To wonder if this is a valid reason to be off work for the day

[Louiseeel]

That your Dparents car was broken into the night before so you had to be with them

No that's not a good reason to be off. 2 competent adults do not need a third to help with a stolen car.

It's really about the impact on the parents - if they're elderly and frail and the shock has brought on Dad's heart condition, say, and he's in hospital then it might be reasonable.

If they're just upset in the normal way anyone would be if their car was broken into, then no.

Sure, why not? Anyone can have a personal emergency that's more important than work for a day or two. If it keeps happening then you would need to discuss that and work things out, but a day here or there shouldn't matter.

Ha ha ha, nope. However some people seem to have no capacity for anything. Sounds like an excuse to me. Be very wary if this a new team member. Also ensure it’s unpaid.

Read the updates.

Absolutely taking the Mickey. If in their probation I would be having a firm word and if no improvement get rid of them

It’s reasonable to make exceptions now and then for emergencies. If they are elderly and frail they might be quite distressed, maybe they’re reliant on their car and isolated and cut off without it. If would be disastrous for me without a car! I am very remote with no pavements outside my house. I can’t really walk anywhere other than for walking sake.

Well if you are (were) like me and had been groomed to be responsible for them from an early age and that included soothing them when they were sad or angry and also doing any admin then you may think that’s what you had to do as you’d not think there was an alternative.

7-8 days off since November is a big flag. Given you’re a nursery and this is affecting your ratios, I would say goodbye.

No, given all that you have described.

Absolutely not, no
You can't say that with certainly.
It depends on your job.
We have a bit of flexibility in our work. If there is enough staff in we would be able to make time back over the next couple of weeks.

I would say it's a probation termination. However, I'd also say that I'd hope expectations around punctuality and attendance have been made clear and that a return to work interview should have taken place every time. If not, I'd be minded to give a final warning and four weeks to return a significant improvement, preferably zero absence.

Authorised absence - unpaid

Looking at your updates and the age/competence of the parents OP, this does not seem a valid reason, not even for short notice annual leave (due to the critical nature of your staffing ratios). This employee needs to adjust their priorities as they applied for their role and undertook a contract of employment.

Any reason is a valid reason to take time off work. Whether your employer would agree is another matter.

Not a chance. This is what's commonly called Taking The Piss.

Let them go, no one serious about their job would carry on like this, it will just get worse.

If they have capacity enough to drive then there's a fair chance that this is upsetting to them but not a major trauma so....no. It sounds all a bit overblown but that seems to be people nowadays.

God no, they need to be gone. Taking the piss. Once had a relatively new colleague take a day off because a bird had flown in her house and made a bit of a mess. WTF is wrong with people???

Is she very young? And/or lives at home? It sounds like it’s her not coping with the theft, rather than needing to support her parents.

Not a valid reason to be off work, but maybe the start of a conversation about expectations?

Well, then what other choice does the person have

I always allowed people to take annual leave at no notice for scenarios like this

Sounds like a bit of a piss take op. Especially if they're new and have had a couple of other incidents of late notice emergencies.

Presumably you’re not running a nursery with ratios though? Emergency leave for emergencies, yes. Annual leave for non-emergencies, no.

We had a woman who was clearly in a very enmeshed relationship with her family. She lived with her mum and her divorced sister and teen niece. Came back into work having been a carer for her dad for a couple of years.

There was a distinct pattern of her taking off an extra day after a family holiday, or her mum calling in when she was sick (she was in her forties). And her mum having "emergencies", especially whenever her daughter seemed to be doing something different/more independent. She declined attending a couple of work events citing that she had to walk her niece home from school (I live nearby, it's a safe 5m walk). Her mum was always picking her up and dropping her off.

She was a totally different character when she got a bit of space from her mum.

It was quite sad really, but we ended up having to start proceedings on leave, because she was taking so much.

Not so.

Valid reasons for absence are:

Sickness (fit note from 8th day)
Annual leave (authorised)
Authorised unpaid leave
Compassionate leave (contractual)
Bereavement leave (contractual)
Jury service
Mat, Pat, adoption related.