PSH-23­0107 - In the Matter of Personnel Security Hearing

On March 13, 2024, an Administrative Judge issued a decision restoring a DOE Contractor employee's security clearance, which had been suspended pursuant to Guideline G, Alcohol Consumption, after an alcohol screening revealed that she was intoxicated at work. At the hearing, the Individual presented evidence that she had abstained from alcohol for 18 months, had attended an inpatient program and an Intensive Outpatient Program, and regularly attended a weekly alcohol recovery support group. The Individual testified about the skills she had learned, such as setting clear boundaries, that addressed the reasons she had turned to alcohol, as well as the skills she had learned to deal with alcohol cravings or triggers moving forward. A DOE Contractor Psychologist opined that the Individual was rehabilitated and gave her a good prognosis for remaining abstinent from alcohol, which the Individual testified she intended to do indefinitely. The Administrative Judge found that the Individual had mitigated the concerns under Guideline G and recommended that the Individual's security clearance be restored. (OHA Case No. PSH-23­0107, Martin)