Under what condition must a receiving agency accept a favorable trust determination from another agency?

• A. They must accept the determination if it is for the same type of trust (e.g., national security) and is at the appropriate level for the new position.
• B. They must accept the determination if the employee requests it within 30 days.
• C. They must accept the determination if the other agency's budget is greater.
• D. They must accept the determination if the employee has previously worked at the agency.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is reciprocity of trust determinations: a receiving agency must accept a favorable determination from another agency when the trust type and the level match exactly what the new position requires. If the job needs the same category of trust (for example, national security) and the determination is at the appropriate level for that role, the new agency should rely on the existing adjudication rather than starting over. This helps avoid duplicative investigations and speeds up employment decisions. If the trust type differs or the level doesn’t align with the position’s requirements, the receiving agency would not be obligated to accept the prior determination and may require its own review. Factors like the employee’s request within a time window, the agency’s budget, or prior work history do not determine whether the prior determination must be accepted.