Chances of Secret Clearance After Recent TS Suitability Denial

SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A
1

Hi all,

I’m looking for some guidance on my chances of obtaining a Secret clearance after recently receiving a suitability denial for a TS/SCI position with an IC angency about two weeks ago. My background investigation was marked as “investigation discontinued” and I was never given a Statement of Reasons — just notified it was a suitability decision.

I believe the denial was likely due to two main issues on my SF86:
1. I failed to disclose a job I was terminated from for job abandonment (the termination occurred just before I filled out the form, and I thought my request to resign had gone through but obviously did not). I also had 2 write-ups in the 4 years I worked there for coming in late.
2. I also omitted two prior employments, which I now realize should have been included.

I now have a defense contractor job and will be doing a security interview next week for a Secret clearance. I plan to be completely transparent and correct all the omissions, but I’m wondering if this recent suitability denial or job termination from last year will prevent me from being granted a clearance, especially for job abandonment which HR clarified was not a code of misconduct but I don’t know any other place that doesn’t label job abandonment as misconduct.

Has anyone gone through something similar and still successfully received a Secret clearance afterward? Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks!

2

Someone just posted the same question a couple days ago. Check out that thread for some insights.

3

The “job abandonment” thing usually just means that company won’t hire you back, especially if it is a one-time thing (ie no pattern of walking away from jobs). Maybe the totality of all these employment history issues was enough to earn the unsuitable tag… but that should not affect any clearances, particularly if you fill in all the gaps this time.

The investigator for the secret clearance may be able to see that an investigation was opened and also see that it was closed without resolution. So they may ask about it, but in my opinion that alone should not be a factor for a contractor clearance. As I understand it they don’t always do a subject interview anymore for secret, but they may want to discuss this.

Also, did your notification about unsuitability say anything like “you may apply again in a year” or two years or anything like that?

4

Hey man, thanks for replying. I contacted HR for the job I was terminated for and they did mention that I was eligible to be hired back and there was a possibility that a manager could have received my request to leave and not reported it due to how poorly the place was mismanaged.

No, my suitability denial did not have any frames of time mentioned in which I had to wait to apply again.

1 Like
5

That’s a good one… amazing they would even admit it!!!