Is the Border Patrol Agent LEAP covered?

[jumbojack]

I am applying for both: Customs and Border Protection Officer & Border Patrol Agent . As far as I understand, CBPO receive 6c coverage as of this year but how about BPA?

Is 6c the same as LEAP?

Thanks

[WJD]

I believe the BP does recieve LEAP. As to 6c I have no idea. Go to Honorfirst.com (if you havent already) and join the forum.
Regards,
Will

PS I am WJD27. Also, searching for the answer before asking the question will get you better results. There is a "next 50" post tool at the base of the page. On another note, do yourself a favor and write your post out in MS Word with spell an grammar check before posting. :) They are brutal. For good reason!

[Fox402]

OK, you're getting a little confused here. LEAP is equivalent to AUO more or less; both of which are generally 25% of your base pay. Its the G's way of paying you for the extra hours you inevitably will work on top of your normal hours. 6c (and 12d) refer to law enforcement retirement. Border Patrol Agents get AUO and are 6c covered. CBPOs do not get AUO and just recently received their law enforcement retirement coverage. 1811s and some others get LEAP instead of AUO. There is talk that the Border Patrol will switch to LEAP if they get across the board 12s, but that is still just rumors right now. Clear as mud, now?

[GB0610]

As Fox said, 6c and LEAP are different animals.

6c is 25% of your base pay immediately lumped on to your salary. Its for SPECIAL AGENTS in the GOV. Some agencies require that you work those extra hours each week. Some look at LEAP as a call-out pay of sorts after the normal 40 hour work week. AUO requires that you actually work those extra hours they pay you for based on an average of OT worked. Each of these LEAP and AUO percentages are paid at regular time hours.

CBPO's get double time for OT.

Special Agents, CBPO's and Border Patrol Agents all now have 6c coverage.

So no, BP does not get LEAP, as one poster suggested.

[GoldBadge]

1811s and some others get LEAP instead of AUO. There is talk that the Border Patrol will switch to LEAP

I believe that ONLY 1811's receive LEAP. Everyone else gets AUO or OT.

[WJD]

Good info guys

[jumbojack]

Thank you guys for the clarification.

Fox402, you said: CBPOs do not get AUO, then if that is the case, they do not get OT?

Am I better off sticking with the BPA instead of CBPO then?...

[Fox402]

AUO and OT are totally different. AUO is straight time, i.e. you work one hour of AUO you get one hour of regular pay (to add more confusion you also get FLSA for a certain amount of AUO which bumps your AUO up near time and a half). BPAs get AUO and may get OT, depending on budget constraints and specific details and events happening at your station. CBPOs do not get AUO, but get double time OT, and from my understanding, get more than most people would ever want. As far as the two jobs go, it just depends on what makes you happy. Working in a booth all day or the great outdoors. Living in a decent place or the middle of nowhere. Both jobs have their ups and downs, but I wouldn't worry about pay, you'll make good money at either one.

[jumbojack]

AUO and OT are totally different. AUO is straight time, i.e. you work one hour of AUO you get one hour of regular pay (to add more confusion you also get FLSA for a certain amount of AUO which bumps your AUO up near time and a half). BPAs get AUO and may get OT, depending on budget constraints and specific details and events happening at your station. CBPOs do not get AUO, but get double time OT, and from my understanding, get more than most people would ever want. As far as the two jobs go, it just depends on what makes you happy. Working in a booth all day or the great outdoors. Living in a decent place or the middle of nowhere. Both jobs have their ups and downs, but I wouldn't worry about pay, you'll make good money at either one.


Thank you so much! I have learned a lot from your posts.

On a different note, which is the most outdoor-sie position?... BP agent? I work in an office all day and sometimes my feet itch for getting out of it every now and then. I do not want to sit all day....

[GB0610]

On a different note, which is the most outdoor-sie position?... BP agent? I work in an office all day and sometimes my feet itch for getting out of it every now and then. I do not want to sit all day....

Being a PA will have you out doors. You will spend most of your time out doors as well with CBPO, unless you are at an airport. But its really not the same either way.

[madchiken]

Good info guys

Not really, most of it is wrong or otherwise mixed up! I'll try to fix some of this for you...


6c no longer exists (for quite some time now), but is still refered to as the name of the LEO/FF retirement which is now 12d.

BPA's get 25% AUO, to keep the 25% you must average 18.5 hours per pay period in addition to your 80 hours. In addition to AUO we also get FLSA. In most cases, you cannot be forced to work AUO.

LEAP is 25% whether you work it or not, but you can be told to come in, return, or stay at work.

Both AUO and LEAP are 25% of your base salary. Thus ever single check will have the same amount of AUO or LEAP $$ no matter on how many hours you work.

AUO is credited towards retirement, CBPO's get more overtime but only a percentage is credited towards retirement.

[SHU]

Madchicken is correct. The way a HRS told me some time ago, most people don't know 6c is. Very few people working today are covered under 6c. It was the retirement that people who were under the CSRS received. The civil service retirement system was a much better retirement system with much higher % per yr of service. This retirement program ended in the mid 80s. Every one hired after that falls under 12d which has a greatly reduced annual % received per year of service worked. A 5% match under the TSP is the only thing better about the FERS program but it basically means current federal law enforcement officers receive a cash balance retirement. 34% at 20 yrs of service at 50 is in no way enough to live off of so if you are going into the federal gov for law enforcement you better factor in a 15% contribution of your "base pay" for your retirement in order to prevent going to work after you "retire" from fed LE. Under LE FERS (federal employee retirement system) AUO and LEAP are included in the % of money you receive as well as locality pay in the 12d retirement. FLSA/OT is rarely included (few exceptions but I don't know who falls into this category, Maybe CBPO) into FERS retirement. But I must say if BPAs get a bump up to GL 12 non comp and receive LEAP, I think they will not be getting a real good deal except in the later years where FLSA is not paid at 1.5 times base when you get up in steps. Overall BPAs will be abused by LEAP pay for a lot of their careers. The G rarely ever does anything for the benefit of the employee. The one exception I can think of was when they got rid of the senior PA rank and gave everybody a 11 non comp but in my experience when you go to GL12 you can pretty much forget about FLSA so working the brutal hours that the PAs often do will lead to a reduction in pay when you consider hours work for compensation received. The only way I can see it as a positive is if they bring back the senior patrol agent rank and make it a 13 but I doubt they would do that.

[FedIG]

LEAP is statutorily only for 1811 criminal investigators. The only exception is for 1801 Federal Air Marshals, which were granted LEAP in the Homeland Security Act shortly after 9/11. Either way you look at it LEAP or AUO, it saves the G money, because OT is more than 25% for the hours you work.

[madchiken]

SHU, we already have several catagories of agents that are non-sup 12's.

Hopefully, this is leading the way for the return of the SPA position.