I recently started the required periodic reinvestigation process for a Secret clearance, and since I’ve kept my proverbial house in order the last decade, I’m not worried about the outcome–the worst thing I had to put down was that I did get terminated in December, but it was the result of a new boss who wanted me gone and seized “you’re a poor team player” as an excuse to give me the axe. Despite what the company put down, I was found eligible for unemployment benefits, so I have a hard time imagining anyone making an issue of it. In any case the employment gap lasted all of three weeks.
Now comes the question. Before I was fired, my old company started the reinvestigation process, but when we did, my FSO was telling me all about the processing delays OPM is having with clearances right now. My new employer picked up my clearance first of the year with no problems, and we filed a new SF-86 for the reinvestigation right away.
So as the title implies–did I “lose my place in line,” so to speak, when I separated from my last company? Or since the gap was so short, is it possible that everything remained on track?
First of all, congrats on finding an employer who would hire you in that situation… many seem reluctant to do so.
Did you lose your “place in line?” I doubt it. That line is so long you’ll never notice the difference. The only problem is that they often put reinvestigations at a lower priority, the assumption being that you are already cleared and still working.
Was the new employer able to pick up your clearance? That is, did they put you right to work on a job requiring a clearance?
At any rate it sounds like you are better off to be away from that other situation and good news you landed on your feet.
Thank you! I was very fortunate in this situation and I know it…it was luck and good timing, I became available right as they needed someone with my skillset. It would’ve only been a two-week gap, but I wanted to spent the week between Christmas and New Year’s with family so I asked to push my start date back.
Yes they did! When they checked JPAS at first they were concerned because it said it was time for the reinvestigation, but soon as we saw it was still current and active everything was fine.
WAY better off now than I was before, and much happier! I will never take a healthy work environment and supportive leadership for granted again.
Thanks for the info!