Half of UK workers will pull a sickie in December because of the festive activities

A survey of 2,000 adults has revealed that nearly half of UK employees have confessed to feigning illness to take time off during the festive season. Christmas parties, sporting events, and spending time with loved ones are among the top reasons for these unplanned absences.

The study suggests that Christmas Eve is the most popular day for a ‘sickie’, allowing individuals extra recovery time after festivities or additional preparation for Christmas Day.

The survey was conducted by Fireball, in collaboration with the Professional Darts Corporation. Ahead of the World Championships on the 15th December, they have launched a Sick Note Service, offering party-goers the opportunity to obtain personalised ‘sick notes’ from top darts players as an inventive excuse for a post-celebration day off.

The company has shared an entertaining video on its Instagram channel featuring top dart players and renowned David Brent impersonator Tim Oliver, all working at the Sick Note Service call centre.

Lorenzo Farronato, a representative for Fireball, commented: “As holiday cheer fills the air it’s no surprise that the festive period is littered with fake sickies for those who celebrate a bit too late or a bit too enthusiastically.

“With Christmas falling mid-week this year and with the festive period having lots of sporting events and social occasions taking place, it’s no surprise people are coming up with creative ways to get out of working.”

The research also revealed that 8 out of 10 individuals would have the courage to phone in sick themselves if they wanted to skip work, while over one in 20 would shy away and ask someone else to do it for them.

Among those bold enough to make the call themselves, two-thirds admitted to adopting a convincing ‘sick voice’ when speaking to their boss.

Speaking about the World Darts Championship, Lorzeno added: “Darts is a sport with a fanbase dedicated to fun and comradery, with a splash of mischief woven in, and we are here to support these dedicated fans all the way.

“Fans won’t have to worry about putting on a show the morning after as we’re giving them license to have a fun night without having to worry about clocking in the next morning.”

Fans can download one of four unique notes informing their boss of their absence the following day.