Hi everyone, I really need some advice. I have a girl who has worked for me for 7 years on a self employed basis. She is like my right hand man. She came in this morning looking awful, when I asked her what is wrong, she replied she is probably going to have to cancel her whole days work as she has just been diagnosed with low blood pressure and feels really unwell. When I questioned her more she finally confessed she was pregnant. she is saying she has only known for around a week and could possibly be a month pregnant. I was shocked as I didnt know how to respond. I pay her a fixed weekly fee (I am her main form of income) and she does other clients at home and mobile. She still expects to be paid whether she works or not or so it seems. Because after I had words with her for turning up and just throwing this on me when she has a fully booked column (and so did I and our other therapist, so no room to move clients), she stayed and did her days work. she did however ring a new client who was booked into the salon for a massage and canceled/moved her, as her Dr has told her she can no longer do massages. When I asked her if she thought she would be turning up tomorrow to do her column she replied she didnt know, because she wouldnt know how she would feel until tomorrow. My dilemma is I don't want to be unfair to her (I already pay her sick days because she doesnt take advantage and I give her 30 days paid holiday a year), but if she is suffering this badly after only a month how am I going to cope with her just turning up and expecting me to cancel her clients and pay her? I explained this to her and asked her what she thought I should do and she again replied she doesnt know. What is a fair way of handling this situation please.