Intellectual Property Law

USPTO: Telework Is the Answer

By Two-Seventy-One Patent Blog

Deborah S. Cohn, acting PTO chief administrative officer, writes in the Federal Times:

We have seen that a successful telework program can result in greater employee productivity and performance, reduced traffic congestion and air pollution, and reduced real estate costs. Telework also provides options for individuals with disabilities, assists employers with recruitment and retention efforts and allows for continuity of operations in case of an emergency or disaster. Teleworking can greatly improve the quality of life for employees by reducing their commuting time and costs, giving them more control over their schedules and assisting them in achieving a balance between work and their personal lives.

The numbers help tell the story. As of Oct. 19, 3,609 PTO employees were participating in some form of telework. This represents 40.7 percent of our total work force and 45.7 percent of total eligible employees, making PTO?s telework program among the largest and most progressive within the federal government. What?s more, on an annual basis, PTO employees who telework collectively save more than 613,000 gallons of gas, save more than $1.8 million in fuel costs and reduce emissions by more than 9,600 tons, according to Telework Exchange estimates.

Full post as published by Two-Seventy-One Patent Blog on December 18, 2007 (boomark / email).