Do you report a suitability denial on SF85P?

SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A
1

I have an active Top Secret granted a couple years ago, but earlier in 2021 I was denied a contractor fitness/suitability determination at a specific agency. My employer confirmed that I still have an active TS meaning this suitability denial did not cause any revocation of my clearance.

I am applying for another position with a different agency. They are asking me to fill out a public trust SF85P, which asks “have you ever been denied a security clearance/access authorization.” Do I have to report the suitability denial? Is that considered an access authorization? Or since it wasn’t a clearance denial am I in the clear? Also, the 1 year cooling off period only applies to clearance denials/reapplying for clearances, correct?

2

The waiting period may also apply for suitability denials, depending on the agency. It seems that “suitability denial” is preferable over denying a clearance from the agency’s point of view because there are fewer avenues of appeal. So in many cases it is pretty much the same thing, even though the notification often includes some statement like “this is not a denial of security clearance.”