The US Patent and Trademark Office said 126 employees at its headquarters will be laid off by Dec. 9, according to a notice filed with the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.
The PTO filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the state workforce department on Oct. 14, saying 126 workers in Alexandria, Va. will be dismissed. Earlier this month the PTO laid off roughly 1% of its 14,000-large workforce as a part of a reduction-in-force plan.
The layoff notice and RIF plan follow John Squires’ September appointment as the new director of the patent office. President Donald Trump has so far cut more than 4,000 employees from the federal workforce amid a government shutdown, including staff at the Health and Human Services Department and the Treasury Department. White House Budget Director Russell Vought said he expects layoffs to exceed 10,000.
The PTO didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about whether the announced terminations are distinct from the earlier layoffs.
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