A question for those familar with Federal Gov't

[Adam West]

I just found out that our HR department received a call from the Federal Government trying to conduct a background check on an employee working for me. Apparently, they are going to meet with him too.

I pulled him aside today and told him that I was aware of the background check and was curious if he was looking for a different job, etc. I wasn't confrontational about it; I told him that if he was in the process of being offered another job, I wanted to know about it so I'm not caught off guard.

His response was that he applied for a job over a year ago with a government agency and hadn't heard a word from them until recently. According to him, there has been no interview or anything and this is the first contact he has had with them since he applied.

Something doesn't sound right to me. I wouldn't think the government would waste their time doing background checks on employment candidates unless an interview has occurred and the offer is pending a background check.

Is anyone familiar with this process?

[megocrazy]

Not necessarily. The kid up the street from us applied for a govt. job and they left us a card with a number on it that we had to call. basic questions like how long had he been a resident there, ever have any issues with him, etc. His Mom had no idea when we mentioned it to her. He may have just finally come up on the list.

[ScottA]

I believe him. When my Dad retired from the Air Force he applied with the State Government for a job. He finally heard from them 14 months later (and of course by then he'd found something else). So I could see this happening.

[EMCE Hammer]

At the state level, we do an interview, then background, but I can see the merits of doing it the other way around for sure.

[david_b]

I've worked for the feds for a number of years now. The background check does come early, so as not to waste too much time in the process, plus it typically takes a while to run (although it's gotten better the last few years..).

I know for my TS clearance, I get a fed agent in every 5yrs to talk to my bosses. I worked at KPMG (Peat Marwick) for a few years and had one come in to see my managing partner. He was SCARED ****less.

david_b

[WannabeMego]

This is normal...personally I love it when they go door-to-door in your neighborhood talking to your neighbors...now that's fun!!!

[Adam West]

Thanks. I wasn't sure if I was being told the truth or not. Fortunately, I live in a state with one of the lowest unemployment rates around. Add that to being within commuting distance of Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia plus younger workers who jump ship in a heartbeat which is a good thing is some respect but painful when I already run a pretty lean department and losing one person hurts.

[megojim]

Sounds like he might be working for the "corporation" . . . watch your back . . .

[TheDoLittle]

If you type in "Illuminati" backwards and add a ".com" to it, it sends you to the government's super secret website.


Mr. West (if that is your real name), it's not unusual that it took them a year to interview. He may not even be considered for the job, but their SOP requires them to follow up on any application to a government position that would allow that potential employee to sensitive information, whether working in that position or not. They interview in order of security importance and order the name came onto their list.

I go through a security clearance every few years or so because I have relatives who work in government agencies. I have an uncle, a nuclear physicist who worked for the Navy on their first reactors, has long been since retired from that line of work but still has to go through security checks every so often.

I wouldn't fret about it too much. If your employee happy with their job they probably won't be leaving. But if he comes in with a counter offer on his salary, you'll know you have to now get a security clearance. That would be the time to take down your Che Guevara poster and hide our copy of "The Anarchist's Cook Book". 8-)

[garagesale]

All kinds of feds come around for all sorts of reasons. The Defense Investigative Agency sent a guy over to talk to us about a neighbor who moved away more than 3 years prior. He was a USAF pilot with over 30 years in flying AWACS, and they were just doing an update on his security clearance.

Seemed pretty shoddy timing and whatnot to me, but the IDA guy was very nice and didn't take up much of our time. Trust me, the U.S. gov't is NOT very efficient or predictable or quick about these things sometimes. So, your guy may very well have been telling the truth.

JamesD

[SUP-Ronin]

Sounds perfectly normal to me. The Forest Service, for example, took well over 6 months to contact a collegue of mine regarding a job. He had already accepted another job and moved away. Another friend of mine was accepted for the Border Patrol a couple years ago, he went thru all the prelinimary background checks, tests, physicals, and everything, and has been waiting for an academy spot ever since. He's apparently guaranteed a position, they just can't say when.