August 24 has earned the title of the 'sickest day of the year,' as it witnesses a higher number of office workers in the US calling in sick compared to any other day. Despite the holiday season around Christmas being commonly linked with employee leave, it's the unexpected date of August 24 when a majority of workers choose to report sick.

The information stems from the study conducted by the leave management platform, Flamingo Leave Tracker. The study, spanning the past five years, yielded this conclusion.

Approximately 300 organisations with a collective workforce exceeding 10,000 employees partook in Flamingo's investigation to identify the year's 'sickest day.' According to a Bloomberg report, their findings unveiled that August 24 witnessed 0.9 per cent of these employees calling in sick, surpassing any other day throughout the year.

August 24 doesn't coincide with the influenza season in the United States, nor does it align with any significant holidays. As such, the reason behind the high number of sick leaves on this particular day remains somewhat unclear.

Among employees, the most frequently mentioned cause for sick leave was a stomach bug. Specifically, symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting constituted 54 per cent of all sick leaves observed on August 24. 

Following closely, 25 per cent of surveyed staff reported being absent due to Covid-related reasons, while 9 per cent attributed their sick leave to stress or anxiety. Additionally, injuries like broken bones and muscle strain contributed to 6 per cent of the total leaves taken.

According to Paaras Parker, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Paycor, the rise in workers taking mental health days is a positive change. In a conversation with Bloomberg, she noted, "It's not always about having strep or a fever, but about the need for a day dedicated to themselves."

Following August 24, the day with the second-highest number of leaves is February 13, which is in proximity to Valentine's Day and the Super Bowl. This correlation comes as no surprise.