Thanks for the comments, folks.

To respond... For pay, our compatriots and other competition for employees in the area, on average pay about $3 less per hour. So I doubt it's that.

I go over the resume of a prospective employee with a fine tooth comb. Unfortunately, the employees who are applying haven't had histories that we can go back on. In fact the one who just quit without notice had her Uncle as her last employer. Was that a warning bell I missed? So, yes, aggressively interviewing ex-employers is a great idea, but unfortunately, how do I know for sure that the employer really is a valid reference?

We do have a probationary period of 3 months, and this last employee had gone well beyond that, she's been here for 6. I can't imagine what good a probationary period of 1 year would do me, it takes me three months to train the office assistant, if I put a year into her and she still quits at that point, I'm right back where I started anyway.

There has to be a better way!

I can't be the only person with this problem???

Oddly enough, all of my blue collar workers are here still since day one. It's only the office employees I've had difficulty with.

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!