Frequently Asked Questions Investigations

Relatives sometimes influence the actions of family members. We need to determine if you could be exploited by threats or pressure against your relatives or if they themselves could exert pressure against you.

Not necessarily. Any negative information is evaluated regarding its recency, seriousness, relevance to the position and duties, and in light of, and in relationship to, all other information about you.

So that we can verify your claim that you're not a criminal by checking the FBI's fingerprint files. Executive Order 10450 requires that all Federal employees be fingerprinted.

The only persons authorized to see your personal information are Personnel Security, Suitability, and Investigations professionals who have been investigated at the appropriate level and who have a genuine and demonstrated need for access to the information.

Immediately notify the security officials to whom you submitted the questionnaire.

Our office has a voluminous workload and requests are completed on a first in/first out basis; therefore, we are unable to provide a specific timeframe for processing requests.

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment.  The hiring process we use is merit based, and relies on open competition following public notice of the positions we are filling.  Should you apply for a job on USAJobs.gov, your qualifications and application materials will be evaluated.  Qualified candidates will be compiled on a list and forwarded to a hiring manager for further review.  Your financial situation would not come into play at this stage of hiring. Some positions will require a background investigation to determine your suitability for Federal employment or your eligibility for a security clearance.  The scope of the investigation will vary, depending on the nature of the position and the degree of harm that an individual in that position could cause.  This is determined by the hiring Federal agency.  In some instances, your hiring will be contingent upon completion and favorable adjudication of a background investigation.  It is at the background investigation stage that your financial situation would be considered. Adjudicators use what is called the “whole person” concept to evaluate a person.  Any potentially negative information is evaluated regarding its recency, seriousness, relevance to the position and duties, and in light of and in relationship to all other information about a person. Financial situations in your life will not necessarily impact your ability to obtain a Federal job.  We encourage you to apply for any positions in which you are interested.    

The Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Investigative Services is currently developing and offering, on a pilot basis, a course entitled the Fundamentals of Suitability Review and Adjudication.    This course is directed toward Federal employees from Executive Branch agencies who perform work as suitability adjudicators or have a suitability screening and adjudication review type function.  The purpose of this course is to equip suitability adjudicators with the necessary tools and knowledge of the suitability review and adjudication processes outlined in title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, part 731 and the Suitability Processing Handbook, thereby enabling them to evaluate and adjudicate a person's suitability for Federal employment.  Attendees must be Federal employees who have been issued a copy of the Suitability Processing Handbook by the designated agency official.    Another option for suitability adjudication training is the USDA Graduate School’s Suitability Adjudication Course.  Information concerning this course can be found at this website:  www.graduateschool.edu.   OPM originally developed this course and has approved its content.  This course is open only to Federal employees, and the individual must also have a copy of OPM's Suitability Processing Handbook to attend the class.