I was “temporarily” laid off by Paragon last week after working there since September 2023. Apparently after getting interim clearance my investigation just…disappeared. I had mentioned several times that i hadn’t been contacted by any investigators. They said i wasn’t the only one. But since i technically didn’t have clearance anymore i couldn’t do any work. I can collect inemployment and they said i could keep the benefits (yippee) and pay for them myself. I’ve started the whole clearance process over again but honestly don’t really want to return after being screwed over like this. The FSO also won’t communicate directly with me and only through my manager which I think is a bit unprofessional. I knew when I randomly got an email with a FedEx label for my creds something bad was going down but it took 3 business days to find out any information.
Welcome to the community. Yikes! That sucks Have you tried contacting Paragon HR? They should be able to check EPAS. You can also ask them to try to get you in touch with a CSO. Have you filed a FOIA request? Have you called a clearance attorney yet?
Honestly you’re better off getting laid off because the company as whole is taking a dive into the abyss. Apply at Peraton, CACI or one of their affiliates before the Titanic sinks all the way and everyone and their brother are out looking for a job. The only people hanging on right now are the ones who don’t know any better or the ones holding out for a vaca on unemployment. Who knows if Paragon is even telling you the truth. When you apply at another company they’ll get to the bottom of you’re clearance issue and probably quickly resolve it as they have time because they aren’t busy scooping water out of the sinking boat.
That was the feeling I had, especially after the announcement that they’re cutting benefit subsidies. Usually that’s one of the last cost cuts I feel like. I have an app in at Peraton and about 100 out of the industry, haha. This has been a joy for sure.
Investigations don’t just ‘disappear’. They get cancelled, but they don’t just go away.
What city/state are you in?
Indianapolis. They told me there was no DHS investigation for me. But there definitely was at one point because I had creds for 4 months. The AFSO that did all my onboarding stuff (fingerprints, etc.) has also seemingly disappeared. They didn’t give me any details but said its never happened before. I’m sure. I didn’t have any major red flags and I never even did my subject interview so its not like i was adjudicated negatively or anything.
Investigations just don’t “disappear”! They’re doing some shady stuff. In addition, employees should sue for not getting paid the correct amount of SCA H&W which has been $4.98 per hour since the gov increased it in 2023, investigators This investigator was doing the research. They are and have been under paying the H&W prior to the new increase. Paragon is paying I think $4.23/hour. I spoke with an investigator who said since Paragon will no longer be financially contributing her medical would be costing her $1400/month. Do the math! They should be sued and there should be a class action as it sounds like they’re not in compliance with the contract. SCA applies to “Contractors and Subcontractors”!
Apply at Peraton! We are hiring like crazy! They are taking in all experienced investigators!
Yep since I’m in a weird spot with them employment-wise I still get the option to keep the benefits and I just checked out the “special open enrollment”. 500 bucks a paycheck for 3 people. Definitely can’t afford that on unemployment, and if I go back to them that’s half my paycheck every week. It’s a bit ridiculous. Getting screwed over twice! Oh and no company sponsored life insurance so I guess if you go out in the field and get hit by a car or something your family gets nothing unless you cough up the rest of your paycheck.
Yes, the cuurent wage determination is $4.98, but you need to read the fine print under fringe benefits and what government entity the contractor is contracting with. Depending on the fringe benefits that a contractor offers affects the SCA payment. Those fringe benefits include, paid sick time, vacation and holiday pay. The contractor provides all of this information while bidding on a contract and what their proposed SCA rate will be. And, how the contractor wants to apply the SCA rate can vary, as long as they are paying it. All of the information can be found on the Department of Labor website under the WHD section.
And, about the class action lawsuit. Think really hard about that. I was part of a class action suit against USIS in 2014 regarding lost wages after they lost their contracts and went into bankruptcy. I got a $300 check in August of 2023.
Wait… you had your creds but didn’t have your Subject Interview yet? That’s not how it works. You don’t get your creds until you complete training which doesn’t start until you’re cleared…
You can have an interim clearance and get creds.
The insurance along with many other recent strategic moves such as reduced hours, harassment etc. makes me believe the Paragon game plan is to force people out without laying them off so they won’t have to pay unemployment.
H&W is a separate fringe benefit and paid separately. There is a separate section for just H&W, aside from other fringe benefits. This is put here for other FIs to read it. I am not looking for validation that I am correct in my interpretation, this is just an FYI.
Page 93 for our indsutry
From SCA compliance principals there is a separate section for H&W as follows:
"There are three types of health and welfare fringe benefit requirements under the SCA:
◊◊ “Fixed cost” per employee health and welfare benefit requirement – Where
the SCA wage determination states this type of fringe benefit, the health and
welfare rate is required to be paid for each individual employee and the benefit is
computed on the basis of “all hours paid for” up to 40 per week and 2080 per
year. 29 C.F.R. § 4.175(a).
◊◊ “Average cost” health and welfare fringe benefit – Where the SCA wage
determination states this type of fringe benefit, the employer contribution is
required to average at least the health and welfare rate stated in the SCA wage
determination ($3.71 per hour as of June 17, 2012) computed on the basis of all
hours worked – including overtime hours – by service employees employed on
the contract (or portion of the contract to which the wage determination applies).
29 C.F.R. § 4.175(b).
Pursuant to section 4(c) of the SCA, collectively bargained fringe benefits are
required to be paid by a successor contractor under a contract to furnish
substantially the same services as a predecessor contractor. 29 C.F.R. § 4.53. "
In addition it also states:
“Under this type of wage determination, the actual benefits may differ among
employees, so long as the total amount paid by the contractor for fringe benefits
(and/or cash equivalents) provided to each individual, on an hourly basis, totals at
least the fringe benefit rate specified in the contract wage determination for the
work the individual performs for all his/her paid hours up to 40 per week.”
Thanks but no thanks. I know FIs who had interviews the last week or so and said their production requirements are insane and the pay is terrible when you compare it to the stress you will be under. They’re blood sucking like the other contractors. They really did a number on this contract with their terrible decision to choose only 2 primes. So many FIs are leaving the industry now and looking for employment outside of this field, at least from my area in the North East. I am working hard to get out of this field asap! After talking to FIs the only Sub to work for that is better than the rest is Omni, under Constellis.
From what I hear any place is better than Paragon. I hear it’s a literal dumpster fire over there.
I heard it’s getting worse. I heard they are trying tp push FIs to quit or go Contractor. But I am also hearing they’re really harassing FIs, at least some of the managers. I think they want lawsuits for creating a hostile work environment.
It’s becoming down right mentally abusive. The constant metric updates and “ bad news” Fridays are out of control. Paragon’s actions appear to be on purpose and is clearly an effort to make folks quit to avoid paying unemployment! Do they really think people will continue to give more when they keep taking critical things away? The toxic environment Paragon Investigators are living in right now is very sad.
Let them fire you and you’ll get unemployment. Make sure you keep documents of all the BS as you will have to present it to unemployment but you’ll win.
Well, my lay off was reported as a leave of absence and they continued my benefits and are trying to charge me 600 dollars for the 3 weeks between my lay off and the benefits change thats causing people to leave. I was not told that the benefits would continue. In fact they told me I could elect for them to continue. Absolutely ridiculous.