National Sickie Day 2023 (UK): Date, History and Worst Sickie Excuses

In the United Kingdom, the first Monday of February is known as National Sickie Day. According to data undertaken by British legal firm ELAS for the first time in 2011, this is the day on which the majority of employees call in sick. This is due to a combination of gloomy weather, post-holiday depression, and seasonal illnesses, according to experts. Not surprisingly, depression and anxiety are prevalent during the winter. Although the name “sickie” implies false pretences, labour and mental-health advocates contend that the stigma around mental-health concerns causes many individuals to use other, more “genuine” ailments as their reported reason for being home.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL SICKIE DAY

National Sickie Day was created in 2011 by the British legal company ELAS, following the publication of statistics indicating that the first Monday in February is the most likely day for U.K. employees to call in sick. Reasons (legitimate and otherwise) range from illness or a hangover (it being, after all, the first Monday following Dry January) to staying up late to watch the American Super Bowl.

Approximately 600,000 workers will call in sick in 2020, costing the British economy close to £45 million. Experts say, however, that taking a sick day may be more productive than going to work sick, when the individual is likely to spread sickness and perform at a diminished level.

A poll conducted in 2015 revealed that workers calling in sick with a mental health condition were more likely to lie to their employers than those with a physical illness. Doctors and mental-health specialists suggest that businesses must stress the significance of mental health and eliminate the stigma associated with it. 42% of senior managers consider the flu as a justification to remain home due to illness, indicating that some companies are indifferent to physical illness.

Although Monday is the most popular day of the week for phoning in sick, other Mondays throughout the year have surpassed February 1 for the highest absence rates in recent years, rendering the designation of National Sickie Day inaccurate. Nevertheless, the ‘holiday’ continues to be a popular topic of conversation and an excuse for people to take a day off, knowing that others will likely do the same.

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5 OF THE WORST SICKIE DAY EXCUSES

Some individuals believe that candour is the best policy, even when it comes to sick day excuses!

This is a totally acceptable explanation… if you have a uterus.

If you are locked up the night before Sickie Day, you may not want to inform your supervisor.

Although it seems like a variant of “the dog ate my homework,” a worker in 2019 actually used this reason.

If you’re going to claim that you have a sickness, choose one that the National Health Service won’t quarantine you for!

NATIONAL SICKIE DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2022	February 7	Monday
2023	February 6	Monday
2024	February 5	Monday
2025	February 3	Monday
2026	February 2	Monday