Executive Constantine proclaims May as American Asian Native Hawaiian Pasifika Heritage Month
In honor of the invaluable contributions and leadership of American Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pasifika peoples to every facet of culture and business in the region, King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed May as American Asian Native Hawaiian Pasifika Heritage Month. Read the full proclamation below.
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May is Mental Health Month at King County
By Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer
May is Mental Health Month, a time dedicated to prioritizing our well-being and promoting open conversations about mental health. At King County, we recognize the importance of mental health to our overall health and well-being and we champion each other in support and recovery. We know the impact mental health challenges have on our personal and professional lives. It’s real. And many of us feel these challenges, either personally, or with our loved ones, every single day.
This year’s theme from Mental Health America, “Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World,” reminds us that everyone deserves to feel supported and empowered to support their mental health and well-being and to seek help and support when needed. Statistics support what we already see and feel, one in five people will experience a mental health condition in any given year, and loneliness is at an all-time high.
Throughout May, our Balanced You team will host mental health related activities to raise awareness and encourage supportive strategies. Mental Health Month is also the perfect time to learn more about the benefits and resources we offer to support King County employees’ mental health and well-being. At King County, we are proud to offer:
- A workplace culture that strives to encourage conversations about mental health;
- An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with confidential counseling services available for all employees;
- An active employee well-being program, Balanced You, that prioritizes strategies to promote employee mental health, such as the mindfulness toolkit for the workplace.
- An Employee Giving Program that encourages employees to connect with their community and policies supporting the use of sick leave time to volunteer with approved non-profit organizations.
Additionally, I am excited to announce that, beginning July 1, King County will launch a partnership with a new provider, SupportLinc, for the Making Life Easier (MLE) program. MLE, powered by SupportLinc, will maintain MLE’s current offering of eight (8) free counseling sessions per issue to all employees and anyone living in the employee’s home, while also expanding the types of mental health resources available to County employees, such as virtual group supports tailored toward a variety of topics.
You can learn more about Balanced You’s Mental Health Month activities, available benefits and resources to support you and your family, and information about specific events in Employee News and Wellness Wednesday throughout the month. Mental health resource information can always be found on Balanced You’s blog and website. You can reach out to the Balanced You team at balancedyou@kingcounty.gov with any questions.
Please remember that no one is alone. King County is an employer that will continuously strive to acknowledge and support our employees in mental health and well-being. We will do this in the way we lead with our values, and how we provide resources and benefits to our employees. Whether you’re seeking support for yourself or your loved ones, there are many tools, programs, and resources available. As an employer we prioritize and support mental health. Help is out there, and recovery is possible. Thank you for supporting one another and the people we serve.
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KCSO kidney donors help the lives of others
There are over 100,000 people in the US in need of a kidney transplant*. Unfortunately, only about 17% receive a transplant annually. This is a story about two King County employees who decided to share one of theirs, and as a result, helping to dramatically change the lives of people in need of a working kidney.
When Lynda Kamrath, IT Manager for the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), found out that her partner, Gary, was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease, she decided she would get tested to be a donor as a way to “pay it forward” for another person who might need a transplant. They were shocked to find out that their kidneys were a match.
“We don’t even have the same blood type,” Lynda said. “They put your blood samples into a petri dish to see if they played well together.”
Benevolent donation
Tim Meyer, Captain of the Shoreline Police Department (a KCSO contracted city), decided to become an organ donor about 10 years ago. After reading about Dr. Alvin Roth, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics based on his work in matching theory and its practical application — which led to improvements in the design of a program to match kidney donors with compatible kidney recipients — Tim committed to making himself available as a kidney donor.
“After reading Lynda’s donation story in the Sheriff’s Newsletter last year, I was motivated even more,” Tim said. “Donating is just something within my values. At the end of the day, I can say I did something that truly helped with someone’s life.”
A few weeks ago, Tim’s opportunity came up to donate a kidney to a recipient who had a donor that did not match. How the program works is that the person who was willing to donate that didn’t match will now commit to donating to someone at a later time that does match. Tim’s donation ‘unlocked a chain’ that completed three kidney transplants, with all recipients doing well.
“This is the result of Dr. Roth’s advanced work in paired donations,” Tim said. “I’m glad to have been part of this process and a three-person donation chain.”
Swipe right?
The ability to donate to a recipient is based on several factors, including blood type, tissue typing, and crossmatching. Common genetics does not necessarily guarantee or prevent a match. (For more information go to organdonor.gov.)
However, being a physical match is not the only requirement. Both Lynda and Tim were also evaluated by psychologists, social workers, and doctors. It’s important that donors are doing this for the right reason, and that they will be able to manage this emotionally.
“I liken it to a dating app,” Lynda said. “They’re trying to match you with someone who is going to stay with you for the long term.”
Support from King County
Tim and Lynda both stated how fortunate they feel to live in this region and to work for King County. The University of Washington and Swedish hospital are renowned for their work in this field, with patients coming from far and wide for their services.
“I had a lot of support from the County and the Sheriff’s Office,” Lynda added. King County offers an Organ Donor Leave program in addition to the family and medical leave programs. “That was another reason why it was easy to make this decision,” she continued, “I didn’t have to stress about it.”
“This just gives a glimpse of the kind of programs and people we have here at King County,” Tim added. “This is one of the most important things I will do in my life.”
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Executive Constantine proclaims April as Arab American Heritage Month
People of Arab descent have woven their rich culture and traditions into the fabric of our communities, enhancing the diversity and strength of King County, contributing significantly to our economy, culture, and community through their roles in medicine, law, business, education, technology, government, military service, and more.
In recognition of these contributions and their influence on our community, King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed April as Arab American Heritage Month. Read the full proclamation below.
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Building bridges between KCSO and the community through Special Olympics
Cross-posted from the Sheriff’s Newsletter
When he was 18 years old, Dylan Centanino-Sweers began volunteering as a Special Olympics coach. Through this opportunity, he found a passion for working with the athletes and building relationships in the community. Now, as a deputy at the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), he’s able to see two things he values come together.
“Given the challenging nature of our job and sometimes inherent negativity in the police profession, I hold on to the sheer positivity that the athletes exude when they compete in their events,” said Deputy Centanino-Sweers. “I find that if I surround myself with strong positive people who regularly challenge and overcome adversity, I can bring that back to my partners and the community I serve.”
Deputy Centanino-Sweers has represented KCSO and contract partner Sammamish Police Department, where he currently serves, at multiple Special Olympics events.
At the beginning of March, he congratulated athletes and handed out awards at the Washington State Regional Special Olympics Winter Games. He’s also recently participated in a Polar Plunge to support the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.
“It’s important to be involved in events like this because it allows you to see the bigger picture and be a part of something truly incredible in your community,” Deputy Centanino-Sweers said.
If you’re interested in getting involved, you can reach out to Deputy Centanino-Sweers or visit Special Olympics Washington for more information.
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Metro deepens its commitment to a safe and welcoming rider experience
On February 27, 2024, King County Metro welcomed the newest division to the agency, the Safety Security and Quality Assurance division (SSQA). Safety has always been a priority at Metro but that scope has increased dramatically throughout the years. To understand what community’s priorities are related to safety Metro conducted community engagement, gathered feedback on fare enforcement, centered youth voices, and more. To operationalize community feedback and uphold the values of safety and equity, the SSQA section transitioned into a division.
“Creating this division is a bold move to elevate Metro’s values of safety and equity,” says Rebecca Frankhouser, Director of Metro’s Safety, Security and Quality Assurance Division and Chief Safety Officer. “It demonstrates Metro’s commitment to create a community (both employees and the region) free from harm where all can thrive.”
SSQA was previously a section in the General Manager’s office. What began with a small group of people that was created to investigate collisions, has grown to 71 employees with significantly more lines of business. Their work now includes not only operational safety, but also employee health and safety, wellness, physical and contract security, emergency management, data, auditing, training, and managing initiatives such as Safety, Security and Fare Enforcement (SaFE) Reform. Care and presence are the sentiments that frame SSQA’s philosophy on safety and security. The core value is focusing on employee and community concerns and needs.
The care and presence approach is applied through the SaFE Reform Initiative to proactively address community concerns around public safety. When racism was declared a public health crisis in King County, Metro’s leadership team implemented the SaFE Reform Initiative to reimagine what the vision of safety, security, and equity should look like at Metro. The SaFE Reform team partnered with employees and communities to listen to and understand what would be needed to make them feel safe on transit, at bus stops, and at other transit facilities. This process centered Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities disproportionately and negatively impacted by policies and practices due to the challenges of systemic racism.
To date, the SaFE Reform Initiative has piloted two programs: Metro Ambassadors and the Behavioral Health Specialist Team. Metro Ambassadors spend time in communities and help transit riders in any way they can. Many of the ambassadors have served as Metro bus operators so they have familiarity with Metro’s operations and area communities. Behavioral Health Specialists help community members who are in crisis or would benefit from resources. The team is trained in de-escalation and prevention to reduce the need for police or security. Behavioral Health Specialists provide food, hygiene items and cold weather supplies, and connections to community partners. These pilots fit into the overall care and presence approach, which also includes Transit Security Officers and Metro Transit Police. Transit Security Officers offer a calming, proactive presence that deters incidents, and Metro Transit Police provide law enforcement and other community services. These efforts have proven to be successful and have contributed to significantly decreasing the number of incidents.
SSQA has always been pivotal in creating a safe, clean, and reliable transit system. The transition to a division provides the structure and foundation necessary for growth and enables Metro to support programs that improve the safety culture and security practices that protect employees, riders, and communities. The need for transit that is safe and accessible to everyone is clear in our growing region. Safety, security, and quality assurance is key to creating a transit community free from harm where all can thrive.
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King County employee represents The American Legion on (the other) Capitol Hill
Whether it is directly or indirectly, the work of all King County employees is in service to the residents of King County. So it should be no surprise that many County employees bring an attitude of service to their personal lives as well.
One such example is Rafael A. Munoz-Cintron, a Paralegal in the Prosecuting Attorney’s office. A former Senior Airman in the Air Force serving during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Rafael now volunteers representing The American Legion from Washington state.
“The American Legion is the only Veteran Service Organization taking a role in advocating to improve conditions for all our Active Duty Service Members,” Rafael said. In everything from adequate pay, better living conditions, improved health coverage for dependents and civilian Department of Defense employees, and childcare, the “American Legion is a steward advocate for those causes.”
Rafael and other volunteers representing the Washington American Legion had meetings in Washington, DC with the offices of Representatives Rick Larsen (WA 2nd) and Adam Smith (WA 9th) and Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.
Rafael said the meetings were very productive, discussing a variety of actions that are being taken to improve the quality of life for active service personnel, including Coast Guard pay legislation, and Veterans Administration programs.
Rafael is also a member of the Veterans and Military Affinity Group (VMAG). “King County has a good track record in its support of veterans in the community and its employees,” Rafael stated. “It’s important to me to be able to support those who serve and who have served in the past.”
As a reminder, as part of the Employee giving Program, King County employees are allowed to use up to three sick days per year for volunteer activities. For more information, please see the Sick Days for Volunteer Service policy.
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Sunsetting the Temporary COVID-19 Personnel Policy
This month, both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated their COVID-19 guidance and removed the five-day isolation requirement for people who test positive for the virus.
Under the updated guidance, people who test positive for the coronavirus should stay home and away from other people until their overall symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. After returning to normal activities, they should wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask for five days when they will be around other people indoors. This updated guidance brings a unified, comprehensive approach for managing COVID-19 and other common respiratory viral illnesses, such as the flu and RSV.
“Thanks to COVID-19 vaccines and other precautions we took,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine, “we are now in a place where we can treat COVID-19 the way we treat other respiratory viral illnesses.” As a result, King County is sunsetting the Temporary COVID-19 Personnel Policy, almost four years to the day of issuing the first iteration.
“Our region was the first in the country to experience a COVID-19 outbreak. We acted quickly and based our decisions on science. We listened to the experts and followed their guidance,” Executive Constantine said. “And thanks to your collective efforts, we were able to limit the spread of the virus and save thousands of lives, while continuing to deliver vital services for the people of this region.”
As part of their update, the CDC continues to recommend that everyone take steps to reduce their risk of getting these viruses and spreading them to others, including getting recommended vaccinations, wearing high-quality masks in crowded indoor settings, and improving indoor air quality. You can learn more about the updated guidance in Public Health’s latest blog: Ask Public Health: What are the latest recommendations for staying at home when sick?
“I want to thank Public Health’s Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin, who is retiring July 1, for his 30 years of service. His expertise and leadership during the pandemic – in conjunction with the efforts of the County’s public health professionals and partners – helped us save countless lives,” Executive Constantine stated. “I also want to thank our front-line employees who ensured customers had access to essential in-person services throughout the pandemic, and all employees who quickly adjusted their work to advance our priorities for this region.”
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Register now for upcoming retirement classes
Check out the educational opportunities below to help you learn about—and prepare for—retirement. Please note, attendance at retirement classes is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related.
The following 90-minute online classes are provided by your King County Retirement Team. To register, use the links below, then select the date you’d like to attend. Before classes start, you’ll receive a meeting invitation at the email address you register with. For additional information, visit the King County Retirement page, read the Retirement Guide, or contact Carmen Johnson, retirement navigator.
Your PERS Pension: Learn about your Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) pension. Guest speaker Jim Mendoza from DRS will discuss your options as a King County employee and answer your questions. Register for Your PERS Pension.
- April 10: 11 a.m.
- June 5: 1 p.m.
Road to Retirement: This class is designed for employees who are planning to retire from King County in the next six months. It covers procedures, forms, medical coverage options, and pension plans—so you’ll be on a smooth road toward a happy retirement. Register for Road to Retirement.
- April 23: 10 a.m.
- April 30: 1 p.m.
- May 18: 10 a.m.
- May 25: 1 p.m.
- June 20: 10 a.m.
- June 27: 1 p.m.
- July 23: 10 a.m.
- July 30: 1 p.m.
Medicare 101: If you are approaching Medicare age and want to learn about your options as a King County employee, then come hear guest speaker Jean Cormier discuss Medicare basics. In addition, Jenny Stark from Regence BlueShield and Hannah Bachelder from Kaiser Permanente will discuss their Medicare Advantage plan options. Register for Medicare 101.
- May 8: 1 p.m.
Introduction to Social Security: Join this class to learn more about Social Security. Guest speaker Kirk Larson from the Social Security Administration will discuss your options as a King County employee and answer your questions. Register for Introduction to Social Security.
- July 10: 1 p.m.
The following 60-minute education sessions relating to the Deferred Compensation Plan are provided by T. Rowe Price. To register, go to T. Rowe Price Education Sessions. For more information, go to the Deferred Compensation Plan web page or contact KC Deferred Comp.
Financial Wellness: Planning for the Year: Each year is an opportunity to refocus on financial goals, and planning is key to success. In this session, you’ll receive tips, ideas, and resources that can help as you’re putting together your yearly plan.
- April 5: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m.
Financial Wellness Overview: This session will identify five practical, actionable strategies and best practices that can help strengthen your long-term financial health. T. Rowe Price will also show you planning tools and resources that can help you along the way.
- April 19: 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.
Women and Retirement: Women face unique challenges when it comes to saving for retirement. From earning less on average to experiencing gaps in work history, it’s easy for women to fall behind in preparing for a financially secure future. In this session, you’ll learn how to focus on things you can control now, and create a saving and investing strategy for the retirement you want.
- May 3: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m.
Social Security Simplified: Learn about the Social Security benefits you might expect when nearing retirement. You’ll explore the background and rules of the Social Security program, along with potential claiming strategies to maximize your benefits.
- May 10: 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.
Saving for Retirement: Deferred Comp Basics: Join this session to learn the basics of retirement savings, how to use your plan to build a retirement savings strategy and how T. Rowe Price can help you save, invest, and plan for the kind of retirement you want.
- June 14: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m.
Roth Topics: During this class, you’ll learn the difference between Roth contributions and pretax contributions and explore the tax advantages and disadvantages each provides for your retirement savings. Also, understand Roth 457 versus Roth IRA as well as the rules surrounding the distribution of Roth contributions.
- June 21: 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.
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Transforming the hiring process with Metro
Interviewing for a new job can be nerve racking and take up a lot of personal time. King County Metro’s new creative way of transforming the hiring process provides a much more user-friendly and efficient approach to both the candidate and the employer. Despite many hiring efforts, there have been more than 40 open mechanic positions in the Vehicle Maintenance Division of King County Metro for multiple years. Now, those open positions are all filled in large part due to the new hiring fairs hosted by Metro.
On October 31 – November 1, 2023, Metro held the first-of-a-kind job fair for vehicle maintenance technicians. This first event brought in 22 candidates and 11 of them secured a same-day conditional offer of employment. In the past, the hiring process was often much slower and less friendly to applicants.
The job fair consists of candidates that had applied online and were invited to take part in this part of the application process. Candidates rotate through stations for skill and knowledge tests. Those who pass then sit down for an interview by a three-person panel. If the panel is satisfied with their knowledge, candidates receive a verbal offer and begin the pre-employment process. If no issues are raised during the pre-employment process, the candidate receives a formal employment offer and begins work in their new position.
“We have reduced a process that could take up to 12 weeks to six weeks, which in a competitive market is vital,” said Larry Ward, Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor at Metro’s Ryerson Base. “When a candidate arrives, the system we now have in place takes what in the past was an eight-step process and puts it all in one location—testing, interviews and pre-employment.”
The new process means if a candidate has the skills Metro needs, they’re leaving the one-day job fair with an offer of employment. The more traditional hiring process can take a long time due the multi-step method, which is a challenge because of the possibility of losing candidates to other organizations. “We could lose a candidate because as they were waiting to get the results of their test and be scheduled for the next step in the process, they could get an offer from another business,” said Ward.
This new method is not only more efficient, but it also provides a more interpersonal approach for candidates and Metro. Candidates who score below the standard on the written and skills test are not allowed to advance but can retest in six months. This new system allows for more one-on-one time to discuss what they need to work on before they test again. Having this knowledge is invaluable to a candidate and provides a more personal, supportive, and proactive experience. This also showcases the King County True North and values from the very beginning of the process.
Attracting and retaining mechanics at Metro is critical. Metro’s fleet needs regular repairs and maintenance and the team have been short-staffed for a few years. Having the ability to fill open positions in an efficient way by utilizing this new approach has proven to be a great solution.
So far Metro has hosted six hiring fairs with one more scheduled for the Spring of 2024. All of Metro’s career opportunities can be found 24/7 at kingcounty.gov/MetroCareers.
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