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    <p>Thank you for posting.  Yes the January 24 memo from Department
      of Commerce is interesting.  Yes, it contains those words "This
      memorandum does not apply to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
      ...".  The way I interpret those words is:</p>
    <blockquote>
      <p>Yes the USPTO is part of the Department of Commerce, and yes
        the Trump executive order that tries to eliminate work-from-home
        will turn everything upside-down at the USPTO, but if you want
        to know exactly what the upside-down effect will be at the
        USPTO, you will have to look somewhere other than this January
        24 memo from the Department of Commerce.</p>
    </blockquote>
    <p>This is why I did not post this this January 24 memo from the
      Department of Commerce to my blog.  <br>
    </p>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 1/29/2025 5:41 AM, Alan Taboada
      wrote:<br>
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cite="mid:BL0PR01MB5185B43079771DE20C5483F3D2EE2@BL0PR01MB5185.prod.exchangelabs.com">
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        <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Yesterday, IPO posted a note and link
            to the following \u201cINFORMATION MEMORANDUM FOR DEPARTMENT
            LEADERSHIP ON RETURN IN-PERSON WORK\u201d from the Department of
            Commerce last Friday.</span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span><a
href="https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/Information%20Memo%20-%20Return%20to%20In-Person%20Work_0.pdf"
              moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/Information%20Memo%20-%20Return%20to%20In-Person%20Work_0.pdf</a></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Notably, the memorandum states \u201cThis
            memorandum does not apply to the U.S. Patent and Trademark
            Office\u2026.\u201d</span></p>
        <div>
          <div>
            <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span>From:</span></b><span>
                Patentpractice
                <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">&lt;patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com&gt;</a>
                <b>On Behalf Of </b>Carl Oppedahl via Patentpractice<br>
                <b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 29, 2025 6:54 AM<br>
                <b>To:</b> For patent practitioners. This is not for
                laypersons to seek legal advice.
                <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">&lt;patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com&gt;</a><br>
                <b>Cc:</b> Carl Oppedahl <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:carl@oppedahl.com">&lt;carl@oppedahl.com&gt;</a><br>
                <b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentpractice] [External Sender]
                USPTO employees offered buyouts to retire early to avoid
                having to return to the office</span></p>
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        <p>Yes it would be helpful to see the letter.  If you could get
          a copy (perhaps with a redaction or two) I would be glad to
          try to post it.</p>
        <div>
          <p class="MsoNormal">On 1/29/2025 12:49 AM, Roger Browdy via
            Patentpractice wrote:</p>
        </div>
        <blockquote>
          <div>
            <p class="MsoNormal">Carl,</p>
          </div>
          <div>
            <p class="MsoNormal">An examiner told me about a letter from
              POPA  that said they were exempt due to union contract.
              Can you try to get a copy?  I'll try on my end. </p>
          </div>
          <div>
            <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
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            <p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Patentpractice <a
                href="mailto:patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com"
                moz-do-not-send="true">
                &lt;patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com&gt;</a> on
              behalf of Carl Oppedahl via Patentpractice
              <a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com"
                moz-do-not-send="true">&lt;patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com&gt;</a><br>
              <b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 29, 2025 8:53:25 AM<br>
              <b>To:</b> <a
                href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com"
                moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>
              <a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com"
                moz-do-not-send="true">&lt;patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com&gt;</a><br>
              <b>Cc:</b> Carl Oppedahl <a
                href="mailto:carl@oppedahl.com" moz-do-not-send="true">&lt;carl@oppedahl.com&gt;</a><br>
              <b>Subject:</b> [External Sender][Patentpractice] USPTO
              employees offered buyouts to retire early to avoid having
              to return to the office
            </p>
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              <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
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            <p class="MsoNormal">See <a
href="https://link.edgepilot.com/s/2344fa77/bFSa4mqMzk_I5SjnkYrifw?u=https://blog.oppedahl.com/uspto-employees-offered-buyouts-to-retire-early-to-avoid-having-to-return-to-the-office/"
                moz-do-not-send="true">
                blog article</a>.</p>
          </div>
          <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
        </blockquote>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><br>
          <br>
          Links contained in this email have been replaced. If you click
          on a link in the email above, the link will be analyzed for
          known threats. If a known threat is found, you will not be
          able to proceed to the destination. If suspicious content is
          detected, you will see a warning.</p>
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