Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
Employees are now able to take advantage of additional Seattle Kraken hockey games. Below are the available dates and information. Purchase tickets here. Monday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. Seattle vs Pittsburgh Penguins Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. Seattle vs New York Islanders. Additionally, this evening is Pickleball Night. Every ticket purchased comes with a limited-edition Kraken pickleball paddle case. Friday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. Seattle vs Anaheim Ducks Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. Seattle vs Washington Capitals Additionally, employees can also purchase discounted tickets for Cirque du Soleil ECHO, being… Read More
Crossposted from Metro Matters Are you a photographer or artist interested in adding beauty to a King County Metro bus shelter? Metro is teaming up with Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW) in a call for images to be installed as public art in our bus shelters. The theme, “Show Us Your World – Cultural Heritage,” is intended to explore personal, cultural identity, and connection, or anything meaningful and important in your life. While all submissions will be considered, artists who want to submit images that represent their interpretation of “Show Us Your World”… Read More
A paper copy of your 2025 W-2 form was mailed to you by ADP on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, at the address you have listed in PeopleSoft. Your W-2 will also be available to view and print from PeopleSoft starting tomorrow, Jan. 16, 2026. To view or print your W-2, log in to PeopleSoft, choose the Payroll tile, then go to “View W-2/W-2c Forms.” You can also access W-2 forms from any device by registering at the ADP website using these instructions: Access W-2s through ADP. Your Form 1095-C — Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage — will… Read More
King County offices are closed on Monday, Jan. 19 to observe the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. All offices will be back to normal schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Click here for Metro Transit holiday bus schedules. If you have questions about your holiday schedule, please speak to your supervisor. Have a safe and healthy holiday.
New this year, the Scholarship Program is now open to non-represented employees, in addition to employees represented by one of the unions in the Coalition. The Professional Development Scholarship Program is designed to assist eligible employees with their professional development by providing financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications. The first application period for the 2026 Professional Development Scholarship Program opens Jan. 20 to Feb. 27 for training that begins in 2026. Applicants should visit the scholarship intranet page to familiarize themselves with the revised application submission process, rating criteria, and frequently asked questions.
By Greg Wilson, Environmental Health Services Division, Public Health – Seattle & King County When individual talent meets genuine care for community, extraordinary things happen. This is evidenced through communications specialists Lilia Cabello Drain and Joanna Gangi, within the Department of Human Resources (DHR). Their daily work demonstrates how authentic commitment transforms routine tasks into meaningful community service. Read more.
Crossposted from DNRP Field Notes A unique partnership created 25 years ago in King County has so far reconnected 730 acres of floodplain, completed 719 salmon recovery projects, and planted nearly 1,500 acres of native vegetation in riparian areas. The partners recently signed a new agreement that will sustain the effort for at least the next decade. Read more.
By Priscilla De Andrade, Administrative Staff Assistant, Public Health Ava Michler spoke with Matt Pang and Jeannette Quintero about the Department of Public Defense’s (DPD) new outreach initiatives for recruiting prospective applicants and a cohort model for new hires. Their recruitment initiatives resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of successful applicants. Outreach is a collaborative process across DPD teams, where they actively use continuous improvement strategies, metric tracking, and innovation to find and hire lawyers that align with their mission. They are also invested in creating a workplace culture that… Read More
Crossposted from the DAJD Employee Newsletter Twenty-six men and four women attended graduation ceremonies inside the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) on Dec. 10, 2025. The jail hosts the high school equivalency program in partnership with Renton Technical College. Read more.
KCIT’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team played a critical role in recent flood relief efforts, working onsite at the King County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in 24/7 rotating shifts. Their work provided essential mapping and data services to aid emergency management and response coordination. The GIS Center delivered high-impact resources, including: Emergency notification zone maps to guide public alerts. Identification of flood-impacted facilities and assets for rapid response. On-demand mapping and data requests to support decision-making. In addition, the team partnered with aerial imagery providers to capture high-resolution images of flood-affected areas near the Snoqualmie,… Read More
Crossposted from DNRP Field Notes On Dec. 8, the first of two atmospheric rivers slammed into King County and brought historic river flooding, setting all-time records for portions of the Snoqualmie and Cedar rivers. Five of the six major rivers in King County (Cedar River, Green River, Issaquah Creek, South Fork Skykomish River, White River, Tolt River, and Snoqualmie Basin) reached a flood Phase 4 during the storm, the Tolt River was the one that only reached a flood Phase 3. Read more.
Crossposted from GIS and You 2025 marks a defining moment in the history of the King County GIS Center (KCGISC). This year, our team was honored not once, but twice, by Esri, receiving the Enterprise GIS Award at both the Esri CIO Summit and the Esri User Conference (UC). These recognitions shine a spotlight on more than three decades of vision, innovation, and unwavering commitment to building one of the most advanced and impactful enterprise Geographic Information Systems (GIS) programs in the nation. Read more.
By MyNorthwest News Crime scene DNA test results in minutes rather than weeks or months. It’s a new technology now in the hands of investigators at the King County Sheriff’s Office. It’s called the Rapid DNA machine. “It allows officers to place DNA into a machine and instead of waiting weeks or months, you get results on whether that DNA is a single source of human DNA in 90 minutes,” King County Sheriff’s Captain Chris Leyba said. “Right now, every sample we collect at a scene, let’s say we collect 14 blood… Read More
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC Progress continues on a new site for Regional Animal Services. King County is renovating a former warehouse in the Kent Valley into a new, modern animal shelter that will replace RASKC’s current facility. The new center is expected to open in early 2027. 2025 highlights Purchasing the property at 5920 S. 194th St. in Kent Onboarding an architectural firm to develop design and construction plans Establishing a Project Delivery Team in partnership with the county’s Facilities Management Division Developing initial design plans Read more.
Crossposted from Public Health Insider by Matías Valenzuela, Director, Office of Equity and Community Partnerships As the year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on our work and the collaborations that have strengthened and advanced public health in King County. As the Health Equity and Anti-Racism Community Advisory Group (HEARCAG), we’re proud to share a sample of some of the impacts and accomplishments of 2025. The Health Equity and Anti-Racism Community Advisory Group in 2025 HEARCAG has: Held space to organize and share information in the face of challenging federal changes. Launched a policy committee… Read More
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections As 2025 comes to a close, the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) reflects on a year marked by challenges and meaningful progress. Amid federal funding uncertainty, rising housing instability, and growing behavioral health needs, on top of an audit that underscores the need for more policies, procedures and infrastructure, DCHS focused on what matters most: helping people live connected, supported, and stably housed. Across King County, DCHS’s work shared a common purpose: building communities where everyone can thrive. That meant expanding access to stable housing, strengthening… Read More
City Grind Espresso is now open on the ground floor of the King County Courthouse serving coffee, tea, Italian sodas, energy drinks, food from local vendors, and more. Located just past the security check point near the Third Avenue entrance, the City Grind Espresso café is a great place to grab a drink and snack to go or take a break at one of the tables and chairs. “It’s really nice to have a spot that isn’t a bench outside a courtroom where employees and Courthouse customers can meet up, sit down,… Read More
Crossposted from the DAJD Employee Newsletter Nearly 37 years after being handed the keys for his first shift in Seattle, Sgt. Tammy Lowe reflects on his career. He started at the King County Correctional Facility and would later help to open up the brand-new Regional Justice Center in Kent. Over the years, he worked just about every assignment in the jail but liked his final role the best: Maintenance and Supply sergeant. Read more.
Get ready for the next stage of construction on Seattle’s busiest corridor. As early as Jan. 9, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will resume its Revive I-5 preservation work on the northbound Ship Canal Bridge. The Revive I-5 project is designed to extend the life of the aging Ship Canal Bridge and improve safety and ride quality for years to come. While the short-term traffic impacts will be challenging, the long-term payoff will be smoother, safer travel through this critical stretch of I-5. As part of the project, two northbound… Read More
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) are trained volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children involved in the dependency court system. Whether or not serving as a CASA is the right fit for you, we encourage you to share this information session with family members, friends, colleagues, or recently retired coworkers who may be interested. Increasing awareness of the CASA program helps ensure more children have a consistent, caring advocate by their side. CASA information sessions are held via Zoom on the second Monday of each month from noon to 1… Read More