CBP officer

[MrAce]

Does anyone know on average what vacation time is like starting off and what kind of shifts they run?

[N.N.]

Staffing off, officers earn 0.5 days of vacation and 0.5 days of sick leave per pay period. 0.5 x 26 pay periods = 13 days for vacation and 13 sick days per year. I believe after 3 years of service, that bumps up to 0.75 days per period. Then after 15 years, it’s 1 day per period. So officers who have been around a decade and a half literally get 5 weeks of vacation. As far as shifts, it completely depends on location.

[merlin436]

Sick leave never increases. It collects at a pace of 4 hours every pay period regardless of time in service.

[N.N.]

merlin436 thank you for clarifying. Odd though, you would anticipate as one gets older they would need more sick leave. Do you happen to know if it carries over? That would be nice.

[merlin436]

Unused sick leave bank continues to build throughout a career. Annual leave typically has a 240 hour cap...within any additional leave being "use or lose" during the course of a year. There are some atypical circumstances that may happen to some people that can increase their 240 hour annual leave limit over the course of a career...but for most, it's a 240 AL cap.

[Tluv123]

Question i was offered swb , but i really wanted jfk so im wondering if i applied to another announcement could i just get my info transfered over? I did everything already

[vik2500]

mobyfish can give you insight, they recently reapplied and are going through that process. You might have to retake the entrance exam and if everything else was done within this year , it should transfer over

[V_AntCBP]

Yes, your info will transfer. Now if you took entrance exam prior August 5th, you will have to retake though... Tluv123

[mobyfish]

If thats what you want then definitely reapply. I was not aware of the differences between direct hires and regular announcements when i originally applied. I went through the process (DH 18-7) and thought if i asked for JFK when they called I could get it. I had to turn it down and reapply for the regular 19-1 announcement. I had to retake the exam which I did on Oct 12th got NOR and TSL about two weeks later and after i got my applicant ID, the CASS app started updating. Currently at 63% waiting on Poly and background to transfer over.

I'm going to assume that they both will update before the week is out because everything else updated throughout last week. If I don't see anything by wednesday I'll probably reach out to them to ask what's the hold up since i already completed everything previously.

[Tluv123]

I actually applied to the gs9 dh but now applying to gs9 other than southern borders so just hoping everything can transfer over without doing all the steps again

[Tluv123]

Ook yea i mean i have 5 yrs of fed service under dhs already so idk if thats why i qualified

[douglasgene1]

the key to getting gs9 is how you detail you're resume. The first time applied i was eligible for GS7, I re did my resume detailed it out with way more detail and got to the GS9.

[KeepingFaith83]

From what I understand, the GS 9 is open to you if you have a graduate degree and/or one year of law enforcement experience

[douglasgene1]

keepingfaith83- Yes that is correct, however the job details have to be very detailed. The government doesnt want a summary, they want line by line on what you did. literally my detail the 2nd time was almost a page long lol

[Lemons29]

Can anyone say what the work life is like? hours? do you enjoy being a cbpo?

[TFS]

merlin436 How do sea ports work, and how do temporary assignments work. Like after awhile can I volunteer for mission critical locations for a few months? I haven't seen announcements for sea ports either or is that apart of marine and air?

[merlin436]

Hal,
I have not seen or done it all. Not even close to it.

[merlin436]

TFS,

I have never worked a sea port. I imagine that a cargo seaport runs quite differently than a seaport the pushes passenger traffic.

Temporary assignments vary somewhat, but yeah, after awhile you can volunteer for various assignments of different skill types and lengths of stay. Some opportunities are more local, some go national. Seaports belong to OFO. Why you haven't seen any offered recently, I don't know. Lately, the agency has gone to offering more limited ports.

[TFS]

@merlin436
Thank you for your response.

[rachrose77]

Quick question. I got in as a gs7 but is there a way to negotiate which “step” you start at?

[N.N.]

Everybody starts at step 1. You are promoted to grade 9 after 1 year, then grade 11, then 12.

[Hal29]

I was told you can negotiate to some degree. As in you can match your current pay. Not sure how true it is.

[merlin436]

They often negotiate step increases for current federal employees. Good luck to the person coming in from outside the federal government looking to negotiate pay...he will need it.

[Alexr3496]

Hi, does anyone know what it's like working northeast? What's happens with major snow? Do ports shut down? (I'm thinking of going to Maine)

[Alexr3496]

What about ground ports?

[merlin436]

It is almost unheard of for a port to shut down. Highways may close, airports may cancel flights but ports will be manned unless it's completely unreasonable or excessively dangerous to do so.

If there is a major snow storm, one goes to work, if he can. If needed, the agency will force out those CBPOs already on duty to cover for the shifts of CBPOs who can't make it through the snowstorm.

[ES90]

Business as usual. It won't stop the Canadians from coming down to Target and Walmart... Within reason you're expected to be at the Port on time regardless of weather. So snow tires, 4wd, and planning ahead are a must. My Port operated when much of the region was without power during an ice storm a few years ago.

[Alexr3496]

Thanks guys

[Gs5183]

For anyone who took the border patrol interview, is the interview for customs officer the same? As in scenario type questions.

[Gs5183]

co5518 Thank you but do you mean they’re not the same as in not scenario base? More like strengths/weaknesses? It’s really hard to discuss this while not violating nda. But just would like to prepare myself the best I can!

[douglasgene1]

No they arent, watch law enforcement videos on to threat assessment and control. Then paint a picture to the smallest detail. CBPO was easy, BPA board was intense with the questions. I have had a board with the Texas State Troopers and BPA one topped that one. All and all a great experience. With any board stick with you're answers.

[DP23]

I tested for both, BP SI is much harder than CBPO.

[co5518]

Gs5183 they are both scenario based. I actually found the border patrol interview easier

[Gs5183]

deleted Deleted

[Hal29]

Does anyone know when they contact you by phone do they leave a message? I got a miss call which was a 430 area code which is Texas. But when I called it back it said this number is no longer in service. No message either.

[I’m a ninja]

hal same thing happened to me today but it was from a Houston #. I answered and it just hanged up. I called back and it said the number is no longer in service. Not sure if it’s related to what happened to u. I’ve been answering all calls since I read from someone here that they call private etc.

[zombiemap]

Can anyone tell me how the schedule is for jfk. Is it 6 days on 2 days off? Does that mean you always hit overtime ?

[ES90]

No, you never work more than 5 days in a given week since your days of rotate (Mon, Tue then Tue, Wed etc). I work 6 on, 2 off at my Port currently.

[rachrose77]

I’m
Going to EOD @JFK in the spring so I asked someone who
Is working there now and they just switched to 5 on two off and 4 on three off. 9 hour shifts

[Justin354]

Has anyone recently negotiated location, VRA applicant, in the Midwest? Been following thread for a while so familiar with the basic "agency needs" etc. Do not see much on this thread about people negotiating for aforementioned region, let alone specific ports... Apart from critically manned locations like Grand Portage, Pembina etc. Are other ports ever offered?

Appreciate any insight. Been in the process for about 17 months roughly and it's getting close to the end (knock on wood). Drug test is last step.

[raudy06]

how long from when your Bi submitted to go green?

[Justin354]

About 1 week after follow up with BI. With a week in between initial and follow up interviews

[Hal29]

How long did It take for bi to clear?

[Justin354]

Hal29 I resubmitted E-Qip late September (expired), cleared early November. The biggest setback was medical forgetting to email me reciprocity forms...8 months later I reached a human (lol) contracter who squared away an appointment

[Gs5183]

Just finished my SI and not sure how I did, some of my friends knew they passed right away and got fingerprinted right away. If they didn’t say take my fingerprints does it mean I failed ?

[V_AntCBP]

Usually you will receive NOR the next day Gs5183, I took SI on Fri, and received NOR on Sat. Also, they could take your finger prints there but sometimes they have technical issues, personnel issue and couldn't get your prints , they will send you a package so you can go to local PD and have it done there and send it back to them.

[Gs5183]

V_AntCBP thanks, did you do fingerprints same day?

[Gs5183]

raudy06 thank you

[V_AntCBP]

Gs5183 yes, got fingers prints same day, but a couple of my friends had to do it at local PD

[Eme1357]

Anyone know what the usual wait time is from TSU to the call? Hit TSU this past thursday.

[raudy06]

What was your wait time from when your BI submitted your background to hit TSU?

[Eme1357]

Mid august my bi submitted it and it clearead about two weeks ago

[Eme1357]

Then about a week for tsu

[raudy06]

wow thats good, thanks for the input, you are almost there!

[JCZ]

EOD 11/26. SWB, Offer came this morning. FLETC tbd.

[raudy06]

Congrats!!

[Reyes3058]

Did you get the final email? I’m waiting for mine, I have the same eod.

[JMontero]

congrats! what port did u choose? im eading a lot if recent offerc with eod in a couple of weeks, when i recieved my offer they gave me an eod in 5 months

[Moloaay]

Hello everyone
FYI this is the number when you get the call
9528572900

[Tluv123]

But if u miss the call or want to call them back it says not in service

[Moloaay]

Yes that is right
If you want to call them back you should call 9528572917 and leave a voicemail