CBP officer

[merlin436]

Like a lot of other people, you're not reading it correctly. It is a replacement for all the other type of OT compensation to the tune of automatically working or being available to work. Agencies have each in there own way tweaked it. But it's mandatory, it's tracked and it's a ripoff. It's not AUO, it's not FLSA based. A special agent can not "opt out of it", trade it or anything else. It's just part of our guarantee pay or as I say, we work a minimum of 50hr weeks and get paid for only 50. In most HSI offices, no agent gets OT pay as you and other agencies/employees get. Public law 95 leap, was an easy way to get more bodies available without paying.
I know many agents, myself included who would give up leap, for FLSA, your call back pay etc.
and unlike CBPO there is no waiver for agents. So, for senior 13,14 & 15s we hit pay cap and work for free. Would you be willing to work as many hours as they want you to, for only a guaranteed 25% of pay? I don't think so. So, yes I know ahead of each paycheck what I should be making. Unlike individuals who have to try and get as much overtime as possible because they got use to it.
So are you still going to complain about not having to work and make money? When I work for free sometimes? So, like I said it's not OT, look up title 5 for OT regulations, you will see the difference. Since you like Union websites so much, here is a non union OPM site.

http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-overs...ilability-pay/

You sure love your strawmen. You argue at least one in pretty much everyone of your posts.

You shouldn't be so quick to dismiss off-hand those "union sites". When it suits their purpose, the union is all about honesty and 100% truthful and reliable.

You should also re-read that OPM site, A quick looks shows me at least 2 instances where they define availability pay as overtime.

If you choose to ignore OPM, you could also apply a "reasonable person" standard to defining "overtime". a reasonable person would define overtime as work perform for an employer than beyond a basic workday/workweek. Likewise, they would define overtime pay as monetary compensation for work performed for an employer outside a basic workday/workweek.

You also are being more than a bit disingenuous about LEAP. As mentioned above, it's availability pay. "Work" as it relates to availability pay can be nothing more than sitting on one's sofa flicking through the channels with the TV remote in one hand, a bucket of chicken wings between the knees and a duty phone resting on the coffee table next to the pizza and diet Coke. You don't necessarily have to be doing anything meaningful, just available.

Likewise, cap waivers with OFO are also a bit disingenuous. The vast majority of CBPOs will never see a cap waiver in any given year. The majority of CBPOs will never get close enough to the cap to where cap waivers are a consideration. A large percentage, maybe a majority, will never see themselves in a position to where approaching cap is a reasonable expectation/opportunity. The mean average overtime for a CBPO is roughly 11-12K a year. the "average" CBPO only approaches the 35K cap under limited circumstances.

[RA357]

My pre-Academy is at LAX. My duty location after Graduation will be LAX. You do your pre-Academy training at your actually Duty Location.

[Jdmgreg]

Remember, you are a law enforcement officer so your main goal is to enforce the law even when being polite. Learn to balance the two, be authoritative/aggressive but in a nicer way depending on the scene. they will show you a sample response, that will speak for itself, trust me. Don't worry about your voice, I sound girly sometimes too. Dont' sweat it bro.

Does anyone know at what point they offer you your specific locations? how many options do u get to choose from?

Are you just sitting in front of a tv and stating your response to these scenarios? I heard someone compare the vbt to an audition as opposed to an interview.

In any case, there's no reason for me to get any more nervous than I already am as I can't really prepare. I already got my hair cut and will be wearing a suit. Tomorrow is the day!

[RA357]

Remember, you are a law enforcement officer so your main goal is to enforce the law even when being polite. Learn to balance the two, be authoritative/aggressive but in a nicer way depending on the scene. they will show you a sample response, that will speak for itself, trust me. Don't worry about your voice, I sound girly sometimes too. Dont' sweat it bro.

Does anyone know at what point they offer you your specific locations? how many options do u get to choose from?

You get offered your Duty Location(s) when they give you a Soft Offer just prior to your second PFT. I'm pretty sure the location or locations offered depend on the needs of a particular Port or Ports. I lucked up because of the region I picked and the fact that they are so short handed.

[RA357]

Thanks for the info.

Do you know where you will located to before the academy or after?

West Coast applicant here

My pre-Academy is at LAX. My duty location after Graduation will be LAX. You do your pre-Academy training at your actually Duty Location.

Sorry MangoMan, I'm new to this.

[MangoMan]

My pre-Academy is at LAX. My duty location after Graduation will be LAX. You do your pre-Academy training at your actually Duty Location.

Sorry MangoMan, I'm new to this.

Its ok :P

Good luck and hopefully you do great in the Academy

Just curious to the process. Anyone know exactly what we do at the pre-academy training at our duty location?

Edit: Found my answer

"The CBP Officer Pre Academy orientation is to provide the new hire with an overview of responsibilities and duties of today's CBP officer. The CBP Officer Pre Academy orientation is a 20 day (working days) program designed to provide the new hire an overview of the mission of CBP, Border Patrol, and DHS. The orientation also provides an overview of the training they will receive at the Academy, and current training initiatives in the field."

[joshk24]

Just got my results for vbt/si! Got good news and got the "eligible" response! On to the next step.

[MangoMan]

Just got my results for vbt/si! Got good news and got the "eligible" response! On to the next step.

Congrats!!!

Just took my VBT/SI yesterday, lets see how long it takes for me to hear back!

[Ma23]

Any new applicants heard back about the new exam dates ?? June is around the corner !

[Shadowtrain]

Ok... Seems like the blind leading the blind for a few posts here....

So here's how you get your duty location, in theory.

1) Your initial geographical preference. When you first applied, you clicked various locations. For example, if you click Southwest, then you on your own accord selected southwest. In some postings, you had the option to select more than one geographical area.

Example: You picked southwest, southeast, and northwest.

2) Somewhere in the middle of the process, you get this crazy email that says something along the lines of "Hey applicant, you have been tentatively selected for so and so geographical location." More than likely, it will be from your geographical location you initially selected.

Example: You are given the southwest region

3) Some ominous person at MHC calls you near the end of your process, they call you and go... "Hey there Mr/Ms. So and so, this is CBP, you are given the following choices of ports, which one do you want?"... You may be given a whole bunch of choices, or just one. It varies.

Example. Because of #2, you were given southwest, they decide to give you the options of what.. San Ysidro, Tecate, Nogales, etc...

4) So you were given your choice(s) and you go.. well I like this so and so port. You call them back or give MHC the answer and they tell you to go to PFT2.

Example: Sweet job there future CBPO, glad you picked San Ysidro... Go to wherever to do your PFT2. You have the job as long as you pass.

5) You go to PFT2.
- You pass, sweet, go to step 6
- You don't pass, well sucks to be you, but you're done in the process. Hope you didn't quit your last job.

6) You report to your duty location, go to pre-academy, go to academy, and then go back to your duty location.

Example: San Ysidro was picked, San Ysidro for pre-academy, FLETC in Georgia for academy, back to San Ysidro until you die/retire/quit/swap/etc.

Hope that helps. If it doesn't may god help you.

[wllyblack]

thanks for the insight. great job

[krash]

Cass just updated my background investigation to completed. All I have left is my drug test today in Florida and then the PFT2. I am a Northwest applicant and have been in the process since March 2012. Only took a few months for my background to clear. I guess things are starting to move forward again.

[Ma23]

Ok... Seems like the blind leading the blind for a few posts here....

So here's how you get your duty location, in theory.

1) Your initial geographical preference. When you first applied, you clicked various locations. For example, if you click Southwest, then you on your own accord selected southwest. In some postings, you had the option to select more than one geographical area.

Example: You picked southwest, southeast, and northwest.

2) Somewhere in the middle of the process, you get this crazy email that says something along the lines of "Hey applicant, you have been tentatively selected for so and so geographical location." More than likely, it will be from your geographical location you initially selected.

Example: You are given the southwest region

3) Some ominous person at MHC calls you near the end of your process, they call you and go... "Hey there Mr/Ms. So and so, this is CBP, you are given the following choices of ports, which one do you want?"... You may be given a whole bunch of choices, or just one. It varies.

Example. Because of #2, you were given southwest, they decide to give you the options of what.. San Ysidro, Tecate, Nogales, etc...

4) So you were given your choice(s) and you go.. well I like this so and so port. You call them back or give MHC the answer and they tell you to go to PFT2.

Example: Sweet job there future CBPO, glad you picked San Ysidro... Go to wherever to do your PFT2. You have the job as long as you pass.

5) You go to PFT2.
- You pass, sweet, go to step 6
- You don't pass, well sucks to be you, but you're done in the process. Hope you didn't quit your last job.

6) You report to your duty location, go to pre-academy, go to academy, and then go back to your duty location.

Example: San Ysidro was picked, San Ysidro for pre-academy, FLETC in Georgia for academy, back to San Ysidro until you die/retire/quit/swap/etc.

Hope that helps. If it doesn't may god help you.

You are freakin hilarious bro!!!! Thank you very accurate and informative. So when I applied last year September why were we given an option of choosing 10 actual locations ??? And this time around I was only able to choose just one region ?? I'm confused about that please elaborate.

[merlin436]

Merlin maybe you should start a new thread called" taking statements out of context" . Say where you work. I'm beginning to think your not a CBPO or your really talking out your ....

I like how you change your wording from no one to vast amounts when you're proven wrong.
I would say the majority CBPO officers make in the 20k range of OT.

Have you ever worked either of the land borders? Do you know anyone who gets paid LEAP?

Are you in ERO?

I told you in a previous post, some Agencies have tweaked the LEAP law to suit their needs. Some make their agents work. Some do allow the sit and be ready, some will wait until the new pay period before they tell of 8 hr surveillance tomorrow, and it's leap by the way.

I agree sometimes the unions have helped America. But when the Unions started to endorse illegal workers, so that the unions could grow their ranks.... And wait for it..... Make money! Them it's time for me to bash them. I told you, I was a lead Union Steward for several years. I fully agree management needs to be kept on their toes. But you know what, if an employee is well versed in employment rights they don't need the union!

The next time I'm getting paid your tax dollars for sitting around eating Doritos, or playing cards with other Agents, I will send you a note.

Now, start a new thread and I will continue this conversation or send me a pvt message but let this thread get back to the rookie wannabe and hopefuls.

Sheesh dude, just stop it. Give it up, admit you are wrong and move on. You're making an embarrassment of yourself.

Unlike you, I am a current CBPO and well versed in what goes on within OFO currently and historically. I've been a CBPO since day one...July 25, 2004. Before then I was an 1890 Customs Inspector. Before all that, I worked various jobs in multiple locations going back to the late 70's.

As an Inspector/CBPO, I've worked both borders in multiple Field Offices, 15 or so ports and 20+ different locations/facilities/crossings in ND, Montana, Minnesota, NY, and AZ. Off the top of my head, I known/worked with multiple 1811's in ICE/DEA/ATF/etc. So yeah, I've contacts with several people who work LEAP. And no, I've never worked in ERO, or DRO or as a DO/IEA/IA(E) or DEO.

When you write things like "I would say the majority CBPO officers make in the 20k range of OT. " that's an untruth...and you open yourself to being corrected over it. Trust me, I don't know what you been gleaning from your CBPO wife or your occasional visit to a PoE, but a lot of what you've been posting is at best a stretching of the overall truth with in OFO as a whole and at worst, pretty much crap.

You might even be dead on with what's happening at the port of Houston, but trust me, when some of these "rookie wannabes and hopefuls" actually get to their ports in Wilmington, DE or wherever, life is almost assuredly going to be far different from what you've been selling them.

[Jdmgreg]

So I finished the VBT/SI today. Was very nervous going in. So my advice would be to just act normal. The test itself is very straightforward. I got an interview afterwards and then went on my way. Now, I wait for the results!

Btw the cbp officer gave me a pft2 sheet after the interview. IllI'll take that as a good sign.