Reply to: BPSS and gross misconduct

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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?

[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.

[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.

[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...

[northernladuk]

Good grief this sounds less like some serious incident and more like spilling coffee on the carpet. Souds very harsh to me, who doesn't vist a few websites whilst working. Having worked in many companies, I would say absolutely everyone visits websites for personal use at some point. Even if you put a virus on the laptop, so what! They should have systems in place to prevent the spread.

Forget it, I doubt this will be a problem

True but while doing it you also shoulder the risk of harming your company's IT systems.The IT policies tend to be pretty clear and infecting the system is pretty black and white. I don't think it's harsh at all.
Remember there are always two sides to every tale. I can't believe for one minute he got malware from a quick browse of BBC news website every so often.... and using company kit for personal browsing outside working ours is just.. well pretty stupid really.

[BlasterBates]

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?

Good grief this sounds less like some serious incident and more like spilling coffee on the carpet. Souds very harsh to me, who doesn't vist a few websites whilst working. Having worked in many companies, I would say absolutely everyone visits websites for personal use at some point. Even if you put a virus on the laptop, so what! They should have systems in place to prevent the spread.



Forget it, I doubt this will be a problem

[centurian]

Back to your original question - will they ask.. Up until today, I had never heard of BPSS. A quick Google search for "bpss" and the top result yields this document.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...y_Standard.pdf

It must have taken me at least 30 seconds to find this paragraph

Appropriate references can verify employment history and may also provide an additional means of verifying an individual‟s identity and integrity. However, there is an increasing reluctance on the part of employers to provide frank and timely comments on an individual‟s character and suitability for employment because of DPA/FOI concerns, even for internal postings. They can also add severe delays to the recruitment process. So, although departments and agencies may continue to seek suitable references if they wish, they are not required as part of the BPSS.

Short answer - No they don't have to, but they might anyway.

[malvolio]

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?

Breach of trust, ignoring company rules, risking corporate systems, breaking security protocols and good practice.... Not a good starting point, is it?

[aleksm]

Almost certainly.

You should declare it up front and get in first with your side of the story about how you made a mistake that you are deeply ashamed of and remorseful for and you have now turned your life around. Depending on what the conduct was, you may or may not get the BPSS.

Attempting to conceal it and getting found out would be much worse than being honest about it. As well as knowing your background, they are also anxious that you don't have any skeletons in your closet that someone could use to blackmail you with.

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?

[Wanderer]

I was recently dismissed for a gross misconduct. Is this going to show up in BPSS?

Almost certainly.

You should declare it up front and get in first with your side of the story about how you made a mistake that you are deeply ashamed of and remorseful for and you have now turned your life around. Depending on what the conduct was, you may or may not get the BPSS.

Attempting to conceal it and getting found out would be much worse than being honest about it. As well as knowing your background, they are also anxious that you don't have any skeletons in your closet that someone could use to blackmail you with.

[malvolio]

Could you be more specific please?

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

I read that HR is unlikely to disclose reason for leaving, but is there more to it? How can I chech if the people from BPSS are going to specifically ask? If they do, I guess HR will disclose it, correct?

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

[aleksm]

And if it does...?

There's a nice long thread about clearance which contains your answer. There's another shorter recent one that has the same discussion about three posts away from yours. Go have a read.

Could you be more specific please? I read that HR is unlikely to disclose reason for leaving, but is there more to it? How can I chech if the people from BPSS are going to specifically ask? If they do, I guess HR will disclose it, correct?