4»EPA Committee on Integrity and Management Improvement (CIMI)
Bulletin 95-5
EPA 350-F-95-004
July 1995
Employee Suitability Determinations
and Security Clearances
This Awareness Bulletin is intended to heighten EPA
employees' awareness of the types of investigations
required for EPA employment, particularly those for sensitive
positions involving access to national security information.
Employees should be aware that every position in the Federal
service is subject to suitability considerations, and that it is
EPA policy to ensure that position sensitivity and personnel
investigations meet regulatory and statutory requirements. .The
Personnel Security Program is one of the Agency's primary
methods for confirming that its employees have maintained
high standards of integrity and conduct.
Who Operates the Agency's Personnel Security
Program?
The Personnel Security Staff (PSS), under the direction of the
Assistant Inspector General for Management, Office of
Inspector General (OIG), monitors the personnel security
investigations conducted by the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) and other agencies. The OIG's Office of
Investigations performs the background checks only on OIG
employees and OfScc of Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance criminal investigators. The results of completed
investigations assist managers in determining if suitability
standards of conduct and integrity have been met for Federal
employment.
Who Is Subject To Investigation By OPM?
All employees must be investigated. A National Agency
Check and Inquiries (NACI) investigation is the minimum
investigation required. This investigation includes law
enforcement checks, verification of claimed college degrees,
and employment and reference checks. The servicing
personnel office arranges for the NACI to be done.
What Factors Affect My Suitability For Federal
Employment?
Factors affecting suitability include:
a. Any behavior, activities, or associations which show that the
individual is not reliable or trustworthy.
b. Any deliberate misrepresentations, falsifications, or
omissions of material facts from security forms or applications
for employment.
c. Any criminal, infamous, dishonest, immoral, or notoriously
disgraceful conduct, habitual use of intoxicants to excess, drug
addiction, or sexual perversion.
d. Commission of or attempt to commit any act of sabotage,
espionage, treason, or sedition.
e. Intentional unauthorized disclosure of security information
or any other information, the disclosure of which is prohibited
by law, or willful violation or disregard of security regulations.
f. Any facts which furnish reason to believe that the individual
may be subjected to coercion, influence, or pressure which may
cause actions contrary to the best interests of national security.
What Are Sensitive Positions?
Sensitive positions are positions that require access to national
security information. Before an employee can be granted
access to classified information, he/she must first obtain a
security clearance based on a more extensive investigation. A
security clearance is an authorization based on a background
investigation, and a determination of trustworthiness, that
allows access to classified information, material and areas, on a
need to know basis.
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There are three categories of sensitive positions:
Noncritical-Sensitive Positions involve access to Secret
national security information in connection with official duties.
Critical-Sensitive Positions involve access to Top Secret
national security information or DOE “Q” Access authorization
in connection with official duties.
Special-Sensitive Positions are determined by the Administrator
because of special requirements, i.e., access to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency’s Special Access Program,
Central Intelligence Agencyinformation, and other
intelligence-related information.
Commitments for employment will not be made to applicants,
nor will applicants be appointed to sensitive positions in the
Agency, until a background investigation has been completed.
For applicants who have a previous background investigation,
no appointment will be made until the investigation has been
reviewed and evaluated.
What Does An Investigation Involve And How Much
Will it Cost?
There are three types of investigations for national security
positions and the y are generally completed in approximately
120 days, except for expedited cases which take about 35 days.
In fiscal year 1995, normal background investigations (BIs) cost
approximately $2,500 and expedited BIs cost about $3,000. All
investigations are paid for by the EPA program office hiring the
employee, and consist of interviewing the applicant; confirming
college degree(s); checking with law enforcement agencies
including the FBI for any criminal record; verifying previous
employment; checking references; and interviewing the
applicant’s neighbors. PSS reviews the investigative data
received and notifies supervisors of issues regarding security,
suitability, and integrity of EPA employees and prospective
employees.
What Do I Need To Do As A Manager/Employee?
Managers must properly designate the “sensitivity” of the
position they are flying to fill. They are also responsible for
ensuring that the applicant receives all of the proper forms and
completes them in a timely manner. Employees are responsible
for ensuring that all information provided on the security
questionnaire is accurate, complete, current, and submitted by
the date requested. In addition, employees who occupy
sensitive positions should be aware that, once on board, they are
subject to a reinvestigation every five years. PSS will notify
employees when they are due for their reinvestigation.
What Forms Must I Complete?
The Personnel Security Staff will provide you with the
appropriate forms. An SF-86, Questionnaire for Sensitive
Positions (for National Security), must be submitted for all
positions which require access to national security information.
In addition to these forms, two SF-87 (fingerprint charts) and a
current OF 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, must be
submitted in order to initiate your investigation.
What Does The Personnel Security Staff Do With My
Forms?
Upon completion of the forms, PSS reviews them for technical
accuracy by ensuring that: 1) the forms are filled out
completely; 2) there are no unexplained gaps in residency or
employment; and 3) the forms have been signed and any
changes initialed by the employee. The forms are then
forwarded to OPM to conduct the investigation. Copies of the
forms are maintained by PSS in the subject’s security file.
When an individual retires or leaves the Agency, the files are
maintained for three additional years, and then transferred to the
Federal Records Center.
Where Can I Get Additional Assistance?
If you require assistance or clarification concerning security
clearances or investigations, you may contact the Personnel
Security Staff on (202) 260-4115.
REPORT FRAUD, WASTE, OR ABUSE TO THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL HOTLINE
800-424-4000 OR (202) 260-4977
INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL
As a step towards pollution prevention, one copy of this bulletin will be printed for every two
employees. This publication is also available via the Agency LAN Services Menu under
“Information Services”; “CIMI-Preventjon of Fraud, Waste and Abuse “.
RecycledlRecyclable • Printed with Vegetable Based Inks on Recycled Paper (20% Postconsumer)
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