Patent and Trademark Office Closed on March 3, 2014

By: Mark Malek

According to the current status on the Office of Personnel Management website, all federal offices are closed on Monday, March 3, 2014 due to weather.  The post indicates that all Federal Offices in the Washington, DC area are closed due to the expected snow that is currently hitting the area.  The current weather forecast calls for snow and a low temperature of 9 degrees!  Yes, that’s right, 9 degrees.  Alternatively, at the headquarters of ZW&M, the weather forecast calls for sunny skies, 82 degrees, and a low of 59 degrees this evening!  Not trying to rub it in, but at least we have to work today.

As the OPM post indicates, those employees that telecommute should still work.  It is unclear how and if this effects any deadline in the US Patent and Trademark Office.  Normally, if a due date falls on a weekend, or on a holiday, then the due date is actually pushed to the next business day.  That is not normally an issue, however, as we have been filing everything electronically lately.  To be on the safe side, if you have something due in the Patent and Trademark Office today, then I would get it timely filed.