Employment Law Firm Penninsular surveyed over 7,000 employees and found that in 80% of businesses employees 'took a sickie' during the recent fine weather.

In a survey of 524 workers, 7 in 10 said they were tempted to pull a sickie and 8 in 10 saw no harm in doing so as long as it wasn't a regular occurrence.

Peter Done, Managing Director or Peninsular said:

"If hot and sunny summers are going to be the result of global warming then the problem of workers pulling a 'sickie' will get worse. If you're tempted to take time off work because of the hot weather, then you are not alone, but before doing so, think about how unfair it is towards your employer and fellow colleagues. To prevent staff doing this bosses need to ensure that office environments are comfortable with the provision of air conditioning and water machines, which will help keep morale going and ensure staff are looked after."

There is growing support for a government review, recommending flexible hours for mothers with children aged 12 and under.

The review by Imelda Walsh, HR Director of Sainsbury's, calls for the current qualifying age limit for children to be doubled.

She Hewitt, women's development consultant at workplace development firm Milecastle Consultancy, said: "One of the things that holds women back  is access to childcare. Having an opportunity to work more flexibly by law would really help a lot of women who are in the situation where they're unable to make headway at work. It would also level the playing field in terms of recruitment. If there is a structure in place that supports them, where flexiblity is the norm and not a special request, that will help every body , not just women.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development also welcomed the review. Mike Emmott, employee relations adviser said: "We wholly support moves to extend the 'right to request' to more parents. But the government should be bolder still and extend the right to all workers. The danger with ever larger groups of people, entitled to request flexible working and a smaller number not entitled to do so, is that divisions will grow up in the workplace.

"Many enlightened employers already allow employees to work flexibly regardless of their family status. An extension of the right to request to all workers would level the playing field, without compelling employers to offer flexible working where this is incompatible with business needs. Our research shows that is would also deliver improved employee engagement, and therefore contribute to boosting productivity and performance in the workplace."

Pauline Hyde, the first woman in the UK to launch a firm of outplacement consultants, has written a racy book about an advertising executive.

Pauline started her business in 1987 and sold it ten years later, after opening 35 offices in nine different countries.

The book is called Midas Man and features Robert Paget, a seductive advertising executive who gets fired by a jealous chairman before racing through a world of head hunters and beautiful women.

Hyde also wrote three books for children about Eddie, the extra special pigeon, as well as Ex Culina, a family cookery book. She lives in South West London.

Several leading financial firms have announced job cuts which amount to as many as 3,500 jobs in the financial sector. The news comes days after predictions from JP Morgan that 40,000 jobs could be lost, approximately 5% of the City's workforce.

Citigroup has announced 2,400 cuts from its 12,000 strong London office. UBS has made 900 redundancies and Merrill Lynch will lose 400 of its 4,500 London based employees. Bear Steans, the investment bank bought by JP Morgan is expected to lose half of its 1,500 strong work force. Reported the Daily Telegraph.

The announcements came a few days after researchers as JP Morgan predicted the City would lose up to 40,000 jobs, approximately 5% of its workforce, because of the current economic crisis.