If you haven't got insurance, can't get another job to do while you are sick, can't get a line of credit, and it lasts long enough - then, yes. Harsh indeed. Arizona is a "right to work" state. I don't really understand what that means, apart from it seems that employers can get away with pretty much anything and the employee has the right to work but that's about the only right.
There are still a few lazy trailer trash tossers who do pull sickies all the time, but of course they get nowhere because they don't earn much, and eventually they will be fired (you can actually be fired for being genuinely sick as well!).
The general idea, I suppose, is you reap what you sow. It's obvious there are far fewer scrounging feckers playing the system here than back home, but it's not a big issue because in America the idea of a socialist society is about as welcome as a communist one, so the majority are happy with the current situation.
I'm glad I'm self employed so I don't have to worry about it - in the event that I get sick, I'm pretty much fecked whichever way you look at it! :icon_wink