[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5506-5507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01721]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Patent Examiner Employment Application

    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will submit 
the following information collection request to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of 
publication of this notice. The USPTO invites comments on this 
information collection renewal, which helps the USPTO assess the impact 
of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the 
Federal Register on November 15, 2023 during a 60-day comment period 
(88 FR 78332). This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comment.
    Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.
    Title: Patent Examiner Employment Application.
    OMB Control Number: 0651-0042.
    Needs and Uses: In the current employment environment, life science 
and engineering graduates are in great demand. The United States Patent 
and Trademark Office (USPTO) is in direct competition with the private 
industry for the same caliber of candidates with the requisite 
knowledge and skills to perform patent examination work. This 
information collection covers online applications to the USPTO for 
entry level patent examiner positions. More specifically, the 
collection covers the respondent data gathered from the applications. 
The USPTO posts the relevant positions online and collects applicant 
information via the USA Staffing System.
    The USA Staffing online application collects supplemental 
information to a candidate's USAJOBS application. This information 
assists USPTO Human Resource Specialists and Hiring Managers in 
determining whether an applicant possesses the basic qualification 
requirements for a patent examiner position. From the information 
collected, the USA Staffing system creates an electronic real-time 
candidate inventory on applicants' expertise and technical knowledge, 
which allows USPTO to immediately review applications from multiple

[[Page 5507]]

applicants. The use of such automated online systems during recruitment 
allows USPTO to remain competitive, meet hiring goals, and fulfill the 
Agency's Congressional commitment to reduce the pendency rate for the 
examination of patent applications.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or maintain benefits.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 7,226 respondents.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 7,226 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
the public approximately 30 minutes (0.5 hours) to complete. This 
includes the time to gather the necessary information, create the 
document, and submit the completed request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 3,613 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-Hourly Cost Burden: $0.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view Department of 
Commerce, USPTO information collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for this information 
collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice on the following website, www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting 
``Currently under 30-day Review-Open for Public Comments'' or by using 
the search function and entering either the title of the information 
collection or the OMB Control Number, 0651-0042.
    Further information can be obtained by:
    <bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cc85a2aaa3bea1adb8a5a3a28fa3a0a0a9afb8a5a3a28cb9bfbcb8a3e2aba3ba"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="90d9fef6ffe2fdf1e4f9fffed3fffcfcf5f3e4f9fffed0e5e3e0e4ffbef7ffe6">[email protected]</span></a>. Include ``0651-
0042 information request'' in the subject line of the message.
    <bullet> Mail: Justin Isaac, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

Justin Isaac,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-01721 Filed 1-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P


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