Featured Headlines
COVID-19 vaccine mandate lifted for King County employees in the Executive Branch
Executive proclaims February 2023 as Black History Month in King County
View your W-2 form online
Nominations are now open for the Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards
News
StormFest 2023 seeking volunteers
StormFest is an outdoor learning event with sixth and seventh grade Highline School District students using STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and stormwater lessons for hands-on learning. At this outdoor event, students learn about their local watershed, sources of pollution, and engineering solutions to prevent stormwater pollution. Volunteers gain experience in best practices for environmental education and interacting with students from a variety of cultures. Bilingual station educators and interpreters will be paid stipends. Eligible employees can use leave for volunteer hours. Applications close on May 8. Check out this past… Read More
March 30 is the third payday of the month
All King County employees get paid on a biweekly basis, every-other-Thursday, resulting in 26 pay periods per year. You usually receive two paychecks per month; however, March 30 will be the third payday of the month. The net dollar amount of these “third” paychecks may be larger because not all deductions are taken out. For example, Deferred Compensation, supplemental insurance premiums, Benefit Access Fees, and Employee Giving donations are not deducted from these checks. For more information about your paycheck, go to Payroll or speak with your department Payroll representative or timekeeper.
PeopleSoft outage Friday, March 24 at 3 p.m
To allow for system maintenance, the PeopleSoft system will not be available starting on Friday, March 24 at 3 p.m. and is scheduled to be back online by 6:30 a.m. on Monday, March 27. During this planned outage, the Business Resource Center (BRC) will apply vendor updates and maintenance. The system will not be available for access by any County staff during this outage window. There will be a communication sent out to all County staff when the system becomes available. This outage impacts all PeopleSoft users. Your understanding and support is appreciated.
King County Sheriff’s Deputy awards athletes in Special Olympics Winter Games
Cross-posted from the Sheriff’s Newsletter Deputy Dylan Centanino-Sweers recently attended the Special Olympics Washington Winter Games in Wenatchee. He was joined by officers from other local jurisdictions. The Sheriff’s Office stated, “We were honored that Deputy Centanino-Sweers was chosen to award athletes who placed in their respective sports. As a former Renton Special Olympics track and field coach, he has continued to work closely with the organization.” Read more.
Get ready for King County’s new public website coming March 31
On March 31, King County will launch our new public website (kingcounty.gov). Online visitors will see the new King County homepage, and your department’s webpages will also change to a more modern look and feel. The Design and Civic Engagement (DCE) team is working with your department’s Web Content Manager(s) to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruptions, but you can help: Be prepared for customer questions. Your webpages will look different, and customers may need help navigating to popular web content. If you have webpages on the current site, work with… Read More
Together, we must do more on climate change
Cross-posted from Keeping King County Green The world’s top scientists released their latest report on climate change this week, warning that the Earth is on pace for severe damage. The United Nations climate report is a clear call for more ambitious climate action to prevent the worst effects of climate change. While King County is leading the nation with solutions and has a strong foundation to rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions, together we must do more. The Department of Natural Resources and Parks is advancing King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan goal to cut countywide greenhouse gas emissions in… Read More
Executive Constantine statement on Detective wounded in Seattle
“Every day, hundreds of Sheriff’s Office personnel serve our many communities, doing the hard work of keeping us all safe.” King County Executive Dow Constantine issued the following statement regarding the King County Sheriff’s Office detective wounded in Ballard on March 20: “This morning a King County Sheriff’s Office detective was shot in the line of duty in Ballard. He has significant injuries but is in good hands at Harborview Medical Center, and we wish him a speedy recovery. “He is the second King County officer wounded by gunfire in just over… Read More
Strategic Interviewing Skills now an eLearning course
The course is searchable through NEOGOV Learn course catalog under “Career Support Services: Strategic Interviewing Skills” or you can enroll here. Several major updates have been made to the training content to prepare you for questions you may face from a King County interview panel. Even if you have taken this training before, there are a handful of new strategies, tips and techniques that will enhance your interviewing skills. Questions? Please email careersupportservices@kingcounty.gov.
Free rapid COVID-19 self-tests are still available
If you feel sick or have COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important to get tested right away, even if you’re vaccinated. If you test positive, most treatments for COVID-19 must start within five days of feeling sick. Now is a good time to stock up on free at-home rapid tests, while supplies are still available and covered by insurance. Where to request tests: Federal Government: www.COVID.gov/tests while supplies last Washington State Department of Health: www.sayyescovidhometest.org. Enter your home zip code to see if supplies are still available in your area. The program ends on May 11, 2023…. Read More
County’s utility workers are like utility players in baseball
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Utility Workers in the Facilities Management Division (FMD) are like the county’s “utility players” on a baseball team, capable of serving in various roles or positions as needed. Their jobs aren’t related to a public utility such as power or water as you might first assume. They take care of anything not assigned to a specific trade worker, like a carpenter, electrician, or painter. This is the team that continues to move agencies out of the Administration building and supports moves around the county. They also handle everything from… Read More
King County turns to new contracting method to fix critical wastewater pipes
Traditionally, large public projects are designed under one contract, and built under another. By the time construction crews start the work, design meets reality – often in the form of costly unexpected change orders to the project and delays. The Wastewater Treatment Division has project needs so critical it can’t afford such uncertainties. So, King County submitted the case for an alternative method of project delivery called “progressive design build.” This contracting method brings designers and builders to the same table at the early stages of project development. Read more.
Administrative Professionals Q1 recognition
King County Administrative Professionals are a large part of King County government’s workforce and valuable contributors to the success of every department. They support and provide direct services to internal customers and the public. Administrative Professionals may include, but are not limited to, Administrative Specialists, Office Assistants, Executive Assistants, Customer Service Specialists, Dental and Medical Assistants, Court Clerks, and more. Show your appreciation Take the time to show your appreciation for an administrative professional. The first quarter recognition period closes March 31. All recognitions received between April 2022 through March 31, 2023 will be highlighted at the… Read More
Get active and fit with this healthy discount
We know physical fitness resources are important to King County employees and their families. King County employees covered by our health plans, have access to several gyms for a flat monthly fee through the Active&Fit Direct™ program. Find a flexible fitness lifestyle that will work for you. No long-term contracts, you can add or switch gyms anytime and cancel your membership when you need to without penalty. Read more about the benefits included and how to join.
Records Center staff go above and beyond
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Late last year the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) was contacted by the spouse of a retired DAJD commander who had recently passed away. The former employee’s wife explained that her husband had retired after 30 years of service with DAJD, and while undergoing the emotional process of assessing his personal belongings she discovered documents that appeared to contain potential public records. Not knowing the status of the documents she had discovered, she contacted DAJD requesting assistance identifying the records and determining the best course of… Read More
Keeping boats afloat: Two Water Taxi stories
Cross-posted from Captain’s Blog As part of Transit Appreciation Week and Transit Operator Appreciation Day, the King County Water Taxi wants to recognize two members of the team who work to ensure riders have a smooth sail from dock to dock. Kennedy Menendez, who helped get over 80 stranded Bremerton passengers home on a late night run, and Capt. Dan Krehbiel, who was the first captain hired for the Water Taxi in 2009, are just two of the King County Water Taxi staff who are on the water every day, providing service to West… Read More
‘It takes people to move people.’ King County recognizes Transit Appreciation Week
It’s officially Transit Appreciation Week in King County, thanks to a proclamation from the King County Council recognizing transit employees who keep the region and its economy moving forward everyday. Councilmember Rod Dembowski spoke of Metro being the “most visible function of King County.” Dembowski, sponsor of the proclamation also highlighted Metro’s important role in providing mobility and opportunity to millions of riders through the years. Read more and watch the video here.
Annual Women’s History Month: Passing the Torch
The theme for the annual King County Council Women’s History Month panel is “Passing the Torch: An Intergenerational Conversation.” This live, online event features a panel of specialists who will speak about a life in activism and new voices who are picking up the banner for the next generation. Read more about the a panelists for this event. Wednesday, March 29 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Join via livestream on King County TV or Facebook. This presentation is sponsored and moderated by Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Claudia Balducci and Sarah Perry, the Legislative Branch Equity and Social Justice Team, and… Read More
GIS is everywhere (and everything, all at once)
Cross-posted from GIS & You So…what is GIS? In short, it’s a Geographic Information System that creates, manages, analyzes, and maps all types of data. GIS connects data to a map, integrating location data (where things are) with all types of descriptive information (what things are like there). According to Lisa Owen, from the King County GIS Center, it’s “data that knows where it lives.” Lisa recently had the opportunity to contribute to a discussion on Women in IT, with a spotlight on GIS. Read her entertaining blog post telling about her experience as a woman… Read More
Moving forward together: A shared vision for Metro’s future
“Transit must lead with equity and provide world-class service.” Michelle Allison, the new King County Metro General Manager, recently posted her perspective on the current state of the agency is and the vision for where it is headed. Allison shared three main priorities of the agency and those they serve to move forward together. Each priority is informed by deep and ongoing engagement with the community, a partnership that will continue every step of the way. Read more.
Now is the time to invite nonprofits to participate in the Annual Giving Drive
Nominate a nonprofit for inclusion in the Annual Giving Drive, and they will be contacted when the application cycle opens later this spring. All nonprofits must apply and meet eligibility requirements annually in order to be included in the Annual Giving Drive. Read more.
About
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 17,000+ employees work every day to make King County
a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
Employee News 