Top Security Clearance Questions of 2025

Every year, thousands of clearance holders and applicants turn to ClearanceJobsBlog.com looking for clear, trustworthy answers to one pressing question: what does this mean for my security clearance? From long investigation timelines to sensitive disclosures and the anxiety surrounding polygraphs, certain concerns rise to the top again and again. Drawing from the most frequently asked questions by our readers, we’re breaking down the three topics (also known ask the weekly series ‘Ask CJ’) that generated the most discussion this year to help you better understand the process and navigate your clearance with confidence.

How a Sugar Relationship Can Raise Security Clearance Concerns

A question about sugar relationships inspired this article which explains how sugar relationships (where one partner provides financial support or gifts in exchange for companionship or intimacy) can create potential issues during a security clearance investigation. Under the U.S. government’s Adjudicative Guidelines, such relationships may raise concerns in several areas: financial considerations (risk of extortion if money and intimacy are involved), sexual behavior (whether the relationship creates vulnerability to coercion), personal conduct (especially if an applicant is dishonest about it), and foreign influence (if the partner has significant ties abroad). Engaging in a sugar relationship isn’t automatically disqualifying, but failure to disclose it or involvement in illegal activity increases the risk that adjudicators will view it as a security concern. Transparency and addressing potential vulnerabilities are key in the clearance process.

Read the full article here.

How to Tell Your Boss You’ve Been Working Two Full-Time Jobs

The original article addresses the growing trend of overemployment. Working two full-time jobs at once creates specific risks for professionals in security-sensitive roles. It centers on a ClearanceJobsBlog.com user’s dilemma about disclosing two jobs on a required security form (SF-85P or SF-86) when one employer doesn’t know about the other. The piece highlights that dual employment can violate employer contracts, create conflict-of-interest issues, and even lead to allegations like time-card fraud. Experts emphasize the importance of honesty on official forms but advise readers to first clarify their goals (e.g., quitting one role or trying to keep both).

Mustering up the courage to confront the issue is difficult – coming up with the language is another issue. Here we offer professionally worded scripts for talking to employers depending on your situation, but we underscore that transparency is especially important in government and cleared industries due to the potential career and legal risks involved.

Full article here.

Why Can’t I Use Delta-8 If It’s Federally Legal?

Every year, it’s necessary to break down why Delta-8 THC, even if technically legal under federal hemp law, can still be a problem for people seeking or holding a security clearance. Clearance programs generally enforce a zero-tolerance policy for THC, and standard drug tests can’t distinguish between Delta-8 and other THC forms, meaning use can lead to a positive test and jeopardize clearance. The legal status of Delta-8 is also ambiguous due to conflicting federal guidance and state laws, and labeling/testing inconsistencies increase the risk of inadvertent disqualification. This top viewed Ask CJ recommends avoiding all THC products while going through the clearance process and being transparent about any past use.

Original story here.

Much about the clearance process resembles the Pirate’s Code: “more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules.” For this reason, we maintain ClearanceJobsBlog.com – a forum where clearance seekers can ask the cleared community for advice on their specific security concerns. Ask CJ explores questions posed on the ClearanceJobs Blog forum, emails received, and comments from this site. This article is intended as general information only and should not be construed as legal advice. Consult an attorney regarding your specific situation.