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Your spouse can definitely affect your ability to get a security clearance. Last I heard, cannabis use is still relevant to this, even if you live in a state w

Your spouse can definitely affect your ability to get a security clearance. Last I heard, cannabis use is still relevant to this, even if you live in a state where it's legal. Your spouse being a foreign national can also be significant, depending on which country and their connections there. It's not really a legal obligation as such ("only" putting the job at risk), but it does cover rather a lot of jobs.

galleywest200 3y ago
> Last I heard, cannabis use is still relevant to this, even if you live in a state where it's legal. The process of doing away with this entirely started last year: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-spy-agencies-could-hire-former-marijuana-users-under-senate-bill-11656008707 https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-spy-agencies-could-hire-for...
- mschuster91 3y ago
  Makes sense now that it's legal and foreign/criminal actors can't extort people any more for being gay or smoking pot.
  - massysett 3y ago
    It is not legal. It is a violation of federal law.
    - mschuster91 3y ago
      Thing is, in a legal state there is no leverage for a bad actor, unless the US federal government changes its policy - but that's very unlikely under a Democrat government given they're pro federal legalization, and even under a hardliner like Trump the Republicans didn't dare touch the issue because it would counteract their entire "states rights" agenda and piss off a sizable amount of their own voters.
  - kevinventullo 3y ago
    Well, a closeted person in a conservative part of the country might still be vulnerable to extortion. Makes me wonder if being openly out actually helps with getting security clearance. I feel like there’s a comedy sketch in here…
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
BurningFrog 3y ago
That doesn't put any legal obligation on the spouse though.
- amalcon 3y ago
  Correct, and I did say so. While "your spouse will lose his or her job if you do X, Y, or Z" is not technically a legal requirement, for most people it's a distinction without a difference.

galleywest200 3y ago

> Last I heard, cannabis use is still relevant to this, even if you live in a state where it's legal. The process of doing away with this entirely started last year: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-spy-agencies-could-hire-former-marijuana-users-under-senate-bill-11656008707 https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-spy-agencies-could-hire-for...

mschuster91 3y ago
Makes sense now that it's legal and foreign/criminal actors can't extort people any more for being gay or smoking pot.
- massysett 3y ago
  It is not legal. It is a violation of federal law.
  - mschuster91 3y ago
    Thing is, in a legal state there is no leverage for a bad actor, unless the US federal government changes its policy - but that's very unlikely under a Democrat government given they're pro federal legalization, and even under a hardliner like Trump the Republicans didn't dare touch the issue because it would counteract their entire "states rights" agenda and piss off a sizable amount of their own voters.
- kevinventullo 3y ago
  Well, a closeted person in a conservative part of the country might still be vulnerable to extortion. Makes me wonder if being openly out actually helps with getting security clearance. I feel like there’s a comedy sketch in here…
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]

BurningFrog 3y ago

That doesn't put any legal obligation on the spouse though.

amalcon 3y ago
Correct, and I did say so. While "your spouse will lose his or her job if you do X, Y, or Z" is not technically a legal requirement, for most people it's a distinction without a difference.