King County has announced some new financial resources, tools, and policy decisions to help employees manage during this pandemic and make our work sites safer for everyone. 

The new resources include support setting up remote workspaces, more options for flexible work schedules, support resources and leave options for parents with school-aged children at home, and updated guidance on wearing face masks at work. The Guidance for Workforce, Operations, and Customer Service Recovery has also been updated and divided into two separate guides with specific information for employees in one guide, and managers and supervisors in the other. 

“Many King County employees are teleworking through Jan. 8, 2021, as we try to limit the transmission of the novel coronavirus and slow the spread of COVID-19,” Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams said. “Many employees are also showing up every day, onsite, while navigating the personal impacts of this pandemic. The announcement that most schools will start remotely in fall of 2020 creates additional challenges for working parents, as does caring for elderly or sick family members. This stuff is not easy, and it takes a toll!” 

To support employees and keep our workspaces safer, King County has announced: 

• Support setting up a remote workspace: Necessary furniture and equipment can be purchased prior to the end of 2020, and the County will provide computers and technology to support teleworking. Reimbursement may not be available after Dec. 30, 2020. See page 6 of the guide. 
• More flexible work schedules: New options to flex work hours and adjust the time period in which work hours can be completed. See page 8 of the guide. 
• Leave options for parents with children at home: King County offers a variety of leaves to help employees support our community and take care of themselves and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak. See our new Guidance for Parents with Children at Home for details. 
• Childcare, self-care, and parenting resources: King County’s Making Life Easier program has produced a Parenting Toolkit called You’re Still Parenting Through a Pandemic: A Guide for Sustaining Yourself and Your Family in a Changing Landscape (when prompted, enter password “king county”). 
• Face masks: Employees should use only County-provided masks, or masks that are very similar. Bandanas, gaiters, buffs, vented masks, and face shields should not be substituted for face masks. The County has cloth masks available for all employees to use in the workplace. See page 9 of the Temporary COVID-19 Personnel Policy. Certain higher-risk situations (like work in medical clinics) require specific masks, and if you or your employees have questions, please check with your department’s Human Resources Manager (SharePoint: employee access only) for more information about specific mask requirements. 

For additional information, please consult your department’s Human Resources Manager or your supervisor.