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Hi,

I'm in the process of lateraling to Main Justice. I was given my tentative offer shortly before Trump was sworn in and the DOJ has confirmed that my job will not be subject to the hiring freeze.

I'm concerned because my background check has been going for 13 weeks, and they told me it would take 8-12 weeks. I've emailed HR and no one seems to know; they just say it's "pending." Is there anything I can do? Is this typical? My friends who have gone to DOJ or US Attorney's Offices breezed through the background check very quickly. I don't have anything shady so I really can't understand the delay.

Any advice/anecdotes greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I've heard it's pretty random; wouldn't sweat it too much. I have heard some people taking up to 5 months to get their start date though.

I've asked this elsewhere, but does anyone know some examples of people failing? I have a DUI (I know, pretty bad) that is about 8 years old. I know the background check only goes back 7 years for most, the form specifically asks for alcohol charges EVER, and they would obviously see this. Just trying to get some feel. No other blemishes I can think of besides a citation in the dorm from 13 years ago.

I'm not sure if this is helpful, but when I interned at the USAO after 1L year my background check took longer than all the other interns--it was like 3 weeks into the summer when I finally cleared. I had a drunk in public offense and some stupid shit when I was a teenager--like egging a cop car. Actually just thought of something more helpful--my dad had to get a security clearance for the DOD and I remember it taking him longer than he expected, and his record was squeaky clean.

Bump.

I've gone through a background check and know several others who have as well. 8-12 weeks is the absolute low end unless you're being hired into a low risk position. More likely, you're going to go through a background investigation that will require an interview with an FBI agent as well as check on previous neighbors, employers, and references. Don't sweat it. No news is good news. These things can take up to a year if you've lived in a lot of different places, have done a lot of foreign travel, etc.

Anonymous User wrote:I've asked this elsewhere, but does anyone know some examples of people failing? I have a DUI (I know, pretty bad) that is about 8 years old. I know the background check only goes back 7 years for most, the form specifically asks for alcohol charges EVER, and they would obviously see this. Just trying to get some feel. No other blemishes I can think of besides a citation in the dorm from 13 years ago.

Disclose it. You'll do more harm by trying to omit it. This should not sink you so long as there hasn't been other alcohol issues and you can show that you took steps to correct the problem.

Hmm I do need a high level clearance, but I thought for trial attorney positions with DOJ, you just have to get through an early phase of the background check only and then you can begin. After you begin, the background check keeps going and then, yea, you will officially pass after you've been there for over a year or however long it takes. Is that not correct?

[quote="Anonymous User"]I've gone through a background check and know several others who have as well. 8-12 weeks is the absolute low end unless you're being hired into a low risk position. More likely, you're going to go through a background investigation that will require an interview with an FBI agent as well as check on previous neighbors, employers, and references. Don't sweat it. No news is good news. These things can take up to a year if you've lived in a lot of different places, have done a lot of foreign travel, etc.

I have a question. I have an opportunity with the USAO in my secondary market. As soon as a job opens up, there is a good chance I'd be a very competitive candidate (The acting USA told me so). I was arrested a few months ago on bs (cops stepped way over the line). All charges were withdrawn, and I'm going to get this expunged. My question is whether having an arrest with affect any potential background check? Any experience here? Technically, an officer can arrest you illegally, which is what happened here.

Anonymous User wrote:I have a question. I have an opportunity with the USAO in my secondary market. As soon as a job opens up, there is a good chance I'd be a very competitive candidate (The acting USA told me so). I was arrested a few months ago on bs (cops stepped way over the line). All charges were withdrawn, and I'm going to get this expunged. My question is whether having an arrest with affect any potential background check? Any experience here? Technically, an officer can arrest you illegally, which is what happened here.

Yes, it will come up, even if it's expunged. Arrests will always flash on an NCIC. That doesn't necessarily mean you'll fail: it just means they're going to dig deeep into whatever happened.

mdaoca wrote:Hmm I do need a high level clearance, but I thought for trial attorney positions with DOJ, you just have to get through an early phase of the background check only and then you can begin. After you begin, the background check keeps going and then, yea, you will officially pass after you've been there for over a year or however long it takes. Is that not correct?

Anonymous User wrote:I've gone through a background check and know several others who have as well. 8-12 weeks is the absolute low end unless you're being hired into a low risk position. More likely, you're going to go through a background investigation that will require an interview with an FBI agent as well as check on previous neighbors, employers, and references. Don't sweat it. No news is good news. These things can take up to a year if you've lived in a lot of different places, have done a lot of foreign travel, etc.

You don't get an official notice that you passed the prelim BI. And the "real" BI will start before you actually begin. Like I said, until you hear otherwise, assume that everything is proceeding normally. If there was a problem, you'd hear about it.

For another data point. My initial, clear to start background check took 3 weeks. My long 1 has been going on 6 months, FBI interviewed me and a bunch of references about 6-7 weeks ago.

Anonymous User wrote:I've asked this elsewhere, but does anyone know some examples of people failing? I have a DUI (I know, pretty bad) that is about 8 years old. I know the background check only goes back 7 years for most, the form specifically asks for alcohol charges EVER, and they would obviously see this. Just trying to get some feel. No other blemishes I can think of besides a citation in the dorm from 13 years ago.

Look for yourself: http://ogc.osd.mil/doha/industrial/2016.html

Most folks fail because of financial/foreign ties. Drinking is nuanced. People without DUIs can fail, people with them can pass. In looking through the decisions it appears that a DUI will make them look hard at drinking issues. If I were you I wouldn't have another drop until after you've passed.

andythefir wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I've asked this elsewhere, but does anyone know some examples of people failing? I have a DUI (I know, pretty bad) that is about 8 years old. I know the background check only goes back 7 years for most, the form specifically asks for alcohol charges EVER, and they would obviously see this. Just trying to get some feel. No other blemishes I can think of besides a citation in the dorm from 13 years ago.

Look for yourself: http://ogc.osd.mil/doha/industrial/2016.html

Most folks fail because of financial/foreign ties. Drinking is nuanced. People without DUIs can fail, people with them can pass. In looking through the decisions it appears that a DUI will make them look hard at drinking issues. If I were you I wouldn't have another drop until after you've passed.

Thanks, much. I may take the advice but I'm not sure it would be particularly helpful in that I've drank socially since with absolutely no issues and I doubt anyone that's ever known me would say otherwise. If I say "I stopped drinking, 7 years after it occurred" it may look like I have a problem that took 7 years to get over, which is far from the case. Further, any of my references will say that they may have had a beer or glass of wine with me in the last half decade which may intuit that I'm lying about not drinking. I know this is way more in depth that you considered, I just am fleshing this out. But I suppose how else do I "mitigate"?

Anonymous User wrote:

andythefir wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I've asked this elsewhere, but does anyone know some examples of people failing? I have a DUI (I know, pretty bad) that is about 8 years old. I know the background check only goes back 7 years for most, the form specifically asks for alcohol charges EVER, and they would obviously see this. Just trying to get some feel. No other blemishes I can think of besides a citation in the dorm from 13 years ago.

Look for yourself: http://ogc.osd.mil/doha/industrial/2016.html

Most folks fail because of financial/foreign ties. Drinking is nuanced. People without DUIs can fail, people with them can pass. In looking through the decisions it appears that a DUI will make them look hard at drinking issues. If I were you I wouldn't have another drop until after you've passed.

Thanks, much. I may take the advice but I'm not sure it would be particularly helpful in that I've drank socially since with absolutely no issues and I doubt anyone that's ever known me would say otherwise. If I say "I stopped drinking, 7 years after it occurred" it may look like I have a problem that took 7 years to get over, which is far from the case. Further, any of my references will say that they may have had a beer or glass of wine with me in the last half decade which may intuit that I'm lying about not drinking. I know this is way more in depth that you considered, I just am fleshing this out. But I suppose how else do I "mitigate"?

Think about the 2 ways this would present to an interviewer who is looking for a drinking problem. 1 "yeah, I drink socially, but it's not a problem" v 2 "the very first time I became aware this might be even a question about my character, I stopped drinking completely. I drank socially without a problem for years, but the very second I learned this could be an issue I cut ti completely, you can ask my roommate, family, friends. Not a drop." How many folks with drinking issues say 2 as opposed to 1?