Hello,
Background:
I filled out the SF-85 (and I assume the OF-306) form last May for a non sensitive position (intern position).
I believe the OF-306 was the form I filled out first, whatever it was, it had asked at one point if I had been fired in the last 5 years and I marked ‘No’. However, when I was filling out the SF-85 a few weeks later, and going through my detailed employment history (I had dozen+ jobs in the last 5 years), I found out that the one job I had been fired from was 4 years and 11 months to the date that I had marked ‘No’ on that original form. I began looking up what to do in the internet, but there wasn’t any clear guidance.
A week later a “Security Specialist” with the PSI-CoE contacted me to resolve some discrepancies in my SF-85, mainly to do with some address fixes to some of the many employers I had. At no point did they mention my error on the first form. After having provided the corrected address information to the Security Specialist, I then emailed them explaining the incorrect ‘No’ on the original form, and that I had actually been fired just barely within the scope of the SF-85 form. I never received a response to that email, but got a firm offer a few weeks later.
It is now 11 months later, and my supervisor wants to bring me on full-time, but I’m afraid that if I accept the position that the background check might still be in limbo (I haven’t heard that i’ve been “cleared”), and that I could get fired right after accepting the job. Job security is important right now, and I have other options that I could accept that I don’t have a chance of being fired due to an 11 month old investigation.
I contacted the HR rep for my branch and she said that “I must have passed since I started in June 2019”, but I’m pretty sure that was just for my interim clearance.
Questions:
How long does it typically take to get notification that you passed a check based on the SF-85 form? I’m not even sure if there is a process to get notified.
If I were to be contacted because the people reviewing my case decided my discrepancy on my form (or me getting fired) was a reason to deny me suitability, do I have a decent chance at letting them know I’ve since changed my ways from when I was fired? I figure the error on the first form I did might make me look more dishonest, but it was an honest mistake, and I sent in the correction to the security specialist without being prompted. I’ve since graduate with a B.S. and M.S. degree, and want to pursue my PhD.
Thank you for your answers in advance! This entire process is very opaque, and it would be nice to know if this investigation is even still pending or not!