Managing Local Government: Cases in Effectiveness: Essential Management Practices: The Human Side of HR Decisions explores the options of how to ask whether applicants have been convicted of a crime on employment applications. This e-book stresses the need for all employers, in consultation with their attorneys, to develop two things: (1) appropriate releases for reference checking and background investigations and (2) appropriate policies to respond to questionable results that are in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Victoria Gordon is an assistant professor in the political science department at Western Kentucky University. She also serves as director for the Center for Local Governments, which provides training and research services to cities and counties in Kentucky. Dr. Gordon holds a D.P.A. from the University of Illinois at Springfield and an M.P.A. from the University of Kansas. Dr. Gordon has many years of experience in local government management at the city and county level, which complements her primary research interests, including human resource management and regional economic development.