I have already received an offer and a start date in the coming couple of months, and the position is listed in EODS as non-sensitive/low-risk. Based on my understanding of these checks, I believe that this level should require me to fill out an SF 85, and I would be subject to a Tier 1 background check (records check/interview). Instead, I was asked to fill out the SF-85P, and I have an interview with the investigator scheduled. At this point, none of my references/people at prior addresses have been contacted (either through the mail/in-person/over the phone), although the investigator has come to my job and interviewed my neighbors.
Am I mistaken about what the actual procedure should be? Should I be concerned about the level of scrutiny that I am getting (I can’t think of anything)?
I don’t know what EODS is, but in my experience the details of security clearances/background investigations in USAJobs are not entirely reliable. So maybe this is a similar situation.
Curious that they have already given you a start date even though the investigation (whatever kind it ends up being) is barely started. In a similar vein, I know a guy who started a job with a low-risk public trust, and after a few months on the job he was informed they had lost his paperwork and he had to fill out new forms. I guess for this kind of position it is not a huge problem.
The investigator came to your job, is this a normal procedure? My job was listed on usajobs.gov as low risk and then I was also give a sf-85p with supplemental questionnaire - since submitting everything I’ve heard nothing…
Did you schedule your interview with the Investigator at your job? In one post you say you had the interviewed scheduled and the Investigator went to your job to interview your neighbors.
We don’t just show up for Subject interviews. (well, very rarely but only under special circumstances). Your investigator should contact you and arrange the Subject interview. The process prefers your workplace, if not, then a government place.
You need to tell your boss if you have not told your employer that you are the Subject of a federal background investigation.
When the investigator came to my job I was uncomfortable then when it took almost 3 hours out of my workday I wouldnt to crawl under a rock lol I didnt even want to go back to my office.
If the investigator has to meet with me for anything else I asked her to make it outside of my job. I dont want to push it to much. Still cant believe they come to your job. If I was any less of an employee I am sure I would have been let go because of that.
I mean, when you fill out the security questionnaire you’re fully informed at the beginning of the form as to what the investigation will entail, to include talking to people and obtaining records at your current and past places of employment. As backgdinvestigator said, it’s either they meet you there or you’d have to leave work to meet somewhere else like a local library. Either way you’re the one who agreed to doing the interview at your current job location.
When I got interviewed the investigator assumed it was for my current employer, so they wanted to meet there. I had to scramble to find another place, which, from my understanding, could of been a private room at library or office park, as long as it wasnt your home.
I had my subject interview in my home. I work from home for a startup company so don’t have an office per se. I tried suggesting a library or something and he said “your home will be just fine”.
Oh yeah? Also had a follow up interview with a separate investigator. Both of them seemed like it was a routine thing. Maybe some agencies have different protocol?