I hope I'm posting this in right place. I hope some one can give me some advice. I work in a small hotel. I'm the Head Chef. We have 2 other chefs working in the kitchen. One of the chefs is known to be very lazy. Likes to take time off saying he is ill when isn't, spends more time playing on phone than working etc. Earlyer this week on the Tuesday I was working with him and he started going on about how he had just got a new xbox and the new call of duty game that had just come out. He started moaning that his friends were already much higher level than him and that he need to catch up. He had his days off Wednesday and Thursday and Friday morning we hear from him and he has apparently been to doctors and been signed off works for 2 weeks due to stress. He is not stressed, he is only 25, is not married and has no children. He has only just come back off holiday a week ago. I'm sure he has lied to Dr to get time off to play his new video game. He has been playing his new call of duty game for nearly 80 hours straight. And is still online playing at 3am. Would some one who is under that much stress that they can't work be able to play videos games non stop. I am really angry, I have young children and my youngest son is very poorly. He has hospital appointments next week and weeks after. I had booked days off for both weeks, over a month ago. So I could look after my other children whilst my wife takes our youngest to hospital. These hospital appointments are very important. And include Nurosurgery appointments and appointments at eye hospital. We have no family to ask for help, and no friends so my wife relies on me to help. A lot of the hospital appointments are over 3 hours away at specialist hospitals, and a lot they require that my youngest son is bought alone, so it's not possible for my wife to take are other children with her. We are going to have to cancel all appointments as I have now got to cover for this other chef and will have no days off next week or the week after. Its so wrong that he gets to sit at home playing stupid video games and still gets paid whilst I'm left having to pick up the pieces covering for him working my self in to the ground and it will effect my children as they will not see me, and expecially my youngest as he won't get to his hospital appointments. I also feel sorry for my boss as she is a old lady in her 80s and I feel he is taking advantage of her, he lies to her and she believes him. I don't like to see him walking all over her, he laughs at her behind her back. She ended up in a simular situation with a different employee many years ago and she did sack them but then end up being sued for apparent unfair dismissal. Although that situation sorted its self out she is afraid to do any thing or sack any one else. Is there any thing I can do about this chef, how can I get my boss to see what he really is like. I have physical evidence to back up my claims that he wanted time off to play call of duty. Is it worth me mentioning to my boss. Surely as Head chef I should have a say in who works in kitchen. I don't want some one lazy, I want some one hard working who I can trust and who is reliable. If my boss will listen what should be her first step to dealing with this so she doesn't end up in same situation as last time. Any advice would be much appreciated If you wondering why I'm awake posting this at 3.50am is because a neighbours parrot escaped and is sitting in a tree out side my window sqauking like crazy so cant sleep. Thanks in advance.