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I work for a very small company: 4 employees including myself. We recently let go of our warehouse person. My customer service mentioned to me her boyfriend was unemployed and still looking for work. I simply replied back that it would be a conflict having her boyfriend work with us and made light of the situation saying it would be awkward if he wasn’t a good employee.

She sent my boss the resume, and my boss forwarded it to me. My boss has left it up to me to make the decision and had mentioned if she knew I felt that way she would have never agreed to look at the resume.

What do I do now? I don’t want to hire him as i don’t agree with working with significant others. Perhaps if I had a larger group of employees maybe but it would be just the 3 of us most of the time.

Simply don't interview/hire the boyfriend

My boss has left it up to me to make the decision and had mentioned if she knew I felt that way she would have never agreed to look at the resume.

Your boss has your back on this one. Just stick to your guns and hire someone else.

If you feel your current employee would be receptive, you can explain the dangers of working with family or significant others. You're under no obligation to do this, and I'd only do it if you feel your employee would take it well.

I think you should interview him and hire ONLY on the basis of his qualifications and interview performance.

If he fails, you do not have a conflict.

If he passes, then may be you should think if it is that important to go by how you feel at the cost of not hiring a good employee and making another employee unhappy.

You can consider making some adjustments to your own reservations and give them a chance that they can work professionally and make a great team.

In summary, do not make a decision either ways based on their relationship with another employee and your own thoughts about whether couple should work together or not. Be objective in your interview process and make a decision which is right for the company without assuming that couples cannot be in the same team.

You made light of the situation, meanwhile her boyfriend is without money and without a job. I bet “making light” didn’t go down well.

Decide whether employing a couple is a security risk, based on objective criteria, not on your private opinion. Decide whether one of them is responsible to supervise the other and might not do their job properly because of the relationship. If you expect inappropriate behaviour, that’s what probation is ther for. Then tell the customer service person your objective decision, and no jokes please.

And in an interview, you judge that person like you would any other.

Ask you boss what happens if one of them gets a new job? Does she really want to lose half the workforce at the same time, in such a small company?

Also, while going behind your back is somewhat understandable, it is not acceptable workspace behavio(u)r, and she needs to be told so in no uncertain terms.

My boss has left it up to me to make the decision and had mentioned if she knew I felt that way she would have never agreed to look at the resume.

Either way, your employee has put you in awkward position. You can refuse to interview, or interview and don't offer, but she will still be upset, and your relationship will suffer.

Can you very quickly find and accept another candidate?

Unless you have some policies in place regarding office romances you'll have a hard time justifying not interviewing this guy.

It looks like a lose-lose scenario as it stands.

If you interview him and not hire him you could lose your customer support.
If you don't interview him you might lose her anyway.

If you go ahead and interview and hire him and later change your mind you'll lose your customer support.

It's a sticky situation but your best bet might be to go ahead and hire him and hope for the best.

Refuse to interview the boyfriend. If she causes troubles to you, you also let go of her. By now, you are experienced in the process.
You will then modify the job ad for a more senior position, that the new recruit will have to handle both warehouse and customer service. Something like "Warehouse customer service manager" will do.