It's hangover Monday! Up to TWO MILLION England fans could call in sick TODAY - after hundreds of thousands flock to bars and see Three Lions lose to Spain in Euros final
- Hangover Monday could see as many as two million people call in sick today
- Supermarket chain Lidl is giving 30,000 staff a lie-in to open an hour later
- Research shows sickness rockets after 'big events', including football matches
After a night of high drama on the football pitch, Hangover Monday could see as many as two million people call in sick today.
Millions more bleary-eyed fans were expected to work from home, while some schools told children they could come in late after staying up for the final whistle.
One employer, supermarket chain Lidl, decided to give its 30,000 staff a lie-in and opened stores an hour late this morning.
The scale of workplace absence was calculated in a study using official data from the Office for National Statistics from the last 10 years.
Online personal injury claims firm claims.co.uk calculated that an average of 425,000 Brits call in sick every day, but that sickness rocketed after 'big events' such as football tournaments, Christmas parties, and bank holidays.
After a night of high drama on the football pitch in the Euros 2024 final, Hangover Monday could see as many as two million people call in sick today
Online personal injury claims firm claims.co.uk calculated that an average of 425,000 Brits call in sick every day, but that sickness rocketed after 'big events' such as football tournaments, Christmas parties, and bank holidays
England fans react to the Euro 2024 final at Fontana de Oro pub in Madrid
England fans in Spain watch nervously as Spain outmuscled England in a tense final in Berlin
England fans watch with frustration at the game in Boxpark Croydon, London
The number of people ringing in sick on Monday could rise as much as five-fold
It estimates the number of people ringing in sick could rise as much as five-fold today - with a potential cost to the economy of as much as £1.9bn.
The study used official data from the Office for National Statistics dating back over the past 10 years, which showed the country's workforce of 33m took just over 155m sick days every year.
The day after England's Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy in 2021, sickness absence rocketed 232 per cent, according to data from Bright HR.
The company, which monitors absence among over a million employees at over 50,000 UK companies, also said annual leave for today is up 126 per cent compared with normal.
Alan Price, Bright HR's chief executive, said: 'Businesses across England should brace for 'Hangover Monday' after the historic Euro final.
He added: 'We expect record highs of sickness and last-minute annual leave absences, late arrivals and lower productivity as workers recover from the night before, whether England win or lose.'
At normal levels, sick days cost the economy £138bn last year, or around £380m a day, according to a study by insurers Vitality.
One worker who vowed he would be going into work win or lose was maintenance engineer Craig Houseman, 32, of St Albans, Herts.
The day after England's Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy in 2021, sickness absence rocketed 232 per cent, according to data from Bright HR
He said: 'It drives me mad when colleagues call in sick and you know they just have a hangover or can't be bothered getting up.
'This Monday is a bit different I suppose, although I'll definitely still be going in whether we win or lose.'
But he added: 'To be honest, having someone turning up to work with a really bad hangover is worse than them just staying at home as they just moan all day and don't get any work done.'
Headteachers allowing schoolchildren a lie-in defended the move, saying watching the match was an 'educational experience' in itself and that it was important children staying up late were 'well-rested' for class.
Patrick Kennedy, headteacher of St Charles RC Primary School in Rishton, Lancashire, said: 'Many of our children will be up until after 10pm.
'The final is also a learning experience, with the national anthem (being played), players (showing) responsibility and respect for the opposition.
'Registers will be kept open until 10.30am on Monday so children can have an extra hour or two in bed and be well rested. Come on England!'
Another school, Bowburn Primary School, County Durham, told parents: 'Any children who stay up to watch the football match and wish to come to school a little later will be allowed.
'Being in the final is exceptional and we all deserve the chance to support our country if we wish.'
Announcing the delayed store openings for this morning, Lidl's Great Britain chief executive Ryan McDonnell said: 'We know how much this game means to England fans, and we want to ensure that our colleagues have the chance to celebrate such a significant moment in English football history.
'We couldn't achieve our goals without our colleagues, so in recognition of their hard work and dedication, this move will allow them to join in the excitement and show support for the England team, and we wish them the best of luck for the big game.'
It came after scores of convenience stores including Sainsbury's and Tesco Express closed early yesterday, along with numerous restaurant chains, so staff could go home to watch the big match.
Employers allowing staff to work from home today include London-based marketing agency Flame PR, while another PR firm, Pretty Green, has told workers to start at 11am.
