Reminder: WA Cares Fund payroll deductions begin in July
The WA Cares Fund is a new state long-term care insurance program administered by the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
Beginning July 1, 2023, almost all workers in Washington are required to contribute to the WA Cares Fund via mandatory payroll deduction.
The current premium rate is 0.58% of gross wages, or $0.58 per $100. For example, if an employee earns $50,000 annually, the total annual premium is $290 or $11.15 per paycheck. Use the WA Cares Fund calculator to Estimate your contribution.
Beginning July 2026, people eligible to receive the WA Cares Fund benefit can access a $36,500 lifetime benefit to pay for covered long-term care services.
Exemptions to the WA Cares Fund
Some employees may be eligible for a permanent or conditional exemption from the WA Cares Fund. To learn more and to request a program exemption, go to WA CARES Act Exemptions & Information.
If you are granted an exemption from the ESD, submit a copy of your final approval letter and your nine-digit PeopleSoft ID# by email to: WA.CARES.Exemption.Letters@kingcounty.gov or by U.S. mail to: Central Payroll WA CARES, 401 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.
If you have already submitted your approved exemption letter to King County, there is no need to resubmit it. Central Payroll is processing exemption letters and will confirm receipt by the end of May.
To learn more about submitting an exemption approval letter, go to the King County WA Cares Fund webpage.
More information
King County does not administer any part of the WA Cares Fund beyond collecting premiums via payroll deduction and reporting employee pay and hours to ESD. For more information about the program, call 844-CARE4WA (844-227-3492) or use the following links to the WA Cares Fund website:
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Metro Operators of the Month for January and February 2023
Crossposted from Metro Matters
When they’re in the driver’s seat, they are the kind, courteous, and helpful smile that greets you.
Outside of work, they’re volunteering in the community, cycling and hiking the trails, and sprinting on the soccer pitch and the basketball court.
They represent over a century of experience behind the wheel. The operators who drive your bus are as unique as you, and all of them love driving and giving back to their community. Read more.
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Emergency evacuation training available for county-managed building tenants
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express
If you work in person at a county site managed by the Facilities Management Division (FMD), even on a part time or hybrid schedule, you now have access to self-paced, online evacuation training.
This is a shift from when each floor had “floor wardens” who were trained and assigned to help in emergencies. The change comes as a result of the county’s hybrid work environment.
This expanded training ensures that the first capable person to access the floor warden kit during an emergency is able to act as the floor warden for that event. For more information, click here.
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MLK Committee volunteers needed
The employee-led MLK Committee is seeking volunteers. The committee shares responsibility for organizing the annual MLK Celebration and designing the MLK Calendar for 2024.
There are many opportunities available for those who would like to participate. This includes serving as a Larry Gossett Award ambassador, helping decide speakers and performers, artwork selection for the calendar, and much more.
If you are interested, submit your information here by April 24. For questions, reach out to Jasmine Harbor in the Office of Equity, Racial, and Social Justice.
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KCIA hosts first Airport Managers of Puget Sound meeting
Cross-posted from Plane Talk
King County International Airport hosted the first quarterly meeting of a new group, Airport Managers of the Puget Sound (AMPS), last month. Representatives from 11 airports around the region attended.
“It’s to discuss local issues, concerns and updates,” said Dave Decoteau, deputy director at KCIA, who helped launch the group along with Tim Mensonides of Auburn Municipal Airport and Joshua Marcy of Paine Field. “This month we had a discussion on the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the World Cup upcoming in 2026, the transition to unleaded fuel, and hangar wait lists.”
Decoteau explained that the group chose the name, in part, because the acronym, AMPS, is apt given aviation’s move toward electrification. The group is based on a similar one, the Bay Area Airport Managers, that Decoteau participated in when he worked in the San Francisco Bay area.
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New Customer Service Center opens to the public April 20
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express
King County will open its new Customer Service Center to the public on Thursday, April 20 at 8:30 a.m.
The center, located on the second floor of King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St. in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, is designed to be a “one stop shop” for many of the most-requested services offered by King County, including many offered by DES agencies. Read more.
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Second Professional Development Scholarship launches May 8
The second and final application period for the 2023 Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship Program opens May 8 – June 4, 2023. The Scholarship Program is a benefit offered as part of the 2022 – 2024 Coalition Labor Agreement and is only open to employees represented by one of the unions in the Coalition.
Applicants should familiarize themselves with the revised supplemental questions, rating criteria, and Individual Development Plan, which is highly recommended but not required. Scholarship award recipients who did not receive the full $3,000 from the January/February 2023 period may reapply to receive the remaining difference this period to pay for additional training.
The Scholarship Program is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist eligible employees with their professional development by providing financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications.
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Griffin Creek flooded but now farms and fish return following completion of innovative project
From Keeping King County Green
Heavy rainfall in 2019 and 2021 caused more than just water from Griffin Creek to surge over the banks and fan out across farmer Todd McKittrick’s fields.
Sand, gravel, and rock swept across 15 acres of McKittrick’s fertile land along Griffin Creek, rendering the acreage unusable for farming. The torrent also left adult coho salmon returning to the creek’s spawning grounds stranded in a field amidst the debris and grass, with many of the fish dying before they could complete their journey.
Projects such as Griffin Creek are at the center of the Snoqualmie Fish, Farm, and Flood accord. The cooperative approach dates back a decade to when King County Executive Dow Constantine brought together Snoqualmie Valley representatives to discuss ways of getting past conflict and obstacles between groups that in the past had not always agreed on priorities when it came to land-use management, flood-risk reduction actions, and salmon recovery. Read more and watch the video.
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Retirement resources for Financial Literacy Month
As part of King County’s commitment to employee wellness, Balanced You observes Financial Literacy month. Financial wellness is a key component to overall wellness. This week, we are highlighting retirement resources. Planning for retirement can feel overwhelming, but there are classes available that offer the information you need. If you are planning for retirement, consider attending the classes below.
Road to Retirement
Are you planning to retire in the next six months? If so, join your Retirement Team for this informative two-hour class. We’ll discuss procedures and forms, medical coverage options, and your pension—so you’ll be on a smooth road toward a happy retirement.
Register for an upcoming class.
Your PERS Pension
Are you reaching retirement age? Do you want to learn more about your pension through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) and your options as a King County employee?
Join us for a virtual seminar featuring guest speaker Jim Mendoza from DRS, who will discuss your pension and other options at retirement.
Register for an upcoming class.
Deferred Compensation
If you are a benefits-eligible employee, you can choose to participate in King County’s 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan to assist in your long-term retirement planning. You can elect either pre-tax or after-tax (Roth) contributions in an array of investment choices from T. Rowe Price. Learn more about the King County Deferred Compensation Plan or attend a retirement information session.
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Federal Public Health Emergency ends May 11
President’s Biden’s administration has announced that the current federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 will be lifted on May 11, 2023. This means that King County’s obligations under the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA) will also end as of that date.
Currently the county is prohibited from discharging, replacing, or discriminating against high-risk employees for seeking accommodations or utilizing leave to limit their risk of exposure to Covid-19. Because of the improved conditions in the community which have led to the announcement of the lifting of the state of emergency, as of May 11, the County will no longer be required to accommodate high risk employees under HELSA. Depending on the employee’s type of work and work environment, this may result in a return to the workplace for employees who are currently being accommodated under HELSA.
Until the state of emergency is officially lifted, the County will continue complying with HELSA. The county will soon be communicating with currently accommodated employees to discuss next steps.
Employee News 