Guideline L: Outside Activities
The primary focus of Guideline L is to ensure that an individual’s obligation to protect national security is not compromised by outside interests, particularly those involving foreign entities. Whether you are a military personnel, a federal employee, or a government contractor, discussing your concern with an experienced security clearance Guideline L attorney can help determine which outside activities may or may not be a security concern.
The Investigation Process and Mandatory Disclosure Requirements
Disclosure of foreign activities and interests occurs in numerous areas of the SF-86 and other forms during the security clearance process. Prior to applying for a security clearance, you should prepare a list of all foreign connections and all employment, foreign or domestic, in your past. While the federal government may not have grave concerns about a week-long trip to Spain in college for example, if you joined a local political group or made contacts with members of military or intelligence organizations, it may become relevant.
Concerns Under Guideline L
Having foreign financial interests in and acting in concert with or on behalf of outside groups can pose a potential problem when the outside group is:
- Foreign government
- Foreign national, business, or non-government organization
- An individual representing a foreign interest, government, or otherwise
- Foreign, domestic, or international group that is involved in intelligence, defense, foreign affairs, or protected technology
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Mitigating Guideline L Concerns
- For a clearance holder, any outside activity should ideally be disclosed to the clearance-sponsoring organization and reviewed for potential conflicts
- If the outside activity is found not to conflict with the individual’s commitments to the United States and security clearance regulations, it may be allowed to commence or continue.
- Where the outside activity is found to conflict with security responsibilities, the clearance holder must terminate their employment or other involvement with the group or individual.
- Promptly reporting these potential issues, like all other national security adjudicative guidelines, is both an obligation and will assist in mitigation.
Relationship with Other Guidelines
Guideline L is often evaluated alongside Guideline A (Allegiance to the United States), Guideline B (Foreign Influence), and Guideline C (Foreign Preference). While Guideline B looks at family or financial ties to a foreign country, Guideline L looks specifically at the actions and professional roles the individual takes on outside of their government work. While Guideline L is one of the least-cited bases for clearance determinations, it can be found in conjunction with Guidelines A, B, and C, involving conflicts with loyalty and allegiance to the United States.
Discuss Your Guideline L Concerns with an Experienced Security Clearance Attorney
Guideline L can be difficult to interpret and determine whether it is relevant to an individual’s situation. Reviewing the matter with a security clearance lawyer familiar with the risks posed by foreign interests can help provide a roadmap to disclosure and clarification of any outside activity that may endanger a security clearance. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation to discuss your concerns. Brian@LSAttorneys.com; 847-775-7701.
