As a native German speaker, “Schwanz” is more like “dick”, pretty vulgar and crude. “Schniedel” was originally used around children and has a cute and somewhat humorous connotation. I think it’s the better fit here.

Although, at least in my field of work, it’s a bit frowned upon to actually get your vacation days back when you get sick.

Maybe a reminder that guillotines are still a thing and may be put back in service if necessary is a good first step.