Anyone been granted reciprocity lately?

[bwrworker]

Hi all,


I've worked 9+ years at a BWR...held UAA with no issues, left last year voluntarily for new job. I'm now applying to a facility that requires a DOE "L" security clearance. After looking at the scope of background check (ex. SF-86), it's pretty much identical to the process my former employer used to request UAA per NRC requirements for workers.


I know in the past year nuclear has been trying to economize it's processes, including background checks/access authorization. I've heard of a few recent instances of reciprocity being granted. In this case what I'm hoping is I'll be granted a "L" clearance on the basis I've held UAA favorably within the past 5 years. Otherwise I'll go through the normal process which can take 6-8 months....yuck.


Anyone have any luck with this?


Thanks in advance.

[scotoma]

This all happened last century. I applied for an "L" clearance after working for 8 years in commercial facilities. I had previously held a clearance in the Navy, DOD. I had kept complete and accurate records. It took ~3-4 months for the approval. I don't know if the DOE accepted the DOD info. If you previously had a clearance with the DOE, they will only need to update since it lapsed. If not, they may want to go all the way back to your childhood to verify the data. I believe that the DOE check is more extensive than a commercial check (you may have access to government secrets). If your records are complete and accurate, your references are easily available, and the agencies are quick to respond, the process will go faster. If you have had any adverse events in your life, or they discover something that you didn't mention, it will take a lot longer. I've worked with some people who said that they were hired and sat around for months on 40 hrs/wk doing non-clearance busy work.

[bwrworker]

I've never held DOE or DOD clearances; only investigation to obtain UAA at commercial nuclear.

What makes you say the DOE/DOD investigation is more extensive than that for commercial UAA? The SF-86 form is pretty much identical to what I've filled out for UAA. Or are you saying the investigators dig deeper....?

Additional question....aren't all these clearances reviewed and adjudicated through the OPM?

I've been told by my prospective employer that generally the wait is 6-8 months and there is a work location allocated to those waiting clearance approval.

[scotoma]

As I said, this is last century. I used to get an approval for access at a commercial nuclear facility within a week or less. It took 3-4 months for an "L" clearance. I would like to believe that it was because of a more in-depth investigation rather than governmental red tape, but the bottom line is that it took much longer. If they are going to hire you while you wait for a clearance, and you can live on 40 hrs/wk, and you can handle the mundane boredom, then hold the vorpal sword, it will know what to do.

[bwrworker]

No worries.....thanks for the info

[SloGlo]

, and you can live on 40 hrs/wk, and you can handle the mundane boredom, then hold the vorpal sword, it will know what to do.

iffen yins are naught a bull two live on 40 ours, yew knead a different job.

[Chimera]

What most of us didn't know:  That access you were granted at a nuclear power plant was a temporary access while the background investigation continued.  The plant had up to six months (if I remember correctly) to finish your background investigation.  The clearance you get to work in DOE is considerably different from the light-weight investigation you had in the power plants.  There ain't no "reciprocity".

[tuva]

Is their any impact with Nextera and entergy dropping out of NEI and PADS?