PSH-20-0002 - In the Matter of Personnel Security Hearing

On January 28, 2020, an OHA Administrative Judge (AJ) issued a decision in which she determined that an Individual’s DOE access authorization should not be granted. To support the Guideline G security concerns, the LSO alleges that (1) the Individual had five alcohol-related arrests and (2) the DOE Psychologist's determined that the Individual met the diagnostic criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder under the DSM-5. At the hearing, the Individual asserted that she had stopped consuming alcohol on August 18, 2019, began attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and was reading the AA "Big Book," a manual used by AA.  Her witnesses supported these claim.  However, the Individual was unable to submit any sign-in sheets to verify her AA attendance. Further, she admitted that she did not have a sponsor or know how to get a sponsor. The DOE Psychologist confirmed her diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder. Particularly concerning to the DOE Psychologist was the Individual's lack of a support system, failure to follow the recommendations in the DOE Psychologist's report, including attending AA meetings and having a sponsor, and 12 months of sobriety. At the time of the hearing, the Individual had four months of sobriety. Consequently, based on all of the above, the Administrative Judge found that the Individual's access authorization should not be granted at this time. OHA Case No. PSH 20-0002 (Janet R. H. Fishman).