People could be directed to employment services instead of being signed off, suggests Work and Pensions Secretary ...

Figuring out how to sign off on a work email can be hard — and a huge time suck. You want to send the right message and come off as a professional, but don't want to be too formal or stuffy either.

Asking for a leave of absence from work – whether you need time off for illness, bereavement, maternity leave or other reasons – is one of the most stressful requests an employee can make.