We have employed an unqualified nanny to do the after school pick ups 3 days a week (nine hours) since last November. She had not been working for some months due to bereavement and had references and CRB clearance (previous job at a school).
I pay her net money in cash weekly, making it up at the beginning of the month and putting it in 4 or 5 little brown envelopes (am a bit anal). Usually these were not sealed because I needed to add more coins to make it correct and were always kept in the kitchen.
In the spring I noticed that several £20 notes appeared to be missing from more than one envelope...I am normally v good at this kind of thing and coulnt really believe I had made a mistake but was not <span class="italic">certain</span> that I had not. Everyone, including the children, knew where it was kept. DS1 has some history of "picking up" cash lying around and we grilled both older boys, getting flat denials which after a while I believed as no sudden riches materialised. DS1 birthday party in April was scaled down as a result. This morning I happened to look at the three envelopes remaining for this month (different palce now in cupboard, but nanny has seen me taking one out), knowing that all but the last had been sealed by me, to find that they were all now sealed and one had been re-written on the front in similar <span class="italic">but definitely not my</span> handwriting (similar brown envelope but not identical as different batch). I opened them all, and they are all £20 short. Ive re-sealed them.
I now know that shes been taking the money...if she accepts todays pay without complaint that its short that would be further proof but I dont need it. What to do? Feel a bit sick. I believe that shes a nice person, no complaints about her treatment of the boys, she often buy them small treats and is v fond of the youngest. Also she`s been through a rough time and I know that money is short - her main caring job is giving her fewer hours than she expected. She may well look on this as "borrowing" money which would come to her later.
On the other hand this is fundementally dishonest, she has had money to which she is not entitled (I replaced the money missing from the spring)and our boys suffered earlier through being wrongly accused.
Like many people I have taken the odd pen etc from work...would never take money. am I hypocritical? Can you trust someone with the care of your children depsite knowing them to be dishonest?
I suspect I will need to have it out with her on Monday and sack her...will also leave us up shit creek with childcare. If only it was July and not June.
What would you do?