Anonymous
Post 09/04/2025 20:15     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:I don’t think this is about RTO. I think it makes business sense to keep examiners WFH with or without a union. There’s a backlog and it’s within the admin’s best interest to keep examiners. Hell, they even tried to hire more and I don’t think they’re willing to let that many go. Plus, I don’t think there’s space.

That being said, I think the real purpose of the dissolution of POPA is to make working conditions generally worse/more upper management friendly (e.g. easier to fire people, higher production quotas, less maternity leave, fewer bonuses, etc. All without a way to file a grievance)



So they are making it like pre-2013?
Anonymous
Post 09/02/2025 20:33     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don’t think this is about RTO. I think it makes business sense to keep examiners WFH with or without a union. There’s a backlog and it’s within the admin’s best interest to keep examiners. Hell, they even tried to hire more and I don’t think they’re willing to let that many go. Plus, I don’t think there’s space.

That being said, I think the real purpose of the dissolution of POPA is to make working conditions generally worse/more upper management friendly (e.g. easier to fire people, higher production quotas, less maternity leave, fewer bonuses, etc. All without a way to file a grievance)


+1000


Agreed. This can be said for so many things with this administration. It’s ridiculous.
Anonymous
Post 09/02/2025 14:58     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:I don’t think this is about RTO. I think it makes business sense to keep examiners WFH with or without a union. There’s a backlog and it’s within the admin’s best interest to keep examiners. Hell, they even tried to hire more and I don’t think they’re willing to let that many go. Plus, I don’t think there’s space.

That being said, I think the real purpose of the dissolution of POPA is to make working conditions generally worse/more upper management friendly (e.g. easier to fire people, higher production quotas, less maternity leave, fewer bonuses, etc. All without a way to file a grievance)


+1000
Anonymous
Post 09/02/2025 13:01     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How do they know if ppl actually rto? Assuming someone has to report if not…what if everyone just stays silent 😁


The COO or their designee that reports this information to OPM or OMB is not going to be willing to fudge the badge swipe data.


I’m at a different agency, but we had DOGE people checking our badge swipes.
Anonymous
Post 09/02/2025 10:30     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:How do they know if ppl actually rto? Assuming someone has to report if not…what if everyone just stays silent 😁


The COO or their designee that reports this information to OPM or OMB is not going to be willing to fudge the badge swipe data.
Anonymous
Post 09/02/2025 01:15     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
How do they know if ppl actually rto? Assuming someone has to report if not…what if everyone just stays silent 😁
Anonymous
Post 09/02/2025 00:31     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
I don’t think this is about RTO. I think it makes business sense to keep examiners WFH with or without a union. There’s a backlog and it’s within the admin’s best interest to keep examiners. Hell, they even tried to hire more and I don’t think they’re willing to let that many go. Plus, I don’t think there’s space.

That being said, I think the real purpose of the dissolution of POPA is to make working conditions generally worse/more upper management friendly (e.g. easier to fire people, higher production quotas, less maternity leave, fewer bonuses, etc. All without a way to file a grievance)
Anonymous
Post 09/02/2025 00:24     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:Will this impact trademark attorneys


Trademarks still has their union
Anonymous
Post 09/01/2025 17:30     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
To the above poster. All bets are off. My friend at FDA (and his entire group) were fired without a RIF, without any process at all. This administration is not playing by the rules. FDA friend chuckled when I mentioned I should be okay due to seniority.
Anonymous
Post 09/01/2025 17:07     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:Are we now fire at will employees?


No, career federal employees have a property right in their jobs and are entitled to due process (i.e., notice and opportunity to respond). However, the termination of the CBA will likely reduce due process to a bare minimum.
Anonymous
Post 09/01/2025 17:01     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:Are we now fire at will employees?


Isn’t that always the case with production? Certainly is the rumor for BVA
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2025 12:46     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Will this impact trademark attorneys
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2025 12:17     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Are we now fire at will employees?
Anonymous
Post 08/29/2025 23:29     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
Anonymous wrote:They are making us work ourselves out of a job. By October, I predict everyone within a 59 miles radius will radius will be RTO’d. And TEAP will be abolished; those folks will have to chose between returning to a campus or resigning.


If they lose key folks, gonna get real bad.
Anonymous
Post 08/29/2025 17:40     Subject: Patent Office RTO Predictions
50 mile. Working us out of a job by cranking down the backlog so they can afford to lose those who refuse to RTO.