News: Alton Towers encouraging absenteeism

Posted at 9:20 AM EDT (1320 GMT)

Apr. 21st, 2004 -- Alton Towers created more controversy when Alton Towers created a Web site called ihatework.co.uk, which encourages employees to skip work and visit the park for £15.

The Federation of Small Businesses said it was outraged when the park created the site.  It called for Alton Towers to take down the site, because it encourages absenteeism, which has been a major problem for businesses, costing the economy £10 billion every year.

Alton Towers responded by saying that while it does not condone absenteeism, it is not responsible for helping to cut it.  However, through its own research, it discovered that about 33 percent of its adult weekday visitors should have been working.

Read more from the BBC News.