Well, I hate to say it and it seems kind of callous but, there is a reason for having a trial period with an employee.

Perhaps the trick is to have an extended set of tasks for that employee that will tell you what you need to know to keep that employee or not.

Sometimes there is just no place for being kind or generous. I have met people with CS degrees who could not keep a programming job for more than 3 months because they just didn't have it in them. It's expensive, but if you want quality, it's what needs to be done.

smiles