I can't believe this from a recruitment agency. Are they allow to do this?

mr_fishbulb

Hi All,

I'm applying for jobs at the moment and found one advertised on a website through a recruitment agency. One of the requirements was This role is working with a government agency, so any applicant must have security clearance to a SC level or be willing to undergo government security clearance. Although I don't have security clearance, I have no problem undergoing the checks, so I applied for the job.

About 15 mins later I get an email back from the recruitment company saying:
Thanks for your interest in this role. However one of the role's criteria is that any candidate forwarded must have SC security clearance, and from looking at your CV I couldn't see this.

So I wrote back saying, no I don't have it but I would be willing to undergo it as the job ad specified. Then I get the response saying:
Unfortunately due to equal opportunities, we are unable to advertise a role that specifies that SC security clearance as an essential.

Sorry for any time this may have wasted.

Are they seriously allowed to do this?

ftbworried

Get in touch with the CAB, if it's illegal for them to 'close' a job to people who do not have SC clearance then that's exactly what they are doing by refusing your application.

Red_Elle

I work for a recruitment agency. With regards to security clearance, if it's for a temporary role then they are allowed to specify that it is a pre-requisite, as SC clearance can take up to 6 weeks.
However, for a permanent role then they cannot discriminate against you, as it is unlikely that you would have the level of clearance prior to applying.

This website should give you the information you need to argue you case with the agency and sound like you know what you're on about!

http://www.hays.com/publicservices/security-clearance-made-clear.aspx

I hasten to add that I don't work for this organisation, so am loath to send you there, but I cannot find the information anywhere else and wasn't sure about copyright issues by just copying and pasting it onto here.

hth

sinizterguy

Yeah, so you argue with them and you win.

But then they accept your CV and sit on it. They will then accept a person with the SC applying for the job saying that they are more qualified - which is true.

They are just informing you straightaway so that you dont get your hopes up.

Red_Elle

In my experience a lot of consultants don't really know the rules and regulations. Maybe if you point them out to them they will consider you. We often don't find exactly what we are looking for and then the client needs to reconsider their flexibility in looking at other candidates. Also, they are misrepresenting their client.