Civil service security clearance - contacting current employer

[Cocomaymay]

Hi,

I’ve informally accepted a job at the Civil Service and my pre employment checks are being done.

I’m working through my CS security vetting forms and I need to add my supervisor details for my current employer.

I haven’t told my current employer I’ve accepted a new job yet as all the guidance from the Civil Service was not to resign until the formal offer comes through following completion of pre employment checks.

Does anyone know of the security vetting team will contact my current employer? This could be pretty awkward due to the reasons above and I’d much rather wait to tell them until it’s time to hand in my notice. However I don’t want to hold this price up.

The guidance docs mention adding additional information as required but I can’t see anywhere to do this.

Thanks.

[Cocomaymay]

*don’t want to hold this process up

[youveturnedupwelldone]

They may contact them, they may not. What level of clearance - baseline, CTC, SC or DV?

Basically on a security vetting form just put down all the info they want and don't try to circumvent it or leave things out. Think of it as they are checking what they already know, if you omit information that can be a reason for failing the checks sometimes. They want to check what you've been doing for the last few years hence they want your managed's details. They might check, they might not.

Best to tell your employer you've got another job offer that's conditional on clearance but specify you're not giving notice at this point just letting them know as the UKSV service might contact them.

[MatthewsMumFromTikTok]

They contacted my employer early on

It was fine, they knew. It was only 9 weeks wait for mine

[moonlight1705]

They contacted my boss in February and I'm about to start this coming January. So yes, for me they contacted them early and I've had a year of not quite resigning.

[Cocomaymay]

Thanks everyone for the speedy replies! Super helpful. I think it’s for SC clearance.

I’ve been holding back telling my current employer as they are a start up and some things unrelated to this haven’t been dealt with great, e.g. pension and pay related.

I’ve been worried to tell them early in case they force me on to a notice period (3 months) and this will then end before I can start my new job. There are chats about a security waiver though so that could help push things along x

[MikiSu]

When I was going through SC clearance they didn't even contact my then employer so seems different for all!

[Cocomaymay]

Thanks @MikiSu was that quite recently and can you remember how long roughly it it took for the clearance to complete?

[EObutwheretogo]

I'm on month 5 of not quite resigning! Civil Service recruitment moves at a glacial pace. They contacted my current line manager about 3.5mths into the process.
I doubt I'll start before Christmas 😒

[Mychitchatdays]

They will not contact them for clearance. They may be contacted for reference by the recruitment team, but 100% not by clearance team for SC.

[EObutwheretogo]

Ooh, Mychitchatdays is right- it would be the recruitment team rather than the vetting team who'd contact your existing manager. Sorry, I was unclear there.

[MikiSu]

@Cocomaymay

Thanks @MikiSu was that quite recently and can you remember how long roughly it it took for the clearance to complete?

Yes it was 2021 and clearance took about 8 weeks I think

[Cocomaymay]

Oh it could work out ok if it’s the recruitment team. I only started this job in January so was able to put down my old manager for the company where I worked for 9 years as the reference.

I want to give my current work their place but I also don’t want to risk an awkward situation.

[Cocomaymay]

@EObutwheretogo hope you can get started soon!

i only got offered the job in September but it still feels like ages x

[tiglit]

They are contacted for DV, but pretty sure they don't at SC.

[Cocomaymay]

@Mychitchatdays that’s giving me hope. Do you know why the security clearance team ask for your managers details if they wont contact them? Is it just in case something in their checks doesn’t add up?

[IWFH]

My previous employers were definitely contacted for my SC check. (a couple of years sgo)

[Cocomaymay]

@tiglit thank you ! I saw on another post that someone was advised by the security vetting team to use the additional notes area to explain things like haven’t told current employer I’m leaving. But in my application there’s no additional notes field so I might give them a phone.

[Cocomaymay]

@IWFH thank you! What level of clearance was that for?

[MollyButton]

Umm I thought the first rule of security clearance is that you don't discuss what clearance you have. Although a discrete glance at the pass does give it away, another reason not to wear your pass outside Government buildings.

[IWFH]

@Cocomaymay

@IWFH thank you! What level of clearance was that for?

It was SC level (I'd already had a BPSS check).
It was purely to check dates, i.e. to confirm the statement I had put on the form.

[GoBackToPartyCity]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but hopefully you’re a bit further on in the process now!

My provisional offer came through in October, and i’ve been waiting for vetting since the end of Nov, so 16 weeks now. It’s starting to become absolutely soul destroying and HR were approached, therefore letting my employer know that I was leaving.

It's getting difficult at work now as I'm clearly getting looked over for developmental opportunities as they know I'm leaving, but this recruitment process feels like it's never ending!

How long did it take to get your SC clearance in the end? And how long did it take then to get a start date? Thanks!