I retired with 3000 hours of unused sick leave. It was credited as service time so it earned me about 3% of my salary for the rest of my life.The 401K vs pension retirement programs pretty much fixed that issue. They can fire you but your 401K isn't affected. It just moves along to the next job unless you want to keep it at the past employer. It has to meet a certain threshold of $$ amount to do that though.
When I left one employer, I met that threshold. They paid for all stock transactions, so I day traded it for years without working for them, making one hell of a profit in the process while building another 401K in the company I went to.
I do agree about companies not rewarding dedication and long service. One of my co-workers retired with three years of sick leave built up that he gave back to the company. His greatest disappointment at his retirement ceremony when he got a couple hundred bucks of trinkets and a handshake was that they didn't acknowledge his three years of sick leave. He retired three years before me. I left them zero in sick leave when there was a year on the books.
I supervised and managed for over 27 years and saw all kinds of work ethic. Some would do their best without a supervisor at all and others spent more effort to avoid work than it would take just to do the job. Those who do bare minimum work, screw off on the internet instead of working, and extend every possible absence they can to avoid returning to work piss me off. They all wanted the pay and benefits when they applied for the job. They should have the integrity to do the job or resign. I realize that's not a popular opinion in today's workplace and I'm glad I'm out of it. Anyone who intentionally does the bare minimum in work or life is a loser.