Hello, I’m confused on my current secret security clearance process and was hoping you guys could help me out.
I was tentatively offered a position at a large (~10k employee) government contracting company back in August 2017. The HR at this company anticipated I would receive my interim clearance and get a start date around mid-January 2018. Since then this has occurred:
August 2017 - Received tentative offer
September 2017 - Informed by HR that all paperwork was sent out and now just waiting for interim clearance
January 2018 - Haven’t received any further communication from HR (not responding to emails) and no FSO have contacted me at all yet
It seems from this forum that everyone had filled out their own SF86 form and sent it in before being granted an interim clearance. I have yet to fill that out or even been given the form. Does this mean that my security clearance forms aren’t even in the queue yet? Could the HR department have filled this out for me by any chance? I still communicate with the employee that extended me an offer but he said to contact the HR since it’s out of his hands.
Thank you very much for your help and sorry for any questions that may have been repeated earlier in the forum.
It sounds like you are just in a queue for possible hiring when needed, they cannot submit an SF-86 on your behalf- no clearance investigation is in progress.
It’s not a screening process. This is a direct hire and I received the CJO and sent in HR papers as well as the SF86. As far as I know, HR approved and sent everything over to the security team. Next steps were that I needed to schedule an interview with them.
Can they retract a CJO based on suitability in between a CJO being given and an investigation being started?
It sounds like if could be any number of things. The simplest is that the position is no longer available. Contracts expand, contract or do not get renewed. Projects get cancelled or priorities shift. It’s often even hard to know what’s going on when you are already employed!
I totally agree with you about the polygraph. Really, if you were to take a polygraph makes sure you EAT and SLEEP WELL… The polygraph is not as bad as it is being made out, but is is EXHAUSTING.
When I took mine, I was totally drained and thought I had flunked it and would have to take it again. When I was told on the spot that I passed, I couldn’t even process the information and thank god a friend picked me up (can’t imagine driving). On top of that, I was HUNGRY. So, make sure you eat and rest well.
Otherwise, don’t exert too much of an energy on thinking/worrying about the poly.
Can they retract? Yes, which is why it is called conditional job offer. As others have alluded, there could be numerous factors/reasons. Generally, you can make an educated assumption based on the agency or the customer (it is unclear if it is a Government position or a contractor position).
The process, which you described so far, matches a lot with what I have been going through with my potential new employer. You might want to reach out to find out the direct number Security dept. from your HR and follow-up with them directly to see why you have not yet receive the SF86 application ‘invite’. Review the papers that they passed out during the interview or the security clearance awareness session (if it was a hiring event), and there should be a number to the Security dept. I got might from the security department brochure at the hiring event.
CJO: June 2017
Sent in SF-86: July 2017
Polygraph: August 2017
Met with background investigator: September 2017
Received email from an adjudicator requesting additional documents: December 2017
As far as I can tell from reading the discussions, this is where the fun waiting begins.
I think that is a good sign. It means it finally reached somebody’s desk. Hopefully you can provide the requested info quickly and that answers the mail.
Just for some frame of reference for you all (for a TS with IC agency):
Accepted Offer, Sent in SF86: July 2016
Poly, Medicals: January 2017
Met with both investigators: June 2017
I’ve been “actively processing” ever since.
I’m in contact with them about once a month, only to hear that nothing has changed and/or they don’t have the visibility into where everything is at in the process.
I understand your frustration. I’m going through the exact same with a IC agency.
Accepted Offer, Sent in Paperwork: December 2015
Poly, BI closed: Summer of 2016
I’ve been actively processing in adjudication for 17 months now with no end in sight.
They can’t tell me anything when I contact them once a month other than “you’re still processing”
Since we’re probably talking about the same agency, how long do you plan on waiting around? Do you currently have a job? Are you looking/interviewing for other jobs? I ask because my current employer knows about me accepting the agency’s offer and will be letting me go in April. After that, I don’t know what i’ll do. Getting a new job will only add to the delay because they have to reinvestigate it.
From my knowledge, when you are in adjudication, there is nothing a senator or congressman can do, especially with the agency I’m processing with. OPM is also not involved in my process with this agency.
I plan on waiting as long as it takes. That being said, I moved down to the DC area a few months ago hoping I would have heard by now. I can’t imagine it taking another 6 months, at least I pray every day that it won’t. I’m also processing with two other agencies who have done separate BI’s on me and they are also taking forever. I plan on accepting whichever FJO I get first. I have a job now but it’s not supporting me financially enough to keep waiting another year. As far as I know, getting a new job will not cause them to reinvestigate it because our BI’s are already closed. Maybe they will upon our reinvestigation but since we are already in adjudication, I have read it’s fine to get another job while waiting. Personally, I picked up a part time job to help me financially while I wait since I moved down here already.