number of former teachers amongst us, and I'll bet you all staggered in when you felt like death because you knew a colleague would lose that precious free period to cover for you.
When I worked in the Inland Revenue, I felt able to telephone my line manager if I really felt ill, but as I had my own office and my work would simply wait for me to get back it was not such an issue.
I would think that the crucial difference is between people who have interesting jobs where they are in control of their own work, and people who have boring, repetitive jobs with no control.

Maybe you are more likely to be found out if you are not very bright? (e.g.MIL's funeral for the second time?)