An employer is obligated to request a security screening for a person who is going to fill a position involving confidentiality. The person who undergoes the security screening is called the ‘person under consideration for or in a position involving confidentiality’. On the basis of the security screening the UVO decides whether a VGB can be issued. It may also be the case that an employer needs a clearance. For this, a security screening is also requested.

What is an employer?

In the Security Screening Act (Wet veiligheidsonderzoeken, Wvo) the term ‘employer’ differs from the employer in the relation under employment law. In the Wvo the employer is the organisation which gives access to or is responsible for the interests which are to be protected. According to the Wvo the commissioning party is the employer of externally hired personnel.   An employer can request a security screening under multiple company names, for example per location. The Security Screening Unit (Unit Veiligheidsonderzoeken, UVO) calls them applicants. The name of the applicant can be the same as the employer’s name. The certificate of no objection (Verklaring van geen bezwaar, VGB) always includes the information of the applicants and the communication from the UVO also goes to the applicant.

Portal

Employers can use the digital portal (e-AV) to apply for a security screening and submit or delist an official as being in a position involving confidentiality. Click on Request access e-AV for more information on how the employer can gain access to this portal.

Apply for a security screening

There are three moments at which a security screening has to be requested:

  1. At the end of the application process;
  2. After the expiry of a period of five years or a multiple of this the security screening has to be repeated; It differs per sector which term is used. This is established by the expert minister;
  3. There are new facts or circumstances which justify a new security screening. An example of this is a new partner. In the case the employer suspects that the official poses a risk to the national security, they can report this to a UVO account manager.

There are costs associated with a security screening. 

Delisting an official as being in a position involving confidentiality

At the moment a person leaves a position involving confidentiality or transfers to a position involving confidentiality with a higher security clearance level or transfers to a new employer, the person in a position involving confidentiality has to be delisted as working in a position involving confidentiality by the employer.