# Minimum Background Investigation - For IRS Job **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 17, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367 "2007-01-17T20:15:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/1 "2007-01-17T20:15:09Z")
I have to undergo the Federal Govt’s Minimum Background Investigation and am worried about something. I had a two periods of lengthy unemployment in the last 5 years (totaling 3.5 years out of work), and am wondering how this will affect the report. For the record, this job is as a contractor for the IRS. I know this is probably a bad idea, but if I stated on the investigation forms that I worked during these periods, how likely is it that they will actually check the companies, references, and anything else to verify my information? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/2 "2007-01-17T20:35:10Z")
Extraordinarily likely. Better to list unemployed. Nothing will get your application rejected faster than being caught in a fabrication. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/3 "2007-01-17T20:41:52Z")
Well, that is what I intend to do, I don’t have the balls to lie. I just have this feeling they’re gonna take one look at my unemployment, and that will be the end of it. Have you had a MBI done before? I know it’s not as extensive or intense as, say, a DoD secret clearance. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/4 "2007-01-17T20:42:39Z")
[QUOTE=Fiddle Peghead] I know this is probably a bad idea, but if I stated on the investigation forms that I worked during these periods, how likely is it that they will actually check the companies, references, and anything else to verify my information? [/QUOTE] It’s almost a sure thing that they will check employment and education claims. I worked for a private company that did very expensive background checks. They were also cool enough to give me a copy of it when I was hired. Some of it was interesting like the dates that I put for employment at a couple of companies was different than what I had on my resume but only by a month of two. Either their records or my recollection was incorrect. Also, I worked for one place for over eight years that went out of business. It just said on the form that they couldn’t contact the company. Things like that didn’t matter but an outright lie will sink you. ---
**Author:** ![Shecky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shecky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shecky)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/5 "2007-01-18T14:41:47Z")
Unemployment will not be a bad mark. Bankruptcy/REALLY heavy debt is. Oh, and certain crimes are ranked worse than others. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/6 "2007-01-18T14:53:54Z")
Unemployment isn’t a bad mark. Lying about your employment is. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/7 "2007-01-18T15:49:11Z")
I’ve had to do this for a similar background check. They often do come back and question you about periods of unemployment and sometimes ask for you to provide a contact for someone who can verify your period of unemployment. It’s no big deal if you’ve been unemployed, you just need to be able to vouch for the timeframes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/8 "2007-01-18T15:57:55Z")
Don’t worry about the unemployment! My hubby went to work for the federal gov’t a little over a year ago, and needed a background check. At the time he started the job, he had an employment record a lot like yours for the previous four years. They didn’t bat an eyelash. However, if he’d lied and said he _had_ been employed, and they’d found out (which would have been likely), I’m sure the job offer would have been rescinded. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/9 "2007-01-18T16:34:42Z")
[QUOTE=Fiddle Peghead] Well, that is what I intend to do, I don’t have the balls to lie. I just have this feeling they’re gonna take one look at my unemployment, and that will be the end of it. Have you had a MBI done before? I know it’s not as extensive or intense as, say, a DoD secret clearance. [/QUOTE] I used to have Top Secret Codeword clearance many, many moons ago, so I wouldn’t even blink at a MBI. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/10 "2007-01-18T16:50:09Z")
[QUOTE=norinew] Don’t worry about the unemployment! [/QUOTE] Thanks, you don’t know how relieved you’ve made me feel! ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/11 "2007-01-19T04:14:50Z")
[QUOTE=Fiddle Peghead] I have to undergo the Federal Govt’s Minimum Background Investigation and am worried about something. I had a two periods of lengthy unemployment in the last 5 years (totaling 3.5 years out of work), and am wondering how this will affect the report. For the record, this job is as a contractor for the IRS. I know this is probably a bad idea, but if I stated on the investigation forms that I worked during these periods, how likely is it that they will actually check the companies, references, and anything else to verify my information? [/QUOTE] I’m a background investigator. I can’t go into details on exactly what work would be done on an MBI, but I will say generally: LIST THE UNEMPLOYMENT AS UNEMPLOYMENT. When the investigator comes to speak with you (as a routine part of the investigation, so don’t worry), explain why you weren’t working, how you were financially supported, what your activities were during that time, whatever they ask. One way or another, employments get checked on most investigations for varying periods back in time, depending on the investigation type. Unemployment is in-and-of-itself not a bad thing in a security investigation. Deliberate falsification is one of the worst. Read the disclaimers at the start of the SF85P. On there you should see information about [18 USC 1001](http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/search/display.html?terms=1001&url=/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001001----000-.html), which provides penalties for false testimony. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-background-investigation-for-irs-job/388367/12 "2007-01-19T19:46:58Z")
Right. Very very few things will disqualify you, as long as you disclose them. But even a tiny fib can do so.