AXA Insurance has donated 250,000 to the vocational rehabilitation team at the Papworth Trust.

Absences have soared in the North West this morning, following last night's Champions League Final.

More than third of employers (36%) in the manufacturing sector report an increase in absence from 2007 to 2008 and 45% say the sick-note system hampers a return to work.

Following the news two cases of swine flu (H1N1) have been reported in Airdrie in Scotland, anxiety among UK workers has caused an increase in staff calling in sick with 'flu-like symptoms'.

Absence is running at 7% in the UK and only 38% of employers are achieving their targets on staff absence rates, according to the Professional Planning Forum on Absence.

Psychological and sociological issues are bigger contributors to public-sector absence than diet and fitness, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) has called on the Government to do more to prevent repetitive strain injuries (RSI) among British workers.

Almost a quarter of the workforce (24%) went to work in January even though they believed they were too ill.

Tesco will not pay staff for absence caused by the adverse weather at the start of the month.

Staff returning to work after long-term illness are at risk of depression although managers are unaware, according to the Mental Health Foundation.

The TUC has advised employers they should pay staff who were unable to get to work yesterday due to adverse weather as withholding pay or forcing them to take holidays could create resentment.

Staff who are off work due to long-term sickness will be entitled to paid holiday, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled.