"Likewise and I agree there maybe some who take the preverbial but I think these are exceptions - I don't believe most people would claw time back for a cold etc"
Unfortunately I would have to disagree with this. If you want an example then look at the statistics of absence as produced by the Government Central Office of Statistics which shows a clear relationship between paid absences and the size of company where benefits will be greater than a smaller employer. The most glaring example is "public service" (if any one understands the concept anymore) where a full 10% of the workforce is absent at any given time for sickness. I overheard a conversation in a local authority office just a few months ago where one employee said to another "I still have 16 days of my 21 days sick leave to take yet"
If you have a good benefits package then the very best of luck to you but remember one persons benefit is another persons cost and when times are hard then the lean and efficient will be the survivors so what benefits do the losers then have?