FBI Drops Automatic Ban on Prostitution History

The FBI has stopped treating an applicant's past encounters with prostitutes as an automatic bar to employment, according to people familiar with the matter.

The change was communicated quietly in an internal memo dated June 16, which also loosened the bureau's treatment of applicants who stole from a former employer.

Instead of an automatic rejection, at least some of those candidates now get a more holistic review of their background.

What Changed

Under the revised standards, three or more incidents involving prostitutes — or any incident within the past 10 years — still disqualify an applicant.

Applicants who held positions of trust, such as public safety, finance or the law, remain automatically disqualified.

Theft from an employer is no longer disqualifying if it happened more than three years ago.

Past acts of bestiality may also no longer disqualify an applicant if they occurred before the age of 18.

Applicants who disclose past conduct during a polygraph now face further scrutiny rather than immediate rejection.