One way for agencies to reduce fiscal stress is to minimize employee turnover. A project undertaken by San Bernardino County (California) to reduce employee turnover through the development, validation, and use of a non-traditional worker selection instrument (biographical inventory) is described. This project was aimed at the specific classification of Eligibility Worker. Employees in this classification determine the eligibility of clients for public assistance. The approach taken by the County to reduce turnover involves administering a traditional cognitive test, an in-basket examination, and a biographical inventory. The biographical inventory (biodata) consists of a life history item and personal preference items that are empirically analyzed to predict performance on a given criterion such as turnover. The research sample consisted of 563 new employees hired between 1980 and 1987 by the County. The sample was randomly divided into 2 groups: 201 in a cross-validation group, and 362 in a key group. The project demonstrated that the biographical inventory could be successfully developed and validated for the Eligibility Worker job classification. The biodata produced a substantial improvement in tenure prediction when compared to the traditional test. Three figures present study findings, and there is a 13-item list of references. (SLD)