The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States is removing a categorical ban on using the services of a prostitute to hire candidates. Instead, it will more comprehensively review at least some of the candidates who have hired escorts in the past, the Associated Press reported.
The abolition of the automatic disqualification is part of the ongoing evolution of standards for hiring in federal law enforcement agencies and in the FBI in particular, which several years ago relaxed its approach to previous marijuana use by candidates, BTA specified. The process has raised concerns among current and former agents about the alleged relaxation of recruitment requirements.
The bureau still intends to reject candidates who are revealed during the vetting process to have engaged in prostitution three or more times in the past 10 years, either cumulatively or while in a position of trust, according to guidelines issued last spring and described by a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. This is supposed to allow the context of the behavior to be taken into account, rather than treating it as grounds for automatic rejection from the FBI hiring process.
The FBI said the change is intended to account for the fact that some otherwise qualified candidates may have engaged in the practice in places where it is legal.
“It is wrong to say that such criminal conduct is no longer disqualifying from the FBI. "Any candidate who has engaged in criminal sexual conduct would, of course, be ineligible for the job, and it is preposterous to suggest otherwise," the FBI said in a statement, describing the background check process as "extensive and extensive." "The FBI maintains and will always maintain some of the highest standards of suitability for its candidates and employees in the U.S. government," the statement added.