Critical Reasoning

The more frequently employees take time to exercise during working hours each week, the fewer sick days they take. Even employees who exercise only once a week during working hours take less sick time than those who do not exercise. Therefore, if companies started fitness programs, the absentee rate in those companies would decrease significantly.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?

(A) Employees who exercise during working hours occasionally fall asleep for short periods of time after they exercise.

(B) Employees who are frequently absent are the least likely to cooperate with or to join a corporate fitness program.

(C) Employees who exercise only once a week in their company's fitness program usually also exercise after work.

(D) Employees who exercise in their company's fitness program use their working time no more productively than those who do not exercise.

(E) Employees who exercise during working hours take slightly longer lunch breaks than employees who do not exercise.

We're looking to weaken, so the right answer will give us reason to believe that fitness programs may not decrease absenteeism (workers missing work). Avoid answers that have to do with what happens outside of work hours or that don't have to do with workers actually missing work.

The answer is B. I go through the question in detail in the full solution below (taken from the GMATFix App).



-Patrick