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Article: Telework thrives at Trademark Office; After big technology hurdles, the agency is rewarded with happy employees and dramatic savings.
- Article from:
- Network World
- Article date:
- December 9, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Network World, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The U.S. Trademark Office is ahead of its time. In 1997, long before the federal government mandated eligible employees telework, the agency launched a two-year pilot program with 18 trademark attorneys working three days a week from home. Today, the pilot has phased into a permanent program that includes 108 of the 250 attorneys. More are expected to enter the program next year.
Such success would have been enough for many organizations. But the Trademark Office has much bigger plans that could make the central office obsolete - at least in theory. In November 2001, it launched a "hoteling" pilot in which 20 attorneys work mostly from home. When they do commute ...