The “Sickest” Days Of 2019: The Days Where The Most People Called In Sick

By Kathy Morris
Jan. 6, 2020
Articles In Life At Work Guide

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Feeling sick? Maybe just a bit hungover or want to eke out a little bit more of the weekend? Shoot, maybe you just had a whole day off for a holiday and now need time to recover from your family.

Well, you’re not alone. Or unique. It turns out across the country, when you’re “sick,” so is everyone else. We analyzed our website traffic to find the days when the most people are playing hooky.

The results? …Well, there’s a reason your boss is so suspicious.

Summary Of The Days When More People Call In Sick To Work

  • Monday is by far the most popular day, with 20% of sick day searches occurring on the first day of the workday. Garfield was right, I guess, Mondays suck.
  • Friday is shockingly the least popular weekday according to our data.
  • Holidays heavily impact sick days- 7 of the 10 sickest days in 2019 were holiday related.
  • The day after Christmas was the most popular day to skip work in 2019
  • Super Sick Monday (the Monday after the Super Bowl) is notorious for work call-outs, but for 2019 didn’t quite make the top 10.
  • Daylight savings’ time and Martin Luther King Day also just missed the cut, but are prime contenders to make the 2020 list.
  • Monthly interest in calling out sick was fairly flat, with no uptick for flu season

Keep reading to see the holidays that had most people playing hooky and how we figured this one out. Otherwise, you can scroll to the bottom to see how each day fared.

We Determined The Days People Are Most Likely To Call In Sick

For this data, we turned to our own website traffic. We analyzed traffic patterns and visitors to our article on Tips For Calling In Sick- Even When You’re Not. We looked at all website visits for 2019.

Since traffic fluctuations can make daily visitors alone an unreliable method for comparison, we measured traffic changes day over day to identify days where interest in calling in sick surged. The higher the day over day traffic increase, the more people calling in sick.

The 10 “Sickest” Days Of 2019

  1. 12/26/2019 – Day After Christmas
  2. 4/22/2019 – Day After Easter
  3. 1/2/2019 – Day After New Year’s
  4. 5/13/2019 – Day After Mother’s Day
  5. 7/8/2019 – Monday After July 4th
  6. 8/12/2019 – Monday
  7. 3/18/2019 – Day After St Patrick’s Day
  8. 10/21/2019 – Monday
  9. 6/24/2019 – Monday
  10. 1/7/2019 – Monday After New Year’s

Holidays are contagious apparently. People are significantly more likely to call in sick near a holiday. The day after Christmas had the highest surge rate, with an almost 400% increase. To put that into perspective, a “normal” surge is closer to 100%. In general, the closer the holiday is to a weekend, the greater chance of people calling in sick.

Interestingly, July 4th was on Thursday in 2019. However, the holiday had a surge of call-outs the following Monday, not the immediate Friday following.

That makes sense, because next to holidays the favorite day to call in sick is Monday. It is also likely that many holiday festivities for the fourth took place over the weekend, leading to a lot of fake coughing on phone calls to bosses all across America.

We couldn’t identify any event prior to August 12th, June 24th, or October 21st leading to everyone wanting to skip work, forcing us to conclude they were simply the Mondayest Mondays ever, scientifically of course.

sickest-days-of-the-week

While the biggest motivating factor for calling in sick is proximity to a holiday, day of the week matters, too. The most popular day by far is Monday, with Friday being in last place for weekdays.

One thing is clear- workers across America have a heightened interest in calling in sick on the same days. The days everyone wants to stay in bed the most? Any weekday near a national holiday and Mondays.

It is impossible to tell how many of these sick days are genuine sickness or exhaustion from dealing with the stresses of the holidays, and which are from a simple desire to be anywhere other than work. After all, a great deal of these holidays come with copious amounts of food, drink, and close proximity to a lot of people. Maybe holidays are contagious.

One thing is clear, if you want to play hooky from work with your boss being none the wiser, stay away from Monday. Be an original and do a Tuesday- barely anyone calls in Tuesday. Better yet, find a job that doesn’t make you want to call in sick all the time.

Date Increase
1/1/2019 77.46%
1/2/2019 220.45%
1/3/2019 94.23%
1/4/2019 93.22%
1/5/2019 61.03%
1/6/2019 114.23%
1/7/2019 199.66%
1/8/2019 80.94%
1/9/2019 82.29%
1/10/2019 104.30%
1/11/2019 92.23%
1/12/2019 61.32%
1/13/2019 130.04%
1/14/2019 185.15%
1/15/2019 85.38%
1/16/2019 99.16%
1/17/2019 85.68%
1/18/2019 94.59%
1/19/2019 60.26%
1/20/2019 128.02%
1/21/2019 197.98%
1/22/2019 80.27%
1/23/2019 84.96%
1/24/2019 107.48%
1/25/2019 101.39%
1/26/2019 61.78%
1/27/2019 139.63%
1/28/2019 193.90%
1/29/2019 87.96%
1/30/2019 97.67%
1/31/2019 92.52%
2/1/2019 72.29%
2/2/2019 61.19%
2/3/2019 128.02%
2/4/2019 188.15%
2/5/2019 80.78%
2/6/2019 91.20%
2/7/2019 102.41%
2/8/2019 88.01%
2/9/2019 67.88%
2/10/2019 118.28%
2/11/2019 166.36%
2/12/2019 95.08%
2/13/2019 112.84%
2/14/2019 84.04%
2/15/2019 98.79%
2/16/2019 52.56%
2/17/2019 121.01%
2/18/2019 195.82%
2/19/2019 90.31%
2/20/2019 98.91%
2/21/2019 100.00%
2/22/2019 101.10%
2/23/2019 48.18%
2/24/2019 150.94%
2/25/2019 185.25%
2/26/2019 77.19%
2/27/2019 104.37%
2/28/2019 84.76%
3/1/2019 103.16%
3/2/2019 60.92%
3/3/2019 133.96%
3/4/2019 172.77%
3/5/2019 78.40%
3/6/2019 95.15%
3/7/2019 102.37%
3/8/2019 99.82%
3/9/2019 54.90%
3/10/2019 128.57%
3/11/2019 196.97%
3/12/2019 79.23%
3/13/2019 102.27%
3/14/2019 100.16%
3/15/2019 98.74%
3/16/2019 64.96%
3/17/2019 114.29%
3/18/2019 204.31%
3/19/2019 83.23%
3/20/2019 88.97%
3/21/2019 106.98%
3/22/2019 94.27%
3/23/2019 62.43%
3/24/2019 117.42%
3/25/2019 189.79%
3/26/2019 77.56%
3/27/2019 96.86%
3/28/2019 109.59%
3/29/2019 91.49%
3/30/2019 64.29%
3/31/2019 119.92%
4/1/2019 190.38%
4/2/2019 80.26%
4/3/2019 84.67%
4/4/2019 112.97%
4/5/2019 92.34%
4/6/2019 68.13%
4/7/2019 106.08%
4/8/2019 190.86%
4/9/2019 74.08%
4/10/2019 99.37%
4/11/2019 96.56%
4/12/2019 95.77%
4/13/2019 57.52%
4/14/2019 137.41%
4/15/2019 179.58%
4/16/2019 69.68%
4/17/2019 90.24%
4/18/2019 105.87%
4/19/2019 91.24%
4/20/2019 65.76%
4/21/2019 88.81%
4/22/2019 258.36%
4/23/2019 76.46%
4/24/2019 96.39%
4/25/2019 114.96%
4/26/2019 94.12%
4/27/2019 64.10%
4/28/2019 118.26%
4/29/2019 178.60%
4/30/2019 71.61%
5/1/2019 100.27%
5/2/2019 87.41%
5/3/2019 99.06%
5/4/2019 70.46%
5/5/2019 116.59%
5/6/2019 172.31%
5/7/2019 82.14%
5/8/2019 92.80%
5/9/2019 103.95%
5/10/2019 84.79%
5/11/2019 66.78%
5/12/2019 106.22%
5/13/2019 208.20%
5/14/2019 77.05%
5/15/2019 90.95%
5/16/2019 105.46%
5/17/2019 93.00%
5/18/2019 75.61%
5/19/2019 106.06%
5/20/2019 164.29%
5/21/2019 81.12%
5/22/2019 104.75%
5/23/2019 91.37%
5/24/2019 105.12%
5/25/2019 52.36%
5/26/2019 103.20%
5/27/2019 99.15%
5/28/2019 185.23%
5/29/2019 74.69%
5/30/2019 107.19%
5/31/2019 100.96%
6/1/2019 70.21%
6/2/2019 112.70%
6/3/2019 161.39%
6/4/2019 47.10%
6/5/2019 93.06%
6/6/2019 99.66%
6/7/2019 90.82%
6/8/2019 81.27%
6/9/2019 99.08%
6/10/2019 180.93%
6/11/2019 70.18%
6/12/2019 97.80%
6/13/2019 100.37%
6/14/2019 96.64%
6/15/2019 55.60%
6/16/2019 142.36%
6/17/2019 192.20%
6/18/2019 82.74%
6/19/2019 85.89%
6/20/2019 88.57%
6/21/2019 89.92%
6/22/2019 86.55%
6/23/2019 102.07%
6/24/2019 202.03%
6/25/2019 74.12%
6/26/2019 91.86%
6/27/2019 115.87%
6/28/2019 78.03%
6/29/2019 81.63%
6/30/2019 83.00%
7/1/2019 187.35%
7/2/2019 72.03%
7/3/2019 89.73%
7/4/2019 79.60%
7/5/2019 170.63%
7/6/2019 63.00%
7/7/2019 100.58%
7/8/2019 206.94%
7/9/2019 91.62%
7/10/2019 95.12%
7/11/2019 99.36%
7/12/2019 100.32%
7/13/2019 80.39%
7/14/2019 104.80%
7/15/2019 180.15%
7/16/2019 70.55%
7/17/2019 103.90%
7/18/2019 109.25%
7/19/2019 99.74%
7/20/2019 61.27%
7/21/2019 118.61%
7/22/2019 194.16%
7/23/2019 78.57%
7/24/2019 89.71%
7/25/2019 106.93%
7/26/2019 85.04%
7/27/2019 62.76%
7/28/2019 128.50%
7/29/2019 162.55%
7/30/2019 81.66%
7/31/2019 101.64%
8/1/2019 87.06%
8/2/2019 106.19%
8/3/2019 69.39%
8/4/2019 100.84%
8/5/2019 178.33%
8/6/2019 83.64%
8/7/2019 88.27%
8/8/2019 112.34%
8/9/2019 88.45%
8/10/2019 70.70%
8/11/2019 98.65%
8/12/2019 205.02%
8/13/2019 71.27%
8/14/2019 105.94%
8/15/2019 89.09%
8/16/2019 104.64%
8/17/2019 72.78%
8/18/2019 120.43%
8/19/2019 151.62%
8/20/2019 81.43%
8/21/2019 79.24%
8/22/2019 118.82%
8/23/2019 93.79%
8/24/2019 78.48%
8/25/2019 105.06%
8/26/2019 161.04%
8/27/2019 74.06%
8/28/2019 103.70%
8/29/2019 93.83%
8/30/2019 93.43%
8/31/2019 74.07%
9/1/2019 84.50%
9/2/2019 115.38%
9/3/2019 154.87%
9/4/2019 96.69%
9/5/2019 96.23%
9/6/2019 108.19%
9/7/2019 61.18%
9/8/2019 129.57%
9/9/2019 184.23%
9/10/2019 77.48%
9/11/2019 83.72%
9/12/2019 109.03%
9/13/2019 104.78%
9/14/2019 71.43%
9/15/2019 98.30%
9/16/2019 192.64%
9/17/2019 68.99%
9/18/2019 84.69%
9/19/2019 115.00%
9/20/2019 103.01%
9/21/2019 76.30%
9/22/2019 117.45%
9/23/2019 155.43%
9/24/2019 80.19%
9/25/2019 127.91%
9/26/2019 110.45%
9/27/2019 99.18%
9/28/2019 69.29%
9/29/2019 105.39%
9/30/2019 182.39%
10/1/2019 82.09%
10/2/2019 92.60%
10/3/2019 103.89%
10/4/2019 99.21%
10/5/2019 54.27%
10/6/2019 125.64%
10/7/2019 164.14%
10/8/2019 86.86%
10/9/2019 92.84%
10/10/2019 88.77%
10/11/2019 102.73%
10/12/2019 72.95%
10/13/2019 103.97%
10/14/2019 173.25%
10/15/2019 84.19%
10/16/2019 98.69%
10/17/2019 88.27%
10/18/2019 110.53%
10/19/2019 59.64%
10/20/2019 116.35%
10/21/2019 202.61%
10/22/2019 76.77%
10/23/2019 91.39%
10/24/2019 113.33%
10/25/2019 95.54%
10/26/2019 74.10%
10/27/2019 105.73%
10/28/2019 153.39%
10/29/2019 85.51%
10/30/2019 86.57%
10/31/2019 105.97%
11/1/2019 112.16%
11/2/2019 64.06%
11/3/2019 110.34%
11/4/2019 163.64%
11/5/2019 83.68%
11/6/2019 97.30%
11/7/2019 98.08%
11/8/2019 65.87%
11/9/2019 55.78%
11/10/2019 130.18%
11/11/2019 159.09%
11/12/2019 84.57%
11/13/2019 106.08%
11/14/2019 84.71%
11/15/2019 91.73%
11/16/2019 80.74%
11/17/2019 126.40%
11/18/2019 155.82%
11/19/2019 83.25%
11/20/2019 93.81%
11/21/2019 103.30%
11/22/2019 91.05%
11/23/2019 62.11%
11/24/2019 100.56%
11/25/2019 182.58%
11/26/2019 79.08%
11/27/2019 71.98%
11/28/2019 74.05%
11/29/2019 164.23%
11/30/2019 80.89%
12/1/2019 120.33%
12/2/2019 160.73%
12/3/2019 91.48%
12/4/2019 86.02%
12/5/2019 104.69%
12/6/2019 85.17%
12/7/2019 61.94%
12/8/2019 153.59%
12/9/2019 146.81%
12/10/2019 88.12%
12/11/2019 89.80%
12/12/2019 110.99%
12/13/2019 78.22%
12/14/2019 70.04%
12/15/2019 112.05%
12/16/2019 168.28%
12/17/2019 73.16%
12/18/2019 99.56%
12/19/2019 88.16%
12/20/2019 81.09%
12/21/2019 87.12%
12/22/2019 94.37%
12/23/2019 133.58%
12/24/2019 27.93%
12/25/2019 102.00%
12/26/2019 398.04%
12/27/2019 107.39%
12/28/2019 65.14%
12/29/2019 97.89%
12/30/2019 176.26%
12/31/2019 52.24%

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Author

Kathy Morris

Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.

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