I just received one of the most saddest and depressing news of my life from the feds.....my dq letter... not much to say but where do I go from here?  Do I petition for a second poly or do I just suck it up and take it as a loss.  Should I ask for a re-take or is it pointless?

Thanks for all your previous inputs and replies.   
George, keep up the good work so that future casualties from friendly fire can be minimized.

The only regret that I have is telling the truth and not using countermeasures.

anaonymous

i'm with you.  Just got my DQ letter yesterday, and made some phone calls today.  Apparently I faild the poly.  I was completely honest with them - to the point of stressing myself out (I have a naturally "guilty complex," probably from a lack of self confidence).  Tell you what though:  I told no lies, and I'm going to do everything I can to try and get a retest.  Even if they don't hire me, I want a retest.  I'm an honest person, and after seeing everything here (on this website) , I more than ever believe that the polygraph is skewed so that honest people will fail.  I'm not a perfect indiviudal, and I've done some things that might not look so good, but I have nothing to hide.  I told them everything beforehand, and if they're going to DQ me, then do it for those reasons themsleves: don't hide behind the polygraph. Why would I admit to some questionable things, yet not others (if that was the case).  This machine and the pseudo-science it represents is a disgrace in a society such as ours, where we consider ourselves to be so progressive and enlightened.  Apparently the alchemists are still around, except now they're using science to find the truth (suppossedly), rather than trying to  create gold.

My advice to you: appeal it, like I'm doing.  Don't go down without a fight.  They may have smeared me and my reputation (in my own mind) but I'm not going to take it lying down.  I know who I am, and some $1200 computer and a person who knows nothing about me, aren't going to dictate who I am in this world, or how I perceive myself!

who do I contact for a request for a re-take.  Do I call my recruiting agent at the local office or do I send the letter directly to HQ as suggested in the publication "lies behind the lie detector"?

Thanks

netnin,

I made no admissions because there wasn't any to make.  The letter said that I failed because "The results of your polygraph examination were not within acceptable parameters." whatever that means.  I am sure sssss5 went thru the same thing also.   

anonymous

netnin,

Like anonymous, I made absolutely no admissions during the polygraph.  I had met with my BI previously, and I was very upfron t with her.  I told her everything that i even thought might be a problem, so that when I did take the polygraph, it would be with a clear conscience.  Unfortunately, I may have been too honest.  I can't think of any serious crimes that i may have committed, but that's one of the areas where i ahd problems.  Truly, I find that ridiculous - the suggestion that i may have committed a serious crime.  My Investigator had completed my background, and if she didn't find anything, then why should it be assumed that I am a criminal, just b/c that POS computer (piece of Sh!$) asid so?  I mean, rape, murder or arson?  They think I'm now an individual capable of that?  If there's such faith in the polygraph, then I should be removed form my current job, as I am in a position where I'm exposed to classified info on a daily basis.  Hell, I may have even lied on my last credit card application, maybe they should be taken a way also - maybe even my library card?  Where do we draw the lline with this ridiculous test that accuses people who admit their mistakes that thye're hiding something (for the record, I admitted it all of my possible transgressions on my initial applications and SF-86).   

For good or bad, my life is an open book.  I'm not proud of everything that's happened to me, or that I've done in my life, but I owe up to my mistakes, and have never tried to hide anything about myself.  I should be judged on those merits, not the results of a procedure that is unproven (at best).  It's the year 2002, and we're really no better at predicting the weather today than we were 50 years ago.  What makes us so arrogant to think that we can understand human emotion, and the concept of a lie?  If it's as simple as they suggest (polygraphers and the agencies that use them)than shouldn't it be possible for psychiatrists to predict human behavior, and stop psyhotics or depressed individuals from killing their children (the woman in TX who drowned her 5 kids , I am referring to - she had been treated previously by mental health people)?  Obviously, we're not where we think we are, and these polygraph tests should not continue.

I read your e-mail and share your sadness. Today, I got f---d too. I haven't stopped crying since this morning. I received the feds' letter dropping me from the application process because they claim I failed the poly. test. The question I failed was whether I ever had or dealt with drugs. Funny, I have NEVER seen, touched or had any drugs in my entire 42 years of age. I don't even know the difference between different drugs, neither do I know what one does with them (i.e, smoke, eat, drink them or whatever). It sucks not only because I didn't get the job (after having passed the written test and other requirements), but also because I didn't get it based on B.S. (not on the merit). It also sucks because I didn't try to fool around with the test or play any tricks (as posted on the internet) to pass the test. I thought I had nothing to hide. I hid nothing. I failed it. It is a loss, but it is also the feds' loss. I am a living proof that polygraphs don't work. I had so much to give to the system. What I ended up with is a permanent record of having failed a feds' poly. which will probably affect my future employment and profession (legal field).

Hi George,

Thank you for your reply. I intend to take legal action. I will fight back. The polygraph test will otherwise ruin my future and profession. I could have accepted a "no thank you letter" but I can't accept them ruining my name and attacking my integrity and honesty. I'm also immediately asking for a re-take w/ a new tester who has no knowledge of the prior test or its results, so he may formulate a total independent opinion. I was told, however, by the first examiner I had that asking for a retake or appealing from any adverse decision takes nowhere. It's a waste of time. I'll do it anyway so there may be no question concerning exhaustion of administrative remedies or otherwise. Thank you again.