Employee Spotlights
Navigating a loved one’s military deployment
A DPD mitigation specialist begins to use videos to tell clients’ stories
Honoring King County’s active duty employees
Five questions with John Miller, Organizational Development Practitioner, Department of Human Resources
News
Normal business operations today
King County operations will open as scheduled today, Wednesday, Jan. 15. If you are scheduled to work today, please plan to report to work at your normal start time or discuss any changes beforehand with your supervisor. Please note that some agencies may send additional instructions directly to their staff. Be prepared for cold weather, high winds, and possible delays on your commute. As always, have a plan for your commute, dress warmly, and let safety be your guide when making travel decisions. Metro Transit routes: Metro Transit service is operating on normal routes… Read More
See something, say something
Our first priority is your safety and security at work. You can take an active role in your safety. The county has produced a variety of communications to help inform employees about safety tips and related updates: Check out a new short video, below, on how to report emergencies and non-urgent security concerns. Watch for additional videos with safety tips throughout the year. Look for posters in English and Spanish at major worksites, especially those downtown, with information about how to report emergencies and security concerns. New employees will receive a wallet… Read More
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Program now providing benefits
On Jan. 1, 2020, Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program began providing workers with paid time off to welcome a new child to their family, care for a sick loved one, or recover from their own serious medical condition. Who qualifies? To be eligible, you must have worked at least 820 hours for a Washington employer during the previous year. Most King County bargaining units and all non-represented employees are eligible. View the list of participating unions. What can PFML be used for and how long does it last? This program… Read More
Be prepared for snow and ice tonight and tomorrow
More snow is forecast for tonight and tomorrow morning with continued icy road conditions, so please be prepared for possible commute delays and impacts to business operations. A heavy band of snow is expected to begin this evening in the northern half of the City of Seattle northward, and other areas could see accumulations. As always, have a plan for your commute, dress warmly, and let safety be your guide when making travel decisions. Metro Transit routes: Metro Transit service is operating on snow routes for areas of NE King County. Additional routes may… Read More
Normal business operations today, Jan. 13
King County operations will open as scheduled today, Monday, Jan. 13. If you are scheduled to work today, please plan to report to work at your normal start time or discuss any changes beforehand with your supervisor. Some agencies may send additional instructions directly to their staff. Be prepared for cold weather on your commute. As always, have a plan for your commute, dress warmly, and let safety be your guide when making commute decisions. HR Policies: When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work on time,… Read More
WaterWorks grants funding 69 community projects in 2020
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories King County’s WaterWorks Grant Program is fulfilling its mission to invest in clean water and community partnerships. The King County Council recently passed an ordinance to approve the funding, moving work forward on projects around the region that will include restoring damaged habitat, building green infrastructure and providing youth education and internship opportunities. Sixty nine local environmental projects that protect water quality, control pollution and build healthy communities will receive funding through King County’s WaterWorks Grant Program. Read more from Clean Water Stories
Resolved to stress less in 2020? Check out a mindfulness class!
Crossposted from Balanced You Would you like to stress less this year? Give one of our popular mindfulness classes a try! Balanced You has partnered with Mindfulness Northwest to offer classes at county worksites, online, and in the community. Classes are available to King County employees free-of-charge, subject to availability. See the January to March 2020 calendar at the link below. Mindfulness classes are one more way King County is Investing in YOU. Contact Balanced You with questions at BalancedYou@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-9626. Read more from Balanced You
Increase your financial wellness with My Secure Advantage. Sign up before Feb. 14, 2020 to be entered into a raffle!
Balanced You knows that financial wellness is important to you and your well-being. As such, King County employees are eligible for 90 days of confidential, unbiased money coaching through My Secure Advantage (MSA) every year. You can take the first step with MSA by opening an account and taking the online financial assessment. If you take the assessment before February 14, 2020, MSA will enter you into a drawing to receive a $100 Amazon gift card! Visit the Balanced You blog for more information.
Be Prepared for Wintry Weather
Cold, wintry weather is forecast for next week, with the potential snow and ice, so please be prepared for possible delays to your commute and impacts to business operations. As always, have a plan for your commute, dress warmly, and let safety be your guide when making commute decisions. Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of inclement weather: Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!). Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log… Read More
Featured Job: Administrative Specialist II – Chinese Language
Salary: $22.24 – $28.33 Hourly Location: WA 98057-2906, WA Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 35 hrs/week Department: KCE – King County Elections Job Number: 2019RL11109 Division: Voter Services Closing: 1/14/2020 11:59 PM Pacific Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
Pet of the Week: LB
LB is a 7 year-old male Heeler mix (A478953). His personality color is GREEN, meaning he is an adaptable dog who loves to go with the flow! This handsome boy is very smart and is currently practicing how to “sit,” “shake,” and “stay.” He tends to calm down more when people around him stay calm, and he does best when he gets lots of exercise and something to keep his mind busy. LB was brought in by his previous family because they could no longer care for him. They described him as… Read More
2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, Jan. 16
Dear King County employee, Please join us in honoring our nation’s foremost human rights leader and our County’s namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, noon to 1 p.m. at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101. The theme for our 2020 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is “Yes, we are on the move and no wave of racism can stop us. We are on the move now.” This year’s keynote is by john a. powell, Director, Othering & Belonging Institute, University of California, Berkeley. For more information contact Matias.Valenzuela@kingcounty.gov… Read More
Discover how to build wealth for retirement, sessions Jan. 14, 15 and 16
You and your spouse or significant other are invited to learn more about saving for retirement with the King County Deferred Compensation Plan. Several in-person sessions are coming up Jan. 14, 15, and 16, including: Social Security Simplified Retirement Ready Savings Strategies Financial Wellness Women and Retirement See details and registration. Other education sessions are offered throughout the year. For more information about Deferred Compensation Plan education—including webinars—go to the Deferred Compensation web page. If you have any questions, please contact KC Deferred Comp.
Take Winter by Storm
Snow warnings for this week are a reminder to be prepared for seasonal weather hazards. While winter can be wonderful, it can also be quite dangerous unless you’re prepared. Snow, ice, floods, and strong windstorms are just a few of the seasonal weather hazards that can impact our region. Being prepared for winter emergencies not only protects our families and property now, but also provides peace of mind for unpredictable disasters such as earthquakes. While we can’t stop winter from happening, we can get ready for it. Take steps today to plan for how you will weather this… Read More
Meet Colleen McIngalls, Program Manager for the Protection Order Advocacy Program
Crossposted from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Facebook It’s tough to do an interview about Colleen McIngalls because she just wants to talk about how great her Protection Order Advocacy Program team is. Colleen arrived at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO) a little more than two years ago. Prior to joining the PAO, she spent 11 years at Victim Support Services, serving her last three years with the organization as Director of Victim Services. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Seattle University in the Masters in Criminal Justice Department and teaches… Read More
New wireless network dedicated to Public Safety First Responders holds first communication
King County had a big day on Nov. 21, 2019 – the first two-way radio communication on a new wireless network that will handle public safety response for the next 20 plus years was held. This is the Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN). PSERN is managed by the Emergency Radio Communications Division, a division within King County’s Information Technology Department (KCIT), responsible for a nearly $300 million project that will serve first responders throughout King County. The PSERN Project is expanding and updating the current system’s technology, and this work involves:… Read More
Retirement plan transfer opportunity
Each January, certain members of Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 have the opportunity to transfer to PERS Plan 3. You are eligible to transfer to Plan 3 if you meet all of the following criteria: You enrolled in PERS Plan 2 before Sept. 1, 2002. You are currently in an eligible position. You will earn service credit in January. Here’s how: Use the resources on the DRS website to help you decide if transferring to Plan 3 is right for you. Complete a DRS Member Transfer Form Return it to the King County Benefits, Payroll… Read More
On the Move: An MLK Day ESJ Festival, Jan. 30
Departments all over King County government are working hard to move our county forward, and closer to our Equity and Social Justice goals. Join us at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Festival to learn how we’re moving forward, and share what you are doing to make King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. When: Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Where: Chinook Building, 121/123 For more information, contact Brooke McConnaughey at BMcConnaughey@kingcounty.gov.
Pet of the Week: Pumpkin
Hi! My name is Pumpkin and I am available for adoption. I was brought in by a good samaritan on December 13th, 2019. I’m a bit of a scaredy guy at first but if you take things slow and get to know me, I’m actually a really cool dude! I love to play fetch, pretend that I’m the size of a lap dog and curl up in your lap and just hang out with my people. I love to go for walks and I pride my self on walking super nice and right next to my… Read More
Happy New Year:
We wish our employees and residents a Happy New Year! May 2020 bring you many exciting opportunities and wonderful moments! Despite the dark days we’ve had lately, remember what the Beatles sang, “here come’s the sun, it’s alright.” Look forward to this new year with reassurance the light will always come through.
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We tell stories that highlight the work we do to support our residents,
build strong communities, and make our region a great place to live and work.
Our 15,000 employees work every day to make King County
a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
