There is something pleasing about the story of the Italian teacher Cinzia Paolina De Lio, who was recently dismissed for being off work, in one way or another, for 20 years during her 24-year period of employment. De Lio is appealing, but probably didn’t do herself any favours by reportedly telling local media: “Sorry, but right now I’m at the beach.”
She joins the ranks of anti-work heroes, including the Spanish “phantom functionary” who was claimed to have pulled a six-year sickie or the Italian hospital worker who reportedly skipped work entirely for 15 years. Those are the headlines; the stories behind them are likely to be more nuanced and probably sadder. Absenteeism is rarely an act of pure audacity or a principled philosophical stand. The individuals involved all disputed their employers’ accounts. But what’s interesting is how much we like hearing about them anyway.
