To “resign under unfavorable circumstances” generally means that an employee chose to resign from a job before being formally terminated or while facing serious workplace issues that reflect negatively on them.
It often indicates the resignation was not entirely voluntary or amicable, but instead prompted by:
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Pending termination (e.g., the employer was about to fire them).
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Serious misconduct allegations (such as fraud, harassment, or policy violations).
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Poor performance after warnings or performance improvement plans.
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Conflicts of interest or ethics violations.
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Other issues making continued employment untenable (e.g., loss of required clearance or certification).
Why It Matters in Security Clearances
In the SF-86 / eQIP (security clearance application), applicants must disclose if they have ever been fired, quit after being told they would be fired, or resigned under unfavorable circumstances.
Investigators look at these situations because:
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They may reflect on a person’s judgment, reliability, or trustworthiness.
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They could point to unresolved disciplinary or integrity issues.
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They can raise questions about candor if not disclosed.
However—not all unfavorable resignations are disqualifying. What matters is:
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The nature of the incident (serious misconduct vs. workplace conflict).
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Whether it was an isolated event or part of a pattern.
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The applicant’s honesty and accountability in disclosing it.
Background investigators reach out to former employers – best to be honest about if you actually quit or quit before you were fired. “Better for you to say it first,” Lindy Kyzer notes.
