Record Number of People Expected to Call Out Day After Super Bowl

Survey shows 26.2 million Americans plan to skip work on Monday after the big game

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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A survey conducted by UKG, a global HR platform, has found that a record 26.2 million people are expected to miss work on the Monday following the Super Bowl. The survey found that 13.1 million plan to take a pre-approved day off, 3.3 million intend to call out sick despite not being ill, and 1.6 million plan to ghost their employer without notice. An additional 4.9 million say they'll show up late, resulting in an estimated $5.2 billion in potential productivity losses for employers.

Why it matters

The day after the Super Bowl has long been known for high absenteeism rates as employees recover from late-night celebrations and parties. This trend continues to grow, presenting challenges for employers who must plan for these disruptions and find ways to maintain productivity.

The details

According to the UKG survey, the number of people expected to miss work the day after the Super Bowl has steadily increased over the years, with this year's 26.2 million figure representing a new record. Employers are starting to be more proactive in addressing this issue, using it as an opportunity to build trust with employees and implement policies around shift swaps or planned time off to prepare for these types of disruptions.

  • The Super Bowl is an annual event that typically takes place in early February.

The players

UKG

A global AI platform for human resources, pay and workforce management that conducts an annual survey on Super Bowl-related absenteeism.

Julie Develin

Senior Partner, Human Insights at UKG.

Anthony Pena

A Patriots fan who plans to celebrate the Super Bowl, potentially affecting his work the next day.

Peter Gualtieri

A resident of Lynn, Massachusetts who admits he will likely "slack off a little bit" the day after the Super Bowl.

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What they’re saying

“Hopefully a Super Bowl party. If not, I'll watch it at home with the family, but definitely a celebration regardless.”

— Anthony Pena, Patriots fan

“Might go in a little late.”

— Anthony Pena, Patriots fan

“Yeah, I probably will slack off a little bit, don't tell my boss.”

— Peter Gualtieri

“What you can control is having those conversations with employees and also having a really good workforce operating platform that you can see the data and know where you can get the right people in the right place at the right time.”

— Julie Develin, Senior Partner, Human Insights at UKG

“This is not a surprise. This is something that organizations today should be planning for, because we know when the super bowl happens every year. It's like preparation beats reaction.”

— Julie Develin, Senior Partner, Human Insights at UKG

What’s next

Develin adds there are other major events this year, like the World Cup, where employers could see high numbers of absenteeism. But we might not see record sick calls after next year's Super Bowl. That's because the day after is Dresident's day—a federal holiday.

The takeaway

The growing trend of Super Bowl-related absenteeism highlights the need for employers to be proactive in addressing these disruptions, whether through open communication with employees, implementing flexible work policies, or leveraging data and workforce management tools to maintain productivity during these high-profile events.