Workers at Fort Dix, Fort Monmouth, the FBI in Newark, and other employers in The Garden State sometimes hesitate to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy because they’re afraid of losing their security clearances. While bankruptcy debtors may face some increased scrutiny, there are some very important legal protections in place.
Federal Law
11 U.S.C. 525 prohibits discrimination against those who file a voluntary petition. Subsection (a) states that “a governmental unit may not deny, revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew a license, permit, charter, franchise, or other similar grant. . . solely because such bankrupt or debtor is or has been a debtor under this title or a bankrupt or debtor under the Bankruptcy Act.”
The key phrase is “solely because.” A bankruptcy filing does create some very serious questions about a person’s fitness to hold a security clearance, and if you were on the other side of the desk, you would probably ask the same questions about one of your employees. Fortunately, there are also some very good answers to these questions.
As a brief aside, subsection (b) applies the same prohibition to private employers and subsection (c) forbids bankruptcy discrimination in student loan matters.
Department of Defense Guidelines
Financial responsibility is one of several considerations, along with foreign preference, alcohol consumption, sexual behavior and a few others, in a security clearance. There is no automatic disqualification in any of these areas. Plenty of people have friends or relatives overseas, drink beer on the weekends or are unfaithful to their partners, but these individuals retain their status.
DoD Directive 5220.6, Guideline F, works the same way. The concern, at least where bankruptcy is concerned, is that a person with money problems may turn to illegal acts as a way to generate funds. Some additional considerations include:
- History of Unmet Financial Obligations: If this matter is your first filing and it can be traced to divorce, illness or a sudden financial trauma, as is generally the case, this question is arguably inapplicable.
- Deceptive Financial Practices: Very few consumer bankruptcies involve embezzlement, fraud, income tax evasion and other financial crimes.
- “Issues of Security Concern”: Similarly, very few filings are directly attributable to gambling, alcoholism and drug abuse.
There is more good news. Directive F goes on to list several “mitigating factors” which usually can be found in a Chapter 7:
- Isolated Incident: Most bankruptcies do not involve a pattern of reckless spending or prolonged financial irresponsibility.
- Lack of Control: On the contrary, most bankruptcy filings do involve divorce, business downturn, illness, job loss and other similar incidents.
- Debt Counselling: All debtors receive debt counselling and debtor education, and most seek financial advice from other sources as well.
- Good Faith Effort to Resolve Debt: If you lack the funds to pay your debts, bankruptcy is the best way to legally resolve them.
People file bankruptcy to get a fresh start, and it is impossible to get that fresh start if you lose your job. That may be the main reason that most debtors get to keep their security clearance.
Contact John Hargrave and Associates
We have provided comprehensive counsel to individuals in and around Barrington, New Jersey, since 1977. To schedule a free initial consultation, contact our office by e-mail or call us at 856-547-6500.
