Why are 14 million people planning to take off work for 'Super Sick Monday'?

If you don't plan on being at work Monday after the Super Bowl, you might want to think of a better excuse than having a bad cough. About 14 million others might be using the same excuse. 

A new survey released  this week by the Workforce Institute at Kronos and Mucinex details an estimated 13.9 million Americans will call in sick Monday after Super Bowl LII, making it one of the biggest sick days of the year. 

The Monday after the Super Bowl has been notoriously known as a day when people call out of work. Last year, 16.5 million Americans said they planned to call in sick because of the game, according to a study by the same companies"We've been researching the big game's effect on the workforce for more than a decade, and while numbers may fluctuate each year, one clear fact remains: #SuperSickMonday is often the biggest day in America for calling out of work," said Joyce Maroney, Executive Director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated.

The numbers could go up, too, because of a harsh flu season this year.

Cases of sen sharply across the influenza have rination, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This year is on track to be as bad as the 2014-15 outbreak that caused an estimated 56,000 deaths, federal health officials said.The worst flu season in a decade will cost U.S. employers more than $15-billion as workers call in sick, according to a report by employment firm, Challenger, Gray & Christmas. (Feb. 1) AP

"There’s been a bad flu strain this year, and it may have an impact on people calling out on Monday, but we don’t anticipate it playing a major role in changing the stats," said Brian Dolan, Equity Lead for U.S. Health at RB, which owns Mucinex.

He said what coast you live on could play a small role due to differing time zones, but most people will still be up late with the postgame show and parties. 

The survey, given to more than 2,000 people, also found that 25% feel the day after the big game should be considered a holiday. 

For years, people have rallied around the idea. Last year, Heinz even started a petitionto take the matter to Congress. The company also gave its employees the day off, citing that even if employees do come into work, productivity drops significantly.