Benefits
At the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, you'll receive a comprehensive federal benefits package that
rivals those offered by top US corporations. In fact, federal benefits are some of the most
generous around - supporting your health and well-being, and your family's needs, while helping you to
reach your personal financial goals. We understand how important a quality life and career is
to you, and we want to expand the possibilities for you to make both as exciting and enjoyable as
possible. Our balanced work-life package includes:
- Relocation Assistance
- Flexible Work Schedules
- Paid Overtime and/or Compensatory Time
- 10 Paid Holidays Each Year
- 13 Days of Vacation Leave, and 13 Days of Sick Leave per Year (Vacation Leave Increases to 20 Days per
Year After 3 Years of Service, and increases again to 26 Days per Year After 15 Years of Service)
- Health Benefits Plan
- Comprehensive Retirement Package
- Business Casual Dress Policy
- Transit Subsidy, including metro farecards.
- Job Security
Compensation
The USPTO follows the Federal Government's General Schedule (GS) salary table for the Washington DC area.
Patent Examiners follow a special federal salary table.
Work/Life Balance
There’s a lot of life outside of work! What is true when you’re a student remains true when you’re in a career. You want a balance of fulfilling work and rewarding life experiences. This realization is reflected in USPTO’s attention to programs and policies that promote the kind of productive and satisfying balance you want now and all through your career.
What work schedules are available for Patent Examiners?
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is one of few federal agencies offering flexible work schedules. We permit flextime hours with morning arrival as early as 5:30 am and as late at 11:30 am; a 4/10 plan, where you work 10 hours four days each week, with two days off each pay period; and a 5/4/9 plan, that lets you work eight nine-hour days, plus one eight-hour day, with one day off during each pay period. Once you are hired, your supervisor will advise you of your work schedule. As their career advances, examiners may qualify for the teleworking and hoteling programs.
Telework
The USPTO continues to build upon the historically successful Patents and Trademarks telework programs by expanding telework program development into other corporate business units. Each business unit telework program is designed to meet the specific needs of the individual business unit.
The USPTO is considered a model for telework in the federal government and has secured numerous awards for its exemplary telework programs including those from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Telework Exchange, the Alliance for Work-Life Progress, the Mid-Atlantic Telework Advisory Council, the Telework Coalition, and the Potomac Forum.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) enable eligible employees to pay for certain medical and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars. Two different FSAs – one for health care and one for dependent care– are available to employees who elect to participate in the Federal Flexible Spending Accounts Program (FSAFEDS).
Health Insurance
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program helps to meet the widely varying health care needs of Federal employees, retirees and their survivors. With the widest selection of health plans in the country, employees enjoy choice of coverage for themselves only, or self and family coverage that can include spouses and unmarried dependent children under age 22.
LifeCare
USPTO realizes you may face worklife issues and has made available to all its employees an agency-paid benefit, LifeCare, a comprehensive work/life, which offers educational materials, personalized referrals, and an interactive web site to assist with the following issues:
- Child Care & Parenting-Care options, centers, in-home care, child health & safety, parenting resources, backup care, etc.
- Pregnancy & Adoption-Prenatal care, birthing options, breastfeeding, domestic and international adoption resources, raising adopted children, etc
- Education-Pre-K to college, financial aid, scholarships, homework resources, etc.
- Financial & Legal Issues - free financial consultations to assist with budgeting, financial planning, college planning, home buying, retirement, and identity theft (includes free family budget preparation and discounts on other services). Plus, free attorney consultations on up to 3 new legal topics per year
- Adult Care & Aging - short- and long-term care options, caregiving resources, retirement, senior health & safety, grief & bereavement, etc.
- Special Needs-Programs, schools, and child care options for children with special needs, such as physical, behavioral or emotional disabilities
- Kits - Free Prenatal, Child Safety, and Adult Care Kits (for expectant parents, parents of toddlers, or adult caregivers)
- Backup Child Care-Access to ChildrenFirst backup care centers around the country.
Throughout the course of your employment at the USPTO, you’ll have access to 24/7 life care-giving support services mentioned above as well as prescreened referrals to care resources, educational resources, health and wellness services, as well as daily life service resources such as home improvement, automotive services, pet care, travel, utilities, and many other services.
Relocation Assistance
Moving to Washington, D.C. or the surrounding areas?
Relocation readiness assistance is here. All of us know that when families move, whether to a nearby community or another state, it can be difficult. Moving disrupts routine, familiarity and security and often causes stress and anxiety. But USPTO employees can get high-quality service to help to ease the transition and minimize disruptions into their new homes with a new benefit.
Through LifeCare services, USPTO employees can get personalized referrals to movers, real estate services, local child and adult care, schools, and other resources. They also can get personalized relocation packets that include neighborhood profiles, information on schools and houses of worship, and facts about demographics, crime and weather. Additionally, LifeCare offers USPTO employees access to apartment and other housing related discounts.
If you’re moving to Washington, DC or the surrounding areas, then LifeCare, an agency-paid benefit can help. To familiarize yourself with this helpful benefit in executing a stress free move:
Log on to www.lifecare.com and look for the “Member Login” box.
Enter Screen Name: usptogroup and Password: login (case sensitive).
Look for the “Relocation Tools” link on the right side of the page.
For assistance logging on, contact the Help Desk at 888-604-9565.
For a personal touch of service for referrals and relocation packets, call a LifeCare specialist at 800-456-0845 (or 800-873-1322 for TTY/TDD service) any time of the day or night.
Life Insurance
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) is the world’s largest group life insurance program, ensuring more than four million Federal employees, family members and retirees.
Insurance
The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) provides the protection, benefits and peace of mind of long term care insurance to Federal employees, family members and retirees.
Retirement
U.S. Federal Government employee retirement is recognized as the gold standard for retirees nationwide and worldwide. Currently it is being made even better through the efforts of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Retirement Systems Modernization (RSM) Program.
Savings Bonds
USPTO employees can participate in a Federal Investment Program that is focused on the long-term security and earning power of United States Government Savings Bonds.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
The TSP is a retirement savings plan administered by The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board to provide Federal employees with many of the same savings and tax benefits that 401(k) plans offer the private sector.
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