If you are a federal employee or contractor, or someone who wishes to work for the federal government, you may need to obtain a security clearance to begin work or keep your job. If you are concerned about being denied clearance, understand that this process doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it seems to be. There are
many reasons why people are denied security clearances, and we’ve selected a few below for you to review. That said, you shouldn’t disqualify yourself before the federal government has done so. While you may think you’d automatically be put out of the running because of something in your past, your best bet for obtaining a security clearance is to be as honest as possible with your application and interviews. Without
further delay, let’s get into some of the top reasons why security clearances are denied. If you have ever been arrested for or convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony, be prepared for a denial of your security clearance. If you can demonstrate that a sufficient passage of time has occurred and that your behavior has changed, however, the federal government may be willing to overlook your criminal history. Never lie about or downplay something
that happened in the past. Those who are investigating your background have access to all of the information they need to find out about your criminal history. If you are anything but honest, you can trigger a denial of your security clearance. 2. You Have Used DrugsAnother frequent cause for security clearance denials is drug use. Plenty of states are taking action to decriminalize or legalize certain drugs deemed illegal by the federal government. Even if you used a drug that is legal in your state, you may be denied a security clearance if it is banned by the federal government. 3. Your Potential for Foreign InfluenceWhen you hold a security clearance as a federal employee or contractor, your allegiance to the United States must be unquestionable. That’s why those who may be considered to be under a foreign influence are denied security clearances. Risk factors for denial for this reason include having friends, associates, and travel plans that draw scrutiny from investigators. 4. Your Personal ConductAnother common reason for security clearance deniable is having questionable personal conduct. Someone who is willing to lie on the security clearance application or fail to disclose important details can cause someone to be deemed unreliable. 5. You Have Bad Credit or Significant DebtYou might not think that your financial situation should have a bearing on whether or not you receive a security clearance, but there’s a good reason for it. The federal government perceives those who are financially struggling to become security risks because they are more likely to accept bribes or be manipulated to provide access to sensitive or classified information. All security clearances must be sponsored by an approved sponsoring entity who requires the individual to access Australian Government sensitive or classified information. Individuals cannot sponsor their own security clearance. In order to be eligible for an Australian Government security clearance, an individual must meet the following eligibility requirements:
A sponsoring entity can waive the citizenship or checkable background requirements if there is an exceptional business need and a risk assessment is conducted. An eligibility waiver is not a guarantee that the clearance will be granted – this is dependent on the suitability assessment conducted by AGSVA. AGSVA will request the sponsoring entity authorise an eligibility waiver if an applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements. The Security advisor roles and responsibilities page has more information about eligibility waivers. In addition to confirming an individual is eligible to hold an Australian Government security clearance, AGSVA will determine if an individual is suitable to hold a security clearance. This is done by conducting certain checks prescribed by the Australian Government’s Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF), and making an assessment of the individual’s overall integrity using the following character traits:
The PSPF requires that any doubt regarding an individual’s suitability to hold a security clearance must be resolved in the national interest. AGSVA conducts the following external checks as part of the vetting assessment process:
Table 1: Minimum personnel security checks (adapted from the PSPF) AGSVA may ask for additional information or undertake additional checks and interviews during the vetting assessment process, if there is need to do so in order to resolve a security clearance decision in the interest of national security. A vetting officer will be assigned to conduct a security clearance assessment and make a recommendation on an individual’s suitability to hold a security clearance. The vetting officer will review the information provided by the applicant, and collected independently from other parties to make a recommendation on whether the applicant is suitable to hold a security clearance. All vetting officers conducting security clearance assessments for AGSVA hold an Australian Government security clearance and a Certificate IV qualification in Government Security (Personnel Vetting). Security clearance assessments will be conducted by an AGSVA staff member or an authorised external vetting provider contracted to AGSVA. The Assistant Secretary Vetting (ASV) is the security clearance delegate, within AGSVA, authorised to grant, deny, or revoke an existing Australian Government security clearance. The ASV may delegate the authority to make grant/continue decisions to certain vetting officers within AGSVA. These individuals are Authorised Decision Makers (ADM). Revalidations
AGSVA initiates and manages periodic security clearance reviews (including revalidations for all clearance levels and the annual security appraisals for PV clearances) If AGSVA becomes aware of potential concerns about someone’s suitability to hold a security clearance outside of a routine assessment, AGSVA will start a review of their clearance. This review (Review for Cause) will determine their ongoing suitability to hold the security clearance and the person will need to complete a vetting package. |
What can cause you to not get a security clearance?
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