Security Clearance (again)

[datestamp]

As a side issue, did anybody see the Al Quaida mob being sentenced in Spain the other day on CNN? The translation went: "Al Akmed Fred Bloggins. Guilty. 10 years in clink. 11 years banned from working for central or local government departments". Er, excuse me. Does that mean the Spaniards let their criminals work for government departments while banged up? Surely, it would make sense that anybody involved in or reasonably linked with people involved in planting bombs in public places should never be allowed to work for government departments local, regional or otherwise.

[ratewhore]

You do not need clearance to start a contract. Any agency that tells you that is talking poo. You can start work with a basic check (which takes hours, maybe a day) while waiting for your clearance to come through. When your clearance comes through you can take yourself to the toilet but if it fails you're gone.

This is true not only for various govt agencies but also for the private sector companies working on HMG contracts.

[threaded]

One place, the local window cleaners will tell you, no one does any work at all! They sit around at empty desks reading the newspapers... hæ hæ hæ

So, not strictly true, some places they can't help but have classified stuff laying about so you need clearance before starting work (or even walking past the windows )

[bassy]

i'm currently waiting for security clearance for a contract and i'm not allowed to start until i get it (got that off the client rather than the agency). Been waiting about 3 weeks now. So i suppose its pretty dependant on what data you could be handling.