Next Tuesday could see scores of Canadian employees take sick leave and book last minute vacation days in a post-Thanksgiving ‘day of rest’, according to data from global HR and health & safety software provider BrightHR.
Statistics from BrightHR’s absence management software, which monitors approximately 100,000 employees at over 7,000 companies in Canada, show that over the past three years, sick leave has consistently increased by 77-89% against the daily average the day after Thanksgiving.
A surge in employees requesting last-minute vacation days can also be expected, with bookings for Tuesday, October 15th already exceeding the daily average by 18%. In 2023, 2022, and 2021, vacation bookings increased by 14%, 27% and 57% against daily averages respectively, highlighting the trend of employees seeking additional rest days post-holiday celebrations.
Alan Price, CEO at BrightHR, said: “Thanksgiving celebrations often lead to people calling in sick or requesting last-minute vacation days the day after. The festivities, combined with travel and family gatherings, can leave employees feeling exhausted and in need of an extra day to recover.
“As it stands, vacation bookings for next Tuesday stand at 18% higher than this week—and that number is only growing by the second. We can also expect to see a significant spike in sickness absences. Last year, sick leave surged by 89% the day after Thanksgiving, leaving many employers stuck with a skeleton crew and scrambling to amend their schedules in time to meet demand.
“To effectively manage sickness absences, employers should implement a robust absence management system that tracks and monitors employee absences in real-time. This allows managers to identify patterns and address any issues promptly. Encouraging a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable discussing their health can also help in managing unexpected absences.
“Time off work is crucial for maintaining a healthy workforce and preventing burnout. However, during peak periods—especially in sectors like retail, tourism, hospitality, and healthcare—it may not be feasible to approve all vacation requests. When multiple staff members request time off simultaneously, employers face the risk of being understaffed.
“In such cases, employers might need to decline some vacation requests to ensure business continuity. While this is not an ideal situation, it is necessary to keep operations running smoothly. “Managing these scenarios can be challenging, particularly if decisions are influenced by individual circumstances. A common pitfall is prioritizing employees with children for time off, which can lead to perceptions of unfairness. In reality, all employees should be treated equally regarding vacation requests.
“Therefore, it is essential to have a clear vacation policy that outlines the process for submitting requests and the criteria for approval. Many companies adopt a first-come, first-served approach or give preference to employees who haven’t taken time off recently. They may also set a cap on the number of employees who can be off at the same time and require that requests be submitted within a specific timeframe.
“Communicating this policy effectively to the team, along with a fair and transparent process, can significantly reduce the risk of last-minute requests disrupting schedules and depleting team capacity. It also helps prevent feelings of discrimination when requests are declined.
“Additionally, using absence management and vacation planning tools can assist managers in planning staffing levels, which is particularly important during busy periods like Thanksgiving and Christmas. These tools provide a quick overview of team absences and can flag potential vacation clashes, preventing scheduling chaos before it occurs.”