December 21, 2005
#05-54

Press Release, 05-54

USPTO Expands Telework Program for Patent Employees

PRESS RELEASE

500 patent employees will work from home next year

The Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced a new patents hoteling program, which will offer patent employees the opportunity to work from home regularly. Participants will have all the communications tools and application processing capabilities they need to do their jobs remotely. The program incorporates hoteling, by which participants can reserve time in on-campus “shared offices” to conduct certain business such as interviewing applicants and attorneys, receive training, attend meetings, and use on-site resources as needed.

“The patents hoteling program represents an important commitment to our organization and to our environment,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Jon Dudas. “Through this program, we can help boost the quality of life for USPTO employees, help reduce traffic and improve the environment, while continuing to attract and retain the highest quality employees.”

Priority will be given to applicants who are already in the patent telework program or the patent management telework program. In February, the USPTO will begin training and deploying approximately 40 employees every two weeks. The goal is to have 500 patents employees in the program by September 2006.

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