Please join with us to congratulate the USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office) on two recent awards for their hoteling and telework programs.

Excellence in Telework Leadership - United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce, Patents Hoteling Program

The Patents Hoteling Program (PHP) is the primary telework program for USPTO’s Patent Examiners. Started in January 2006, the PHP now includes 910 participating examiners who work from home four days per week and share reserved office space one day a week on the agency’s Alexandria, Virginia campus. Major PHP components include remote online access to required USPTO patent business systems, job performance tools, patent information, and patent application documentation. Examiners working from home also have access to collaborative communication technologies which enable collaboration among colleagues and supervisors. USPTO plans to have 3,000 Patent Examiners working from home, at least four days per week, by 2011.

Telework Driver Award - Deborah Cohn, Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Operations, United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce

Deborah Cohn pioneered the development of the USPTO’s first telework program in 1997, at a time when telework was not considered the norm in public or private sector organizations. With her foresight, creativity, and perseverance, Ms. Cohn convinced agency executives to test the concept, and forged coalitions with stakeholders, including managers, IT personnel, and the employee union. The result was creation of the innovative telework program at the USPTO called the Trademark Work At Home (TWAH) program. This program, now considered to be the gold standard for telework in the Federal government, has become an accepted telework prototype, which combines management by objective with hoteling, and results in documented space and related cost savings for the agency. Thanks to Ms. Cohn’s efforts, 85% of eligible Trademark employees now work at home at least one day per week and more than 200 Trademark Examining Attorneys work at home a majority of the week and reserve space in "hoteling" offices when they come into the office. This award recognizes Ms. Cohn’s contribution to the telework community for her vision, tenacity, and creativity that have transformed her initial idea into an accepted standard for business-based alternative work arrangements that support the current and future requirements of the public sector workforce.

The 2007 Telework Exchange Tele-Vision Awards Program
(Follow this link to see Award Ceremony Pictures)