Bosses were said to be braced for a huge increase in absenteeism today as workers are set to be hit by poor weather, post-Christmas and pre-summer blues.

The first Monday in February has been dubbed "National Sickie Day after several surveys suggested that more than 300,000 workers will call in sick, costing the economy millions of pounds.

Peter Mooney, spokesman for Employersafe, which monitors staff absenteeism, says: "It is a well-known fact in the business world that the first Monday of February is deemed the worst in terms of absenteeism.

"Psychologists claim National Sickie Day is the result of a combination of factors, including bad weather, long, dark nights and the seemingly never-ending wait until summer."

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