Employer wants me to have a National Security Check

purplebanna

My employer wants me to have a national security check done so I can work on a certain project but I really do not want to go through with this.

I just want to know if I have any rights or grounds to decline being checked? According to my contract “refusal to carry out reasonable duties or instructions” is grounds for gross misconduct.

Put simply, I am on a team of 10 and we are all capable of doing the job it’s just my manager wants me to do it.

I know some people will be saying “nothing to hide nothing to fear”, then I suggest you google what the progress involves.

• Numerous questionnaires about my entire life
• A thorough and invasive financial investigation
• Counter terrorist check, MI5 records etc
• An interview where I will be asked about my background, sex life, drug abuse and anything else they take of interest from my questionnaire

The whole process takes a few months, not only that but I don’t want to be surrounded by men with guns or class 1 nuclear material thanks very much.

So in short, am I going to get the sack or am I making a mountain of a molehill? I’ve yet to tell my employer.

Funny, I was thinking of changing jobs but if this blows up then its the nail in the coffin.

Thanks all.

prowla

So this is DV clearance?
It can be a very useful thing to have when you are job hunting...
I've only had SC (a lower level), but I think the key thing in the checks is whether there is anything that could compromise you; I don't think that (eg) drugs would necessarily be a show-stopper, unless you tried to hide it and they found out.

badskindollheart

I would suggest that you can't be forced to do this, unless it was part of the entry requirements to the job initially. Of course they could always give you a 90 day notice to change your contract to make it a requirement, but why do that just for you? Employers should make potential employees aware of the vetting requirements of a job, prior to appointment.

Are you having DV clearance? That seems to be what you are suggesting when mentioning interviews. I understand your apprehension, I only have SC clearance and I would be nervous to apply for DV (because of the psychological assessment), although I would do it for a job I wanted.

Can you just advise your employer that your spouse or family are not happy with the level of intrusion into their lives?

jacques_chirac

How long have you worked for your employer? My ex has been through this and did not find it particularly worrying, and as a result of the clearance he gets his pick of the best contracts

dktreesea

Definitely worth having, and if you can get it on your employer's dime/time rather than your own, all the better.

mountainofdebt

purplebanna wrote: »

So in short, am I going to get the sack or am I making a mountain of a molehill? I’ve yet to tell my employer.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Who knows if will lead you to getting the sack? The only people who know that would be your employers.

Mind you I wonder what your reference would say if you refused??

Poppie68

Its all done and dusted in a couple of months, the worst part is the form filling in...

FBaby

Are you ok not getting involved in the project then and what not doing so will entail? Are you happy with another colleague to do so and get the rewards that might come to it?

If so, just tell your manager that you are not keen on the project and see how it goes. If he starts making threats about consequences, you might want to reconsider. If he says 'fine, I'll ask x', then you're out and don't have to worry about it.

DKLS

As above, ff the firm is offering to cover the costs and time I would rip their hands off, DV clearance is a massive door opener into lucrative jobs..


I have Sc clearance when I was doing a couple of projects, however I didn't see any guns nor any Nuclear material, I mainly spoke and met with army medics.

CAN1976

First I'd be sure which level of clearance you are being asked to get. If it is the basic one then there are no interviews, just some form filling in then a wait for it to be checked.

bugslet

Another S/c here, and it isn't really intrusive, bit of form filling and that's all.