Crossposted from Balanced You  To slow the spread of coronavirus, all King County employees who can telecommute should now be telecommuting. Because K-12 schools have closed, King County is temporarily allowing parents and caretakers to telecommute while caring for children at home.  Telecommuting with children at home is a new experience for most employees and can present its own unique challenges. As such, Balanced You has put together some advice to help you continue to be productive and keep your family safe.   Read more from Balanced You

The federal government has shared a poster about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and its provisions for paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. You can view the poster here and the guidelines here. 

Crossposted from Balanced You  Emergency responders – healthcare workers, public health professionals, law enforcement, emergency operations staff, and others – are heroes in the battle against coronavirus. King County is grateful for your dedication to our community’s health. Thank you.   Balanced You knows you are working long hours, making difficult decisions, enduring trauma, and facing human tragedy. Many of you are tired and stressed. Balanced You is here to support emergency responders as you care for your own well-being during this time and our community. Below, you will find tips and resources you can use… Read More

King County’s Facilities Management Division (FMD) is using a disinfectant to clean county facilities that is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19.  FMD custodial staff is utilizing VIREX II 256 Solution to disinfect highly touched surfaces, such as door handles, elevator buttons, restrooms, Corrections visitation areas, and court rooms.  We want to thank FMD’s custodial team for its efforts in responding to COVID-19. For steps you can take to prevent the spread of germs, click here. 

Crossposted from Balanced You  Due to social distancing recommendations from the CDC and stay-at-home orders from Washington state leadership, Balanced You is making changes to our programming and resources. We are working with our partners to transition in-person programs and resources to online formats when possible, and to create new programs and resources that support King County employees in staying healthy and well while you respond to this pandemic, professionally and personally.  Read more from Balanced You

King County is a community of public servants. We care about the people we serve and the people we serve with. The COVID-19 outbreak, and the measures in place to stop its spread, may extend for months. Some employees will be impacted more than others and will exhaust their paid leave while recovering their health or caring for others. If you have been looking for an opportunity to support your fellow employees affected by COVID-19, the Emergency Leave Donation Fund is your chance. We are looking for your donations to help get… Read More

As King County responds to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and works to slow its spread, there is an urgent need to fill emergency related roles within the county. This is a rapidly evolving event in which staffing needs and work demands are continuously changing. As we strive to keep our workforce, workplace, and community safe, we are providing employees, who have capacity, with opportunities for temporary work redeployment to assist in our COVID-19 response. Employee safety and well-being is a priority, and employees will be provided training and support to help them… Read More

Yesterday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced an extension of his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” emergency order through May 4, extending the ban on all gatherings and temporarily shuttering non-essential businesses. King County’s guidance remains the same for employees: First Responders and Mission-Critical Employees are classified as “critical government workers” for the purposes of the Governor’s Order, and accordingly are expected to continue to report to work in person or telework per existing arrangements. Departments can change employee designations as needed, and must inform employees accordingly. Under King County’s Temporary Leave and Telecommuting Policy, First Responders… Read More

For many students in King County, this time of year heralds spring break, a much-anticipated week away from school. The coronavirus outbreak has caused many families to cancel plans for break, leaving them in search of creative ways to keep their kids entertained while practicing social distancing. Visit the Balanced You blog to learn more about activities you can do as a family, both during and after spring break, that promote well-being while observing guidelines for staying healthy. 

Crossposted from Balanced You  The evolving coronavirus outbreak in our community has been difficult for everyone to process. Each of us is experiencing some degree of anxiety or stress in the face of this pandemic. Children process stress differently than adults and are uniquely affected by the way we talk about the virus, images in the media, and changes to their routine following school closures and other ‘social distancing’ measures.  Balanced You is here to support King County employees who are parents and caretakers of children. Below, you will find resources and tips… Read More

Effective March 23, Governor Jay Inslee issued a “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, which included a list of essential services that can and should continue operating.  At King County, employees who are designated as First Responders and Mission-Critical Employees are classified as “critical government workers” for the purposes of the Governor’s Order, and accordingly are expected to continue to report to work in person or telework per existing arrangements.  Please be advised that your King County identification badge serves as proof that you are an “essential employee.” If you are asked to provide proof… Read More

As we continue our efforts to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in King County, we have put together several resources for King County employees during this outbreak. Our new one-stop webpage, www.kingcounty.gov/employees-coronavirus has health information, telecommuting resources, benefits updates, frequently asked questions, and more. This webpage can help to answer questions for King County employees about how their work is impacted by the coronavirus.