1 week ago
Why 24 August Is America’s Most Popular Sick Day
A company studied sick-leave records from five years in the United States.
It found that 24 August was the day when the most workers called in sick.
The second-most common date was 13 February.
February usually has the most sick leave because colds and flu are more common then.
Even so, 24 August was more popular than 13 February.
This suggests that people may sometimes use sick leave for reasons besides being ill.
The report does not explain exactly why 24 August is so common.
It only shows that the date appears unusually often in the records.
Flamingo’s five-year analysis found 24 August was the most common sick-leave date in the United States.
The date surpassed 13 February, the second-most common day for employees to call in sick.
February is the busiest month for sick leave overall, with an average of 10% of employees taking leave.
Colds and flu are more common in February, according to the analysis.
The pattern suggests illness may not fully explain why 24 August is so popular for sick leave.
- Who
- United States employees and Flamingo, a leave management company.
- What
- An analysis found that 24 August was the most common date for employees to take sick leave.
- Where
- The United States.
- When
- The finding came from an analysis of five years of records; 24 August was the leading date, followed by 13 February.
- Why
- The articles suggest illness may not fully explain the pattern, while February’s broader sick-leave peak is linked to more frequent colds and flu.
Key facts
- Most common sick-leave date
- 24 August
- Second-most common date
- 13 February
- Records analyzed
- Five years of sick-leave records
- February sick-leave average
- 10% of employees
- February health pattern
- Colds and flu are more common
- Data source
- Flamingo
