This Research Shows How Many Aussies Are “Pulling A Sickie” Today

With yesterday’s Australia Day falling on a Thursday, awkwardly leaving Friday hanging in limbo before the weekend – it’ll be hard to motivate yourself back to work to this morning.

According to an independent study commissioned by hotel price comparison platform, HotelsCombined, your excuses to take today off are going to seem a little transparent.

An independent research agency was commissioned to study 1,004 adults located around Australia and found that a staggering 35 per cent of workers are planning to take the day off for a four-day holiday. If that’s even remotely accurate, using ABS numbers on the nations workforce as of December 2016, that’s up to 4 million people. Talk about a kick in the guts for national productivity.

Of that 35%, 29% will be taking an annual leave today to nurse hangovers and Slip N Slide bruises. Meanwhile, its 6% of us that will be looking to come up with a good last minute fib to avoid work – most likely headaches, stomach bugs, food poisoning or my personal favourite “a difficult family matter”.

Workers in their 30s are the age group most likely to take the Friday after Australia Day as annual leave (35% of respondents in their 30s), while those in their 20s are more likely take it as a sickie (11% of 20-something respondents). Between the states, Victorians and ACT residents are most likely to take the Friday as an annual leave (35% of respondents in each state), while Queenslanders and Tasmanians are most likely to take a sickie (8% of respondents in each state).

All these numbers are slightly higher than in 2016, where the dates fell on the opposite end of the week on the Tuesday. Last year, the numbers showed that 25% took leave with 5% using sick leave.

HotelsCombined’s data also revealed that Sydney’s CBD followed by Melbourne and the Surfers Paradise were the most popular choices for folks heading away.

Here’s a handy guide to calling in sick today: