Originally from Dispute Resolution Journal

Trends are often difficult to discern until they are history. One notable exception is the almost ubiquitous effort that has for some time been expended lo deal with the formidable problem of excessive absenteeism in American industry. The magnitude of the impact of erratic attendance, in terms of detriment to operational efficiency and increased costs to Industry, is and has been apparent to anyone who has taken care to notice. Although this perception has prompted many countermeasures, no model solution has evolved. Despite this, the problem is not insoluble. But success in dealing with absenteeism will not be attained if its complexities are overlooked.

There is, perhaps, no more obvious affront to the employment relationship than an employee's willful refusal to report for work as scheduled. Failure to do so without a compelling excuse is culpable conduct, pure and simple. Such conduct warrants the swift Imposition of disciplinary action designed to impress upon the employee that this behavior will not be tolerated and that any recurrent indulgence in such misconduct will precipitate termination of the employment relationship. This is a disciplinary matter, and it has traditionally been dealt with as such.