Security Check
When applying for a job that requires a security check, individuals will have to apply for secret or top secret clearance with the Department of Defense (DoD). The company for which the individual works will determine what level of security clearance the individual will need, and the security check will proceed based on this information. Security checks are processed at the request of the company, not the individual. The security check will be accepted or revoked/denied based on the individual's responses on the application.
The security check process essentially helps a company determine whether the individual is an acceptable security risk by examining the individual's history and background, both professional and personal. Based on several security guidelines, the decision will be made whether to grant or reject the individual's security clearance. When an individual's security clearance is rejected or revoked, the individual will be supplied with a Statement of Reasons (SOR) explaining why the security check was denied. The SOR will contain allegations in regard to the denial.
Before an individual provides answers in regard to the allegations listed on the SOR, the individual may want to consult expert legal counsel. A skilled attorney can help the individual understand DoD guidelines and help them prepare for the hearing regarding their security check. Because the individual's answers and admissions will be used to determine security clearance, it is important that the individual have all relevant facts in order and be able to answer the questions in a complete and truthful manner.