Patent Office Orders Teleworking Examiners Back to the Office

Some teleworking patent examiners at the US Patent and Trademark Office have less than a week to return to agency offices in person full time under guidance circulated this week.

The directive came in an email from Commissioner for Patents Vaishali Udupa sent just after 4 p.m. Tuesday to employees in the agency’s “patents” business unit, a copy of which was reviewed by Bloomberg Law. That unit has around 10,000 teleworkers.

Notably excluded from the mandate—for now—are those covered by a union contract or disability accommodation, Udupa’s email said.

Those who are classified as “routine teleworkers” and already work some ...