[Onkel Neal]

Some, of Course, Are Watching the Soaps; Mr. Vandervelpen Needed a Little TLC

Belgians, like many Europeans, are entitled to extensive or even unlimited sick leave -- and they tend to stretch the definition of the word. One study showed government employees in droves were calling in sick to pack before vacations and to sleep off holiday hangovers. Some government departments were averaging 35 days of paid sick leave per employee each year, more than twice the national rate and seven times the U.S. average.

Wow, that makes my stomach a little... sick