It’s that time of year again, when poor down-trodden employers have to deal with laughable levels of staffing nightmares! writes Charlie Cashdan.

Here I am thinking that the city is full of unemployed people desperate for work and feeling a nice fuzzy glow in my belly that I’ve been able to offer so many of them work.

But no, all those enthusiastic promises in the interview just turn to dust when the reality of working life kicks in.

Take today for example, I’ve had one person not show up because of childcare issues, one pull out of a whole booking due to family problems (half an hour before their shift is due to start), one sent home sick, one cancel all her work due to a dodgy eye and one who didn’t show because she was locked in her house!

Not to mention the other person who now only wants two days a week instead of four because of childcare issues, even though they agreed to the shifts weeks ago and were dead keen to do anything and everything in the interview.

Let’s not also forget the girl who’s suddenly had to go to Devon and look after her sick mother, the girl who’s gone back to Belfast with family problems, the person who couldn’t do certain shifts because of a sick mom and then pulled out of a load more because her dad fell ill and the lady who has cancelled all bookings until the end of the year because her mom had a fall!

On Saturday I lost one person because they were tired, two people with bad ankles, one with a bad eye and one with a poorly child.

All of these people were out of work and came to me in desperation but just can’t seem to cope with the realities; the tired girl had only done one shift.

Am I the only person this happens too?  Please, please, if there are any other employers out there having the same seasonal nightmares write me a comment of support because I sure do need one today!