[MaulingMonkey]

> So you would rather restart the hiring process than wait another week?

That's only half the coin - the other half is "would you rather restart the hiring process than hire someone showing red flags (not sticking to their commitments / showing up on time) before they even start the job?"

Sick? Family emergency? Funeral? Sure.

Can't let go of your old job? Hmm...

> From what I've read about the numbers this seems very costly.

From what I've read, so is hiring the wrong person and then having to fire them or have them quit - all that time wasted getting them up to speed.

[chillacy]

Well at the very least it seems like they'd have as much loyalty for their new job and be willing to stay an extra week for you too.

[MaulingMonkey]

It'd be nice to think that's the case!

On the other hand, they may be getting cold feet about leaving all their old colleagues and friends behind and about to accept a generous counteroffer that they haven't yet had time to formalize.

Or perhaps they remembered they really hate PHP. Or the state they'd be moving to. Or gotten a last minute job offer from someone else that they like way better. Or...