The other day I calculated our nanny has had 11 per cent (i.e. more than one in ten) of days she should have been at work as unscheduled absence. By that I mean not pre-planned holiday but time off for sickness or personal reasons. This has been going on for nine months since we employed her. I've tried giving her a financial incentive to turn up as we now dock her pay for days off (apart from any statutory sick pay which has never kicked in so far) as we are contractually entitled to do. However, the problem lately is that she seems to have had a series of unfortunate circumstances which have clearly upset her. Family pet got ill and had to be put down, then a not immediate but not too distant family member was rushed to hospital, thought to be close to death and now her father has a potential serious illness. Each time she has taken a week off with no prior warning making it very difficult to get childcare at short notice and jeapardising my work. She seems to be so wrapped up in her own problems that she doesn't seem aware of the impact it has on me. As she is so upset by things I feel terrible raising her absences as a concern or making it a 'disciplinary' matter but frankly I can't continue to employ her if her attendance doesn't improve. Not sure how to tackle this as I don't know if others would think me totally unreasonable to expect her to turn up for work rather than grieve for her dead pet or visit a sick relative in hospital? I think the real problem is her circumstances - e.g. sick relative and dog hundreds of miles away (family pet lives with her mum). Hence the need for a week off when something happens! Hubby relunctant to let her go as thinks next nanny could be as bad or worse and we should stick with what we know and see the positives - e.g. she is good with my son when she actually turns up for work. Anyone got any thoughts what they would do in these circumstances?