All Executive Branch employees are required to wear masks when working in indoor spaces that are open to the public and in public spaces, and it is strongly recommended that employees who work in non-public indoor settings wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status, in line with the updated health officer directive for King County and new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In King County, similar to other parts of the region and country, COVID-19 rates are on the rise, largely due to the spread of the… Read More

If you have not received a COVID-19 vaccine, or you have a family member or friend who hasn’t, you are invited to get vaccinated at a community vaccination event at Union Station Concourse this Friday. The vaccination is free and walk-ins are welcome. Union Station Concourse 401 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA  98104 Friday, July 30 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Masks and social distancing are required. You can also make an appointment with a QR code link below. Just point your smartphone camera toward the vaccine you prefer and then follow… Read More

King County departments are currently implementing Future of Work plans for delivering services and operations in a post-pandemic environment, and you can learn more about the strategy, next steps, and progress metrics in two new documents. Future of Work plans are guided by our True North and values and draw on the experiences and lessons learned during COVID-19. They also incorporate feedback from employees using a variety of listening mechanisms. King County engaged Grant Thornton LLC to support the development of these plans, allowing the County to draw on their experience working… Read More

Major wildfires are currently engulfing many parts of the western United States and Canada, including our own state, and it is very likely that we will soon experience wildfire smoke in our region. Wildfire smoke can cause a range of health problems, including chest pain, coughing, fast heartbeat, headaches, and asthma attacks. Some people need to be outdoors for their work or other responsibilities, so now is the time to get prepared. If we experience unhealthy air conditions in King County, it is recommended that you limit your time outdoors. If you are… Read More

There’s nothing like an old-fashioned Lunch and Learn session for comradery, sharing ideas and learning what your colleagues have been up to. Unless it comes during a pandemic where everyone is working from home and lunch is maybe a can of soup. Despite the lack of in-person interaction, the Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) has made a success of their Lunch and Learn series on their equity and social justice programs.   WLRD, affectionately referred to as “Willard” and a division of the Department and Natural Resources and Parks, launched this… Read More

We’re tops in tech! King County has been named the nation’s #1 Top Digital County by the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties. The group surveys public IT departments around the country annually for effectiveness. This year, technology played a vital role fighting the pandemic as a rapid digital transformation from King County Information Technology’s (KCIT) and IT leaders around the County helped keep people safer. “It was…one of the best examples in the survey of both recovery from and response to the pandemic,” said the Digital County… Read More

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends youth engage in 60 minutes of physical activity a day, yet in King County, only 19% of youth meet these recommendations. Many barriers such as rising costs, limited transportation options, along with policies and practices result in inequities of access to physical activity disproportionately impacting youth of color, youth living in poverty, and immigrant and refugee youth. King County Parks’ Youth Sports Grants aim to invest in programs and capital projects that will reduce barriers youth face to participating in physical activity. These Youth Sports… Read More

With the end of mandatory telework for Executive Branch employees on July 5, King County departments have begun to implement their Future of Work plans for how they will operate and serve customers in a post-pandemic environment. For some employees, this means moving to a new location or a new model for delivering services. Some will accomplish their work primarily in person, others primarily remotely, or they make work a hybrid of both. To help you during this transition, King County has built a centralized Future of Work intranet site (employee access only)… Read More

by Lindsay Prior, Communications Manager, Department of Information Technology Women in government are gaining confidence and leadership skills thanks to a unique partnership between KCIT and the Seattle-based Koa Club. Recently, more than 70 King and Snohomish County employees participated in the second-annual Mentorship Huddle challenge. The competition showcased participants’ leadership skills and knowledge gained through the Koa Club’s FollowMyLead training program for women in government. King County CIO Tanya Hannah approached Koa Club founder Susan Seah in 2020 to design a curriculum focused on women’s career development. “Tanya was instrumental in… Read More

By Taryn Farley,  Disability Specialist, Office of Equity and Social Justice July is Disability Pride Month, a growing movement to build awareness of the pride people with disabilities feel in themselves. This pride movement recognizes what people with disabilities offer to society through their history, culture, and unique experiences. Disability Pride Month coincides with the celebration of the anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, better known as the ADA. The ADA has created civil rights protections and better access for people with disabilities. Disability Pride builds… Read More

Courtesy of the King County’s Sheriff’s Office Facebook page Fury, a King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) drug detection K9, is rightfully proud of this bust. His specialized detection skills helped sniff out the perps.  Detectives from multiple King County Sheriff’s Office Special Emphasis Teams (SET), with the support of TAC-30(SWAT) and Bomb Disposal Units (BDU), executed a search recently in southeast King County. The work was the result of a months-long investigation into narcotics distribution and firearms-related crimes. The results in this case are impressive and include the seizure of 3.6 pounds… Read More

For employees returning to the office (full time or occasionally), KCIT is committed to making your transition as stress-free as possible. The Future of Work may look a little different for each department, but KCIT is launching new technology to bridge the distance between colleagues and foster greater collaboration. Here are some innovations you can expect in the coming months: Reserve your workspace in the office For employees without a permanent desk, KCIT will offer a new drop-in desk reservation system. The new system, ESRI Indoors, will launch this fall for agencies… Read More

While serving as a trainer for the King County’s Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), two things happened that helped Sgt. Jaime Deer realize that he could no longer travel the path in life he’d been born to. First, Caitlyn Jenner announced to the world she was transgender and would be transitioning to female. And second, another openly transgender officer came through the class where Jaime was the trainer. Those two events gave Jaime the courage to admit that he wasn’t being true to himself and that it was time to become the person he’d… Read More

On June 30, 2021 King County Executive Dow Constantine announced updated mask requirements for Executive Branch employees: If an employee has provided verified proof that they are fully vaccinated (see definition below), the employee is not required to wear a mask while working. If an employee has not provided verified proof of full vaccination, the employee is required to wear a mask when working indoors, outdoors, and when in an enclosed space with others (for example, when multiple people are in a vehicle). The only time the employee is not required to… Read More

On June 30, Executive Constantine announced the next phase in our COVID-19 pandemic, which includes updated requirements for wearing masks and a new process for employees to voluntarily provide vaccination information. If an employee chooses to do so, the employee can provide proof that they are fully vaccinated by either: Initiating the COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration process through their NEOGOV Dashboard (click on Dashboard > Forms > COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration) and attaching a copy of an official document (see list below), OR Showing one of the following to an HR professional or other… Read More

by Monica Van der Vieren, Communications Specialist, Department of Parks and Natural Resources What is the first King County agency that comes to mind when you think about accessible recreation? You probably didn’t say the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD). But WTD’s Coal Creek Sewer Upgrade Project team is focused on that important topic right now and looking for input from the community.   WTD’s pipes thread their way throughout the region, moving wastewater from city systems to treatment plants. Pipes run through parks, under trails, roads, and streets, across tidelands and wetlands…. Read More