BPSS and gross misconduct

[Wanderer]

Thank you for your reply. I didn't think that he misconduct was that serious but it ended up with a dismissal. Namely, the company laptop was found to be used for personal use outside working hours visiting websites that contained malware which resulted in serious bridge of IT policy and a gross misconduct.

Sounds like a pretty harsh lesson. To be perfectly honest, all the places I have worked where they gave me a company laptop, they accepted that there would be a certain amount of private use of the laptop. Unless it was a particularly high security site or it is strictly prohibited, personal use is generally accepted.

As for visiting a website which contained malware, it depends on what that website was. If it was a bit torrent download site or one containing adult content then it's probably a lot more serious than if it was just some random site you surfed to that happened to have malware on it. I've often seen corporate PCs which are missing numerous vital security patches because they are afraid to roll them out or running insecure, old browsers like Internet Explorer. It sounds like you were make a bit of a scapegoat for this and tulip happens, but you should probably have been a bit more careful.

I would be careful about trying to play it down too much to the BPSS though.

Any more thoughts on how this could affect the BPSS?

No one knows. You should just try it and see. The worst that will happen is that they say you aren't going to get it. Too bad, just move on to looking for the next job...

[moggy]

No, not on my day off when the answer is already available. Sorry...

You are missing the point of Clearance entirely. Perhaps first find out what BPSS entails?

Then why comment at all?

OP - Sounds like quite a harsh lesson to me, from both the client and Mal.

[malvolio]

Then why comment at all?

Because I suggested where to find the answer and got an immediate request for more detail...? And I'm a grumpy old git at the best of times

OP - Sounds like quite a harsh lesson to me, from both the client and Mal.

Not really, we don't necessarily know the detail. But any hirer seeing a GM dismissal would normally be unlikely to take it further.

OP is in a difficult place here, actually. Not revealing it risks the clearance, revealing it risks the role being offered.

[aleksm]

OP is in a difficult place here, actually. Not revealing it risks the clearance, revealing it risks the role being offered.

Absolutely, the question is how to play it in an interview. Revealing it would be a more difficult sell. Not revealing it and and then it coming up just as the job starts is probably even worse...
Going for a non SC job might be a better option, would you agree?

[TheFaQQer]

Going for a non SC job might be a better option, would you agree?

Assuming they don't ask the question of why you left that role, then yes. If they do, what response are you planning to give?

[GazCol]

Thank you for your reply. I didn't think that he misconduct was that serious but it ended up with a dismissal. Namely, the company laptop was found to be used for personal use outside working hours visiting websites that contained malware which resulted in serious bridge of IT policy and a gross misconduct.
Any more thoughts on how this could affect the BPSS?

Have you taken any legal advice to challenge this? Given it's going to affect your SC and, potentially, future job/contracting prospects it's the first thing I would do.

[d000hg]

Thank you for your reply. I didn't think that he misconduct was that serious but it ended up with a dismissal. Namely, the company laptop was found to be used for visiting dodgy porn sites

FTFY.