Happy New year everyone.
I have a unique predicament that I am currently in. I have posted my update on our most famous thread, Are You Experiencing Clearance and Processing Delays?, in which I was granted a clearance after 429 days.
The potential problem: The Agency who sponsored me was silent over the entire period of the investigation and I never knew what was going on like most of you. Now, While waiting, I got a short term gig that I was able to span out over a year after extending contracts and stuff so I was really thankful. Over a month ago that ended and forced me to seek employment elsewhere. Turns out that my new employment pays better and has better long term benefits that I would much rather pursue. I am wondering if there is anything that could be contractually binding to go back and work for the sponsoring agency. Is there a typical form that I could have signed that will bind me to employment? I can’t seem to find anything that could and I have not signed any signing bonus/relocation agreement/or PCS paperwork. I signed 306 and some Drug test stuff stuff that I remember/found.
If anyone knows a thing or two about how this works that would be very appreciated.
Happy New year everyone!!!
-Ps if this should be in a different category I apologize, Marko.
I can’t think of any reason that you still have to take the job. I have heard of people who got signing bonuses who agreed to repay them if they left before some minimum period of time, but they don’t get the bonus until they already sign up.
With the amount of time it takes for people to get cleared, they must lose a few folks along the way. And it is not unheard of for the agency to rescind the offer. Just as an example, State Dept puts you through a very long selection process before they even start your clearance, and then there is no guarantee you will actually get a final offer even if you get cleared.
Thanks for the reply.
I believed this was the case. I just cant remember after this long process what the heck I signed. I went back and looked but didn’t find anything so I thought I would ask here for info.
The process is so broken. I feel bad that its hard for them to retain initial recruits but there needs to be a better system implemented.
Unless I am mistaken, I presume that this is a federal employment given that you signed the OF-306 form. This means that you received a tentative job offer. The tentative job offer is not a binding job offer. In fact, standard HR tentative job offer usually alludes this point on bottom of the offers (the part where it basically says something to this effect, “don’t make any financial decision as result of this tentative offer” etc.)
In short, no you do not owe the sponsoring/offering agency anything. You can simply let the agency knows that you are no longer interest in the job. However, I would advise you to wait until the process plays out. Who knows that the agency will match your salary and such once you are issued a final job offer.
By the way… even after accepting the final job offer, you are free to resign as you pleased because you will not be considered an employee until you completed a probationary period, which you probably will have to go through. There is a set of rules when it comes to that.
Point being, no… .you are free to do as you see fit.
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