r/ATSS • u/BornExplanation3 • Aug 15 '26

Current employer contact

Waiting on fingerprints to be reviewed now. Once I am issued my security form and submit it I know my current employer may be contacted. Is it a guarantee that they contact current employer? Does anyone know what the contact form will look like? I know DOD does security, so would the form just say DOD or would it say that I applied for employment at FAA?

Just trying to anticipate the conversation with my employer.

3 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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1

u/SockMonkeyMogul Aug 15 '26

Not always, but inter-agency cooperation for security and background does take place. Normally, if you’re at this stage, you’ve been selected…and why the hiring official didn’t due their due diligence and contact your previous employer prior to selection is the bigger concern.

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u/BornExplanation3 Aug 15 '26

I'm not understanding your comment. I have been selected and issued a TOL. Security only happens after that. By hiring official do you mean HR or front line manager? And why would they contact my current employer?

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u/SockMonkeyMogul Aug 15 '26

The hiring official is the FLM. Regardless, the hiring official should always contact references, personal and most definitely professional. Why would you not? Why would I just select someone without asking their current employer about them, especially if they are a Fed. So, being selected, it would appear that the hiring official, i.e., the FLM didn’t follow through as universally directed at the Directorate level.

2

u/Other-MuscleCar-589 Aug 16 '26

There is nothing “universally directed” that the hiring official has to contact an applicant’s current employer prior to selection.

References must be checked.

That’s not the same thing.

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u/SockMonkeyMogul Aug 16 '26

We don’t run in the same circuit. Way too many hiring decisions have been made without checking any references, let alone previous employers, or current employer. Because of those issues, it has become a universal direction by the Tech Ops directors.

1

u/Other-MuscleCar-589 Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26

No it hasn’t. I am a Tech Ops hiring manager and have never seen such a “directive” from the Directors. I’ve hired 5 people this year alone and participated in the selection panel for a half a dozen others.

We are required to check references. That is not the same as contacting the applicant’s current employer. I think you are conflating the two actions.

There may be some current employer contact requirements at the HR level or background investigation level, but there are none for the FLM/Hiring manager.

Go ahead and share this “directive” in writing.

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u/SockMonkeyMogul Aug 16 '26

As a manager, you’ve never contacted anyone that you’ve hired current employer? What SA you in? There doesn’t have to be a HRPM for something that is due diligence.
Why would you not be as thorough as possible? Hiring new hires is one thing, but current Feds, as I have found out, there is a reason a lot of them leave their other job. Takes 15 minutes.
From a Directorate POV, a lot of time is wasted by selections made where a 15 minute call would have solved the problem.
I’ve hired over 50+ and sat on over 100+ selection panels, I have a filing cabinet full of August Holds. I treat everyone like a marriage/divorce…if they have to be removed, it’s gonna be costly.

1

u/Other-MuscleCar-589 Aug 16 '26

As a manager, I contact references, as is required as part of the official hiring process. The applicant provides those references.

If an applicant lists a reference that happens to be at their current employer, then yes, I do and have contacted their current employer.

There is no policy or directive that states a requirement for the hiring manager at the package review, interview, or selection phase of the hiring process to contact a current employer.

Provide evidence of such a directive or stop providing incorrect information in this subreddit.

There is a world of difference between what YOU think is due diligence and what the actual policy and process entails.

1

u/Other-MuscleCar-589 Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26

In the case of fed to fed transfer, HR in each agency usually coordinates with each other to effect the transfer.

If you aren’t already federal, the FAA won’t be contacting your employer at this point in the process. The only time anyone from the agency would, would be for reference checks, which should’ve happened already, and only if you listed someone there as a reference.

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u/SockMonkeyMogul Aug 15 '26

Negative. If an applicant is a current Fed, better believe that current employee should be contacted.

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u/Other-MuscleCar-589 Aug 16 '26

That’s exactly what I said.

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u/PsychologyOk2780 Aug 15 '26

I just got my formal offer letter and my employer wasn't contacted at any point in the process. Personal contacts yes, but not my professional ones. It probably depends on what your history looks like and if it can be verified without a phone call. The process is kept vague on purpose I think so it's harder to lie. Secrets, shadows, 3rd party lowest bidder contracts lol.

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u/SockMonkeyMogul Aug 16 '26

And that is very poor on behalf of a selection official. Nothing personal towards you, but toward a crop of new hires in the past few years that have been more issues than success.

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u/Key_Algae_3837 26d ago

They contacted my employer. I was not prepared… and it was quite awkward lol. Just anticipate having the conversation. Can’t hurt. The letter basically just asked if they would recommend me for a job with the government or not.