The Wall Street Journal found some people who've gone 20 or more years without taking one sick day at work. They're not superhuman, they just really, really love their jobs. Sue Shellenbarger writes in today's paper about sick day streaks and the people who set them. These workers still get sick and they have children, but they just don't take time off of work to do so. From Antonio de Sousa, a doorman who scheduled the birth of his children on his one day off, to lab technician Elena Griffing who has had perfect attendance since 1948, their stories are a testament to willpower and work ethic. Because we fully acknowledge that we may not have the fortitude of de Sousa and Griffing, it's the incentive-based attendance story of an employee at Merle Norman Cosmetics that caught our eye:

Employees at Merle Norman Cosmetics can get a diamond ring or washer and dryer for nine years' perfect attendance. After 25 years of perfect attendance, Ed Batka, 59, a compounding specialist at the company's Los Angeles facility, says "I get razzed once in a while. People say, 'Why don't you take a day off? Is there something wrong with you?'" His answer: "You won't be laughing when I'm up there at the attendance awards, getting my gift"—which last year was a free trip to Hawaii, where he and his wife renewed their marriage vows.

For Shellengerbarger's full story head on over to The Wall Street Journal.

Image via Shutterstock by Margarita Borodina.

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Alexander Abad-Santos