Why are 14 million people planning to take off work for 'Super Sick Monday'?

Christal Hayes | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption This is the biggest day for Americans calling out sick Super Sick Monday is the day after the Super Bowl and apparently, an estimated 13.9 million Americans are going to call in sick.

If you don't plan on being at work Monday after the Super Bowl, you might want to think of a better excuse than having a bad cough. About 14 million others might be using the same excuse.

A new survey released this week by the Workforce Institute at Kronos and Mucinex details an estimated 13.9 million Americans will call in sick Monday after Super Bowl LII, making it one of the biggest sick days of the year.

The Monday after the Super Bowl has been notoriously known as a day when people call out of work. Last year, 16.5 million Americans said they planned to call in sick because of the game, according to a study by the same companies.

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"We've been researching the big game's effect on the workforce for more than a decade, and while numbers may fluctuate each year, one clear fact remains: #SuperSickMonday is often the biggest day in America for calling out of work," said Joyce Maroney, Executive Director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated.

The numbers could go up, too, because of a harsh flu season this year.

Cases of influenza have risen sharply across the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This year is on track to be as bad as the 2014-15 outbreak that caused an estimated 56,000 deaths, federal health officials said.

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"There’s been a bad flu strain this year, and it may have an impact on people calling out on Monday, but we don’t anticipate it playing a major role in changing the stats," said Brian Dolan, Equity Lead for U.S. Health at RB, which owns Mucinex.

He said what coast you live on could play a small role due to differing time zones, but most people will still be up late with the postgame show and parties.

The survey, given to more than 2,000 people, also found that 25% feel the day after the big game should be considered a holiday.

For years, people have rallied around the idea. Last year, Heinz even started a petition to take the matter to Congress. The company also gave its employees the day off, citing that even if employees do come into work, productivity drops significantly.

Even human resource managers — a whopping 72% — agree the day should be designated a holiday.

Over the years, 1-in-5 Americans said they have called in sick the Monday after the Super Bowl, according to the survey.

About 26% of employees calling in sick post-Super Bowl tell their employers they have a fever. Fourteen percent said a sore throat and 12% said headache.

So if you do call in sick, be a bit more creative.

Follow Hayes on Twitter: @Journo_Christal