I took on a young lad part time a few years ago. He was the son of a friend, and he had had a couple of jobs which hadn't worked out. He was a nice enough lad, polite, the customers liked him, and his work was generally ok. My biggest problem was his sick record, and his unwillingness to be flexible within reason, oh and constantly being on his mobile while we were working.
In the end, after another layoff of around 3 weeks, he rang me to say he wouldn't be in as he was helping a friend of his with a project of some kind. I wished him the very best and thanked him for his help, but that I would now be downsizing my run, therefore would no longer have enough work for the two of us. This was actually true, as I was selling my run off in stages in preparation to our move to Ireland a few months later, but I started doing it sooner, rather than later.
Would I employ again? Not on your nelly.
John