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She said her school were amazingly supportive and she was able take 16 weeks sick leave.

Before becoming MP for Stourbridge, in the West Midlands, she found herself dependent on benefits when she was on long-term sick leave from her NHS job.

They also moved to repeal a sick leave requirement and portions of a minimum wage increase, which had also passed through the initiative process but which Republicans have said are harmful to businesses.

A college in Beijing has found itself at the centre of public fury after it allegedly asked a student to prove she was on her period to qualify for sick leave.

Linzi McLaren was speaking as new statistics show that more than 60% of police officers in Northern Ireland, who took long-term sick leave in the past year, cited mental health reasons.