Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Emerging Leaders series, April 27-May 11: Emotional intelligence describes the ability to understand one’s own feelings, and that of groups, and how these emotions can influence motivation and behavior. Leaders who are emotionally intelligent foster safe environments, where employees feel comfortable to take calculated risks and to voice their opinions. Engage in interactive, hands-on self-evaluation and exercise to develop your emotional intelligence and become a respected and inspiring leader. Register and learn more. Communication and Problem-Solving Skills, June 19: This one day training will address communication and… Read More

Salary: $20.67 Hourly Location: Washington, WA Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week Department: DPH – Public Health Job Number: 2019NH09421 Closing: 3/31/2019 11:59 PM Pacific King County Emergency Medical Services / Medic One are seeking applicants to enter a 10 to 12 month training program to become certified as King County Paramedics. Paramedic certification is granted upon the successful completion of the University of Washington / Harborview Medical Center / Seattle Fire Department Paramedic Training Program. Paramedic training includes: lectures, medical labs, medical/surgical rounds, emergency room and ICU/CCU experience, and riding… Read More

Play the ukulele? Come join other King County enthusiasts every Monday at noon for a lunchtime strumming session! We meet in the Administration Building in Project Space Conference Room 335. Everyone is welcome, even folks with minimal experience. So bring your uke (and a portable music stand, if you have one) and come jam! If you have questions contact organizer Stef Frenzl.  Please ensure you are on your lunch break or not working at this time. 

Launched in 2017, the Trailhead Direct program was recently highlighted on the REI store blog, with one writer sharing how the program encourages residents to both drive less and explore the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Reliant on the weather, the program will star back up later this year. Read the full article here.  Kudos to our innovative programs, like Trailhead Director, for helping residents to better access the outdoors and for minimizing traffic! 

The Center for Accountability and Performance, affiliated with the American Society for Public Administration, awarded King County the CAP Organizational Leadership Award for 2019.  The annual CAP Organizational Leadership Award recognizes outstanding management strategies that result in a culture change, sustained improvements, and demonstrated positive effects on government performance and accountability.  “This award is a tribute to the thousands of King County employees who embrace continuous improvement every day,” said Executive Constantine. “We are creating a culture of excellence and innovation that will endure and enable us to tackle the most pressing… Read More

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC  Mer has so much love to give, he just can’t wait to find his forever home!  Could it be with you?  Mer is a 3yr old male cat, Brown Tabby, domestic short hair (ID #A579532).  This handsome boy is an affectionate lovebug who would be thrilled to cuddle up with you at home.  He enjoys having his head scratched, as well as under his chin and behind his ears.  He thinks it’s simply divine, and may even lean into the pets and stretch his neck out when you… Read More

The 2019 King County Employee Survey is now underway, and we’ve asked some County leaders why the survey is important to them and their employees, and how they will act on the results. In this video, we talk to King County Executive Dow Constantine, Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams, Chief Operating Officer Casey Sixkiller, Chief Information Officer Tanya Hannah, Director of the Department of Executive Services Caroline Whalen, King County Elections Director Julie Wise, and King County Assessor John Wilson. The survey runs through Friday, March 29 (March 22 for Metro paper… Read More

“When you ask most people what they want to do when they retire, they will often say two things – travel and volunteer more,” said Junelle Kroontje, King County Employee Giving Program Manager (KCEGP). “During an employee’s work life, making time for volunteering can be difficult. By allowing our employees to use up to three days of sick leave to volunteer at a King County Employee Giving Program nonprofit or at a local school, it frees them up to do it today – instead of waiting for retirement.“ The volunteer program allows… Read More

By Leslie Brown, Department of Public Defense Remember story problems from high school math — those vexing questions about the arrival times of trains or the number of apples a shopkeeper has to sell to break even? Some of us hated them. Stev Weidlich loved them. And today, he’s putting that puzzle-solving mind of his to good use. Stev is the research and data analyst at the King County Department of Public Defense (DPD), where he ferrets out the answers to tricky questions every day. How many DUIs did one of the divisions handle at the Maleng Regional Justice… Read More

By Leslie Brown, Department of Public Defense Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, a pioneer in the field of trauma exposure, visited the King County Department of Public Defense (DPD) last month, where she led a spirited, provocative, and often humorous exploration into the impact of secondary trauma on one’s life. The genesis for the training came out of the Secondary Trauma Care Work Group, recently organized by SEIU Local 925, Teamsters Local 117, and DPD. Laura discussed common responses to trauma, from guilt and hopelessness, to chronic exhaustion, to feelings of depression. When trauma is… Read More

The 2019 Employee Survey is now underway and you should receive your unique link from kcemployeesurvey@us.confirmit.com by the end of today. Why take the survey? How will your responses be used? Watch the short video below to find out. The survey runs through Friday, March 29 (March 22 for Metro paper surveys), so please take 15 minutes to have your say and make a difference in your workplace.

Salary: $22.40 – $28.40 Hourly  Location: Bellevue, WA  Job Type: Term Limited Temporary, Full Time, 40 hrs/wk  Department: DPH – Public Health  Job Number: 2019-09266  As the only county in the United States named after Martin Luther King Jr, one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nations’ history, King County is a vibrant community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. We continue to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of… Read More

Dear fellow King County employee, The 2019 Employee Survey kicked off today and you will soon receive an email from our survey consultant asking you to participate. This is now our fourth successive survey and each year your responses help us make King County a better place to work and a more effective service provider for our residents. Your responses have already had an impact. Almost 8,000 employees participated in our last survey and 290 action plans were implemented to address the issues you raised. As a result we’ve made many changes,… Read More

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC  Who’s a handsome boy? Why, it’s Dexter, our Pet of the Week!  This young pittie is full of energy and loves to play! That’s why he’s one of our “Rambunctious Red” pets. He tends to calm down more when people around him stay calm. Dexter also does best when he gets lots of exercise and something to keep his mind busy.   Read more. 

Conflict Awareness in the Workplace, April 18: We all encounter difficult people. Whether you are a supervisor, a customer service professional, or have a challenging co-worker, it’s important to know how to rise above your initial emotional reaction and turn negative situations into positive outcomes. Topics include understanding why we label people as difficult, types of difficult people, tools and techniques for resolving issues, coping strategies for dealing with the effects of difficult people, and conflict management strategies. Register and learn more. Introduction to Organizational Performance Measurement, May 8: Have you ever struggled to create… Read More

March is Women’s History Month, and as we celebrate, we want to introduce you to Bernice Stern, who in 1969 became the first woman elected to the King County Council. Online encyclopedia History Link has a great piece about Bernice’s life and legacy. Read it here. Photo courtesy of King County Archives. 

The Art of Facilitation is a six-session training, hosted by the Office of Equity and Social Justice, for King County employees that is rooted in experiential learning. The training is designed to increase effectiveness in working in cross-racial teams, combining skills in group facilitation, communication, and presentation with self-development and resilience building. The learned skills are transferable across all areas of work at King County.  Applications are now being accepted for the spring and fall cohorts: May through June and September through November. This training opportunity is limited to 30 people per… Read More

Get to meet some of the amazing heroes who work hard to keep our region safe everyday in this video of the recently held 2018 King County Sheriff’s Awards. View the video here or below. 

Crossposted from Clean Water Stories  Check out this article about how King County Wastewater Treatment is working to recruit employees that represent our diverse and growing communities through the Operator in Training Program, featured on the WEF Highlights website, the news site for the Water Environment Federation. Read the full article here. 

Our employees went above and beyond to help keep residents safe and moving during the biggest snowstorm the region has experienced in decades, and King County Executive Dow Constantine took a moment to thank employees in a brief video.  “It tested our ability as a local government to serve the people under extraordinary circumstances, and thanks to our dedicated employees, we rose to the challenge,” Executive Constantine said in the video. Click the image below to watch the video.

King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed the month of March Women’s History Month in King County, and encouraged all residents to participate in events to commemorate and honor women and their contributions to our community and nation. “Women of every race, class, and ethnic background have made historic contributions to the growth and strength of King County, the state of Washington, our nation, and the global community,” Executive Constantine said in the Proclamation. “Women are making history every day and will continue to do so in ways that will change our… Read More

King County Career Support Services and the Administrative Professionals Advisory Committee are excited to announce the Fourth Annual Administrative Professionals Recognition Event. This event  recognizes administrative professionals who embody the attributes of excellence and innovation. It will be held at the King County Courthouse on Wednesday, April 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Event registration will open on Wednesday, March 27.  

Starting Saturday, March 23, seven bus routes will shift from the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel to surface streets and buses on a total of 15 routes will change bus stop locations on Seattle streets to accommodate the Washington State Convention Center construction and future Link light rail expansion.   To keep buses and riders moving, the City of Seattle is establishing a new transit pathway on Fifth and Sixth Avenues and Metro will establish all-door boarding in the Third Avenue corridor and at stops along Westlake Avenue North.  Metro will also add trips,… Read More

Executive Dow Constantine shares his experience participating in the annual point-in-time count of people who are experiencing homelessness in King County. It included responding to a young person who was struggling and asked for help.  

The King County Employee Engagement Survey kicks off March 11 and is a great opportunity to check-in with employees to learn what is going well and where we need to improve.  Employees who participated in the survey over the last three years have helped us make King County a better place to work, and a more effective service provider for our residents. This year we’re making some enhancements to make the survey work better for everyone:   The survey is shorter.    Analysis will be done in house.   There will be more ways to… Read More