Getting fired is one of the more common scenarios resulting in a ‘personal conduct’ security clearance denial or revocation. Often the issue is less about getting fired itself – than the common propensity of an applicant to try to hide or withhold having lost a position.
In the defense contracting space, changing jobs is common. And for anyone, sometimes losing a job happens. Even losing a job for cause doesn’t necessarily mean your security clearance will be denied, or revoked, if you’re currently working in a national security position.
A job loss can be a security clearance issue if a ‘flag’ is placed in the security clearance system of record because the firing was due to an issue that also related to an adjudicative guideline or security issue. Issues like timecard fraud, misconduct, or other issues may also create a security clearance eligibility issue – but keep in mind your due process rights don’t go out the door when you do.
The issue for many current security clearance holders is that in order to address the red flag issue, the individual will need to find another company to take on the clearance and then address the issue. If the issue is straightforward, and the individual can show how the issue is an incident and not a pattern, chances of being able to maintain a clearance are favorable.
The bigger issue for both security clearance holders and applicants is lying about the employment issue and failing to address the cause. Because the SF-86 security clearance application asks individuals if they have ever been fired or left a job due to allegations of misconduct, many individuals get squirrely about how to answer that section of the form. Like all issues – honesty is the best policy. Lying about being fired is always going to be a greater issue than simply being honest and disclosing the issue.
