Interim Security Clearances

[~Simon~]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

This is a bit long - sorry about that - but I need some help on this or I am going to crack up.

I am in a situation that is keeping me up nights. I recently landed my dream job with a government contractor. After weeks of emailing my resume, I finally got a response which invited me to formally apply for the job, which I immediately did. After submitting the application, I pestered them for 3 weeks with emails every 2 or 3 days asking if anything came up yet. Finally, I got an email asking me if I could do a phone interview. I was at work at the time (this was around 11am), so I agreed to a set time after work hours, which got me a response that stated that was fine and confirmed the time. Ten minutes later, my cell rings and it is the HR person I had been emailing who told me to hold for the company president. Instantly I am on speakerphone with the President, the VP, and the HR person. They want to do the interview now. Fine, I guess; so they ask me the usual questions which went well and at the end they asked me if I would have a problem getting a security clearance. I stated that I have absolutely no criminal record, but I had a bankruptcy in 2000 and my credit was spotty after that (as of now, it is categorized by credit reports as "fair") I have since got and paid off car loans and can get credit cards, loans, etc. but have had a few delinquencies. They said ok and wanted to bring me out to their location ASAP to do the formal interview. Great! So it was set up and I got a plane ticket, rental car, and hotel room (all on their dime) and I was in their office 2 days later. I nailed the interview - I was perfect for the job - and they offered me a job that day. So I fill out mounds of paperwork and they take me to the FSO and I talk to the security officer. She does an on the spot criminal check, which was clean. More paperwork. So I ask the SO about the clearance and the credit/bankruptcy thing and she says I have to get an interim clearance (Secret) to start working. I get an offer letter stating I have the job provided I can get the Interim secret clearance. I ask the SO if the bankruptcy would be a problem and she says it may well be, and she has seen interims get denied over this. She didn't seem to optimistic and naturally this alarmed me. She explains that the job offer is only good if I can get the interim. If that gets denied then everything grinds to a halt and there is no job. End of story.
So I get my fingerprints done and fill out mounds of paperwork, which included the SF-86. Yesterday the entire hiring process (save giving 2 weeks notice at my current job) was completed and I did the final submission of the SF-86 on the e-QIP system and I am told it will take 24 to 48 hours to know if I got it or not.

So, my concerns are these:

What are the odds on getting this interim clearance? I understand with bad stuff in your history you can still get a clearance, it will take longer because the issues in question have to be investigated. This means nothing to me, as I said before - denial of the interim is a show stopper. The only issues that may influence the descision are the bankruptcy / spotty credit thing and the fact that my wife is Romanian (now a US citizen as of a year and a half ago.) Her mother lives with us and has a green card and my wife is sponsoring her citizenship. I was told this means nothing. Nevertheless, it is the only thing I can think of. The bankruptcy was seven years ago and I have no real significant debts as of now. Does it sound like denial material to anyone?

My other question is this: I was totally up front from the getgo (since the phone interview) about these issues, and yet they spent a lot of time and money to get me to this point - waiting to hear about the interim. I that tells me they assume it would be ok - am I right on this?

Does the company Security Officer, who happens to also be the VP of this outfit, have anything to do with the grant/denial of the interim? Can she influence the descision at all? Who makes the descision for the interim? Is it totally out of their hands? Are these usually approved in situations like mine?

Someone please help me on this as I probably will have quite a few sleepless nights worrying about this. It is Thursday and they said I would probably know by Monday, maybe Tuesday.

Remember - it is the interim that is the key here - whether or not the final secret will be approved or not makes NO difference. No interim secret = no job.

Thanks

(A Very Worried)
~Simon~

 

[CdwJava]

No one who is not privy to the information on the background can possibly give you odds on your chances of an interim clearance.

Good luck, and hopefully it works out for you.

- Carl

 

[~Simon~]

Interim Clearance - reply to CdwJava

The information to the background is right there in the original (and fairly detailed) post. Other than the bankruptcy and the spotty credit (after the divorce / bankruptcy - before that my credit was excellent) there are no other issues that may or may not get me denied the interim secret.

~Simon~

 

[CdwJava]

Still no way to tell. I do background investigations for law enforcement ... there are a number of things we look at in conjunction with each other, and I am sure that they do it for government security clearances as well. Hence the reason I am saying without knowing everything in your background, no educated guess can be made. Plus, we have no knowledge of the investigator, the supervisor, or any past experiences the parties have had. Any prediction you get here would be sheer conjecture and pretty much worthless.

Sorry, but you'll just have to wait until the results are in.

- Carl

 

[flatpanel]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

This is a bit long - sorry about that - but I need some help on this or I am going to crack up.

I am in a situation that is keeping me up nights. I recently landed my dream job with a government contractor. After weeks of emailing my resume, I finally got a response which invited me to formally apply for the job, which I immediately did. After submitting the application, I pestered them for 3 weeks with emails every 2 or 3 days asking if anything came up yet. Finally, I got an email asking me if I could do a phone interview. I was at work at the time (this was around 11am), so I agreed to a set time after work hours, which got me a response that stated that was fine and confirmed the time. Ten minutes later, my cell rings and it is the HR person I had been emailing who told me to hold for the company president. Instantly I am on speakerphone with the President, the VP, and the HR person. They want to do the interview now. Fine, I guess; so they ask me the usual questions which went well and at the end they asked me if I would have a problem getting a security clearance. I stated that I have absolutely no criminal record, but I had a bankruptcy in 2000 and my credit was spotty after that (as of now, it is categorized by credit reports as "fair") I have since got and paid off car loans and can get credit cards, loans, etc. but have had a few delinquencies. They said ok and wanted to bring me out to their location ASAP to do the formal interview. Great! So it was set up and I got a plane ticket, rental car, and hotel room (all on their dime) and I was in their office 2 days later. I nailed the interview - I was perfect for the job - and they offered me a job that day. So I fill out mounds of paperwork and they take me to the FSO and I talk to the security officer. She does an on the spot criminal check, which was clean. More paperwork. So I ask the SO about the clearance and the credit/bankruptcy thing and she says I have to get an interim clearance (Secret) to start working. I get an offer letter stating I have the job provided I can get the Interim secret clearance. I ask the SO if the bankruptcy would be a problem and she says it may well be, and she has seen interims get denied over this. She didn't seem to optimistic and naturally this alarmed me. She explains that the job offer is only good if I can get the interim. If that gets denied then everything grinds to a halt and there is no job. End of story.
So I get my fingerprints done and fill out mounds of paperwork, which included the SF-86. Yesterday the entire hiring process (save giving 2 weeks notice at my current job) was completed and I did the final submission of the SF-86 on the e-QIP system and I am told it will take 24 to 48 hours to know if I got it or not.

So, my concerns are these:

What are the odds on getting this interim clearance? I understand with bad stuff in your history you can still get a clearance, it will take longer because the issues in question have to be investigated. This means nothing to me, as I said before - denial of the interim is a show stopper. The only issues that may influence the descision are the bankruptcy / spotty credit thing and the fact that my wife is Romanian (now a US citizen as of a year and a half ago.) Her mother lives with us and has a green card and my wife is sponsoring her citizenship. I was told this means nothing. Nevertheless, it is the only thing I can think of. The bankruptcy was seven years ago and I have no real significant debts as of now. Does it sound like denial material to anyone?

My other question is this: I was totally up front from the getgo (since the phone interview) about these issues, and yet they spent a lot of time and money to get me to this point - waiting to hear about the interim. I that tells me they assume it would be ok - am I right on this?

Does the company Security Officer, who happens to also be the VP of this outfit, have anything to do with the grant/denial of the interim? Can she influence the descision at all? Who makes the descision for the interim? Is it totally out of their hands? Are these usually approved in situations like mine?

Someone please help me on this as I probably will have quite a few sleepless nights worrying about this. It is Thursday and they said I would probably know by Monday, maybe Tuesday.

Remember - it is the interim that is the key here - whether or not the final secret will be approved or not makes NO difference. No interim secret = no job.

Thanks

(A Very Worried)
~Simon~

It all depends on how well you answered your SF-86 and if you provided complete explanation involving any derogatives as to the interim clearance. A discharged BK may not result in an interim denial if no delinquencies exist in the credit report that show financial irresponsibility post-BK. A dismissed BK likely will result in an interim denial as outstanding debts will exist that will preclude the interim, unless the debts were paid after the BK dismissal. Any unpaid delinquent debt in the credit report will almost certainly result in interim denial, even those that are nonenforceable due to SoL expiration. And you would have to include evidence in the SF-86 of the applicable forum state and it's limitation law to show that the nonenforceability. Security clearances are not about enforcement of debts but about issues of financial irresponsibility that show poor judgment and untrustworthiness. Reliance of SoL expiration is financial irresponsibility under DOHA law, which is the security clearance law. The Applicant must show proactivity to resolve all unpaid debts, unless the circumstances were beyond the Applicant's control, as due to unemployment. So, unless the default and failure to satisfy prior to nonenforceability was due to circumstances beyond the Applicant's control, with nonenforceability being the unintended consequence, one delinquent debt, even if nonenforceable, is sufficient to result in clearance denial. In security clearance law, the Applicant is guilty until he proves himself innocent, as the primary concern is for national security.

If you want to know about DOHA security clearance law, go here and read the cases:
http://www.dod.mil/dodgc/doha/industrial/

 

[gna74]

No one who is not privy to the information on the background can possibly give you odds on your chances of an interim clearance.

Good luck, and hopefully it works out for you.

- Carl

Back in 2003 I was able to get an Interim Clearance, but I'm guessing due to finance responsibilities, I was denied a Secret Clearance. I'm guessing the problem was my financial debts because I was asked about these debts and was told they needed to be paid off within a certain amount of time, which I was unable to do. I'm now with another company and am waiting to see if my Interim will be approved. Can I get approved for an Interim being that I was denied an SC before? I have since paid off all debts and have kept a debt-free credit report for three years?

 

[monsterball]

Interim Security Clearance

Interim Clearance

Forgive my ignorance because I'm new to this. I just got a call that I have been offered a job at a major defense contractor's company. the opportunity is contigent upon acquiring an Interim clearance. But the problem that i have are numerous:

1. I'm a Naturalized US citizen but born abroad
1a. I hold 2 passports
2. Mother lives in the US but not a US citizen
3. 1 sister lives in the US and is a citizen
4. I've worked for 2 defense contractors and a state government...without needing clearance.
5. I have been arrested twice in the past, 16 and 14 years ago respectively.
5b. Both offenses were for credit card fraud
5c. One was "continue without findings and the other was a 1yr probation.
6. Have an advance degree
7. Have 4 kids all born in the United States
8. No drugs or alcohol
9.Good driving record


Can anyone tell me with this kind of baggage....do I stand a chance for an Interim?

I will need to fill out the SF86 out next week.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp