Dear King County employee,

As we continue to build a supportive, respectful, and equitable workplace culture at King County, we are committed to providing opportunities and spaces for employees to come together, share their experiences, and work to advance our Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan.

Executive Constantine recently signed the Employee Resource/Affinity Group Policy, which formalizes the work of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), also known as affinity groups. These groups are employee-led and focus exclusively on state- and federal-protected categories – such as race, gender, and sexual orientation – and their common interests.

Affinity groups are another opportunity to enhance professional growth and strengthen workplace effectiveness while supporting our Equity and Social Justice priorities and embodying our “we are racially just” value.

Affinity groups, such as the King County Native American Leadership Council, have been meeting for more than four years, and provide a space where members have grown their leadership skills, built fellowship, and developed goals and actions that support our Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan. Creating an official policy that addresses affinity groups ensures that our employees, especially those who are hourly and outside the downtown corridor, have an equitable opportunity to participate.

You can read the policy here and watch the video below to learn more about the groups. The Office of Equity and Social Justice is available to answer your questions and provide technical assistance.

I am inspired by the leadership I’ve seen in all our countywide affinity groups. I look forward to the growth of these groups.

Sincerely,

Casey Sixkiller

Chief Operating Officer