Second Professional Development Scholarship applications under review
The second and final round of completed applications for the 2023 Coalition Labor Agreement’s Professional Development Scholarship Program are currently under review. There are 52 applicants requesting a total of $130,000 in scholarship funds. Awardees for this period will be notified by email no later than July 14, 2023.
The scholarship is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist employees represented by a union in the Coalition of Unions with their professional development by providing up to $3,000 in financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications.
Questions? Please visit the Professional Development Scholarship website or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov.
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Goat Hill Garage open for LGBTQ+ Pride parade
Plan on participating in the LGBTQ+ Pride parade or watching the festivities? Public transportation is an excellent way to get downtown and avoid the traffic. Check out your options at Metro Trip Planner and Sound Transit.
If public transportation is not an option for you, the Goat Hill Garage, normally closed on weekends, will open on Sunday, June 25 for parking from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking will be $9 for the general public and $7 for King County employees. The garage is at 415 Sixth Avenue just across the street from the Chinook Building.
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FEMA Public Assistance Program Cost Reimbursement Team receives 2022 Innovation Award for Cost
The Department of Executive Services and Office of Emergency Management – FEMA Public Assistance Program Cost Reimbursement Team has been honored with the Innovation Award for Cost. This award, part of King County Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards, is one of the of five Innovation Awards highlighting department teams whose projects, improvements, and ingenuity deliver exceptional, measurable results. “We solve problems” and “We drive for results” are core values at King County, and these award recipients met challenges in creative and impactful ways.
Meet the team and view the award announcement and video here.
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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.
The following online classes are provided by your King County Retirement Team. For additional information, visit the King County Retirement page, read the Retirement Guide, or contact Carmen Johnson, retirement navigator.
Introduction to Social Security — Wednesday, July 12 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Join this 90-minute class if you are interested in learning 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.
Road to Retirement — Tuesdays, July 18 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; July 25 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; Aug. 22 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; Aug. 29 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
This 90-minute 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.
Medicare 101 — Wednesday, Aug. 9 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
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.
The following virtual education sessions relating to the Deferred Compensation Plan are provided by T. Rowe Price. For more information, go to the Deferred Compensation Plan web page or contact KC Deferred Comp.
Saving for Retirement: Deferred Comp Basics — July 13, 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and noon
Join this one-hour 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. Register for Deferred Comp Basics.
Roth Topics — Friday, Aug. 11 at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.
During this one-hour 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. Register for Roth Topics.
Building a Retirement Investment Strategy — Friday, Aug. 25 at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and noon
Learn the basics of investing in this one-hour session, including asset allocation, diversification considerations, and when to make adjustments to your 457 Plan account. Register for Building a Retirement Investment Strategy.
Please note, attendance at retirement classes is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related.
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Update on the budget process and next steps
Dear employee,
Back in late April, Executive Constantine emailed you about the unavoidable budget cuts facing the County’s General Fund.
As the Executive explained, state law prohibits more than a 1% annual increase in the property tax. When inflation grows, that law prevents us from keeping up with rising costs, and inflation has been as high as 9.5% in recent years.
King County was able to pass a two-year budget last year, and while the overall budget is healthy, it’s based on several funding sources. One key component – the General Fund – faces increased expenses due to inflation and with the projected shortfall in this critical portion of the budget, we must make proposed cuts beginning this year, which will take effect next year.
Some departments are more reliant on the General Fund than others. The General Fund supports a number of expenses required by the state, like operating a jail and the court system, which cannot be cut. That leaves the remainder of the General Fund to face reductions, which can’t be spread out among the General Fund evenly.
The Executive will send a proposed budget to the County Council this fall to make some of these reductions, which will decrease the size of cuts needed in another budget next year. Starting early will allow time for cuts to be phased in, staff to find other jobs where necessary, and clients to find alternatives to our services where available.
I want to emphasize that no decisions have been made yet. Executive Constantine will send his recommendations to the County Council in early October.
The planning instructions agencies received last month included budget goals to meet, and each agency will find the best solution to balance the needs of the people we serve and create the smallest impact on our work, and our colleagues. This could potentially include making reductions or finding savings elsewhere by eliminating open positions or not filling vacant positions. However, it is likely some filled positions will be eliminated next year.
Departments will develop plans that meet their target goals and send those to the budget planners, who will then work on building a proposed budget for the Executive. This budget will not be final until the Council passes it.
I know this can be an anxious time and uncertainty can be stressful. We will continue to support you in your employee experience here at King County. I encourage everyone to work with their supervisors and the HR team to help address any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Dwight Dively, Budget Director
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WA Cares Fund paycheck deductions begin July 6
Beginning July 6, you will see a mandatory payroll deduction on your paystub for the state’s new WA Cares Fund long-term care insurance program. Here’s how the deduction will appear on your paystub:
The premium is 0.58% of gross wages (58 cents per $100). The initial maximum value of the benefit will be $36,500 (adjusted annually for inflation).
Submit WA Cares Fund exemption letters to King County by June 26
Some employees may be eligible for a permanent or conditional exemption from the WA Cares Fund. To learn more, go to Exemptions.
If you already submitted your approved exemption letter to King County, you should have received a confirmation email from King County Central Payroll. No further action is required.
If you have been approved for an exemption and did not receive an email from Payroll, submit your approved exemption letter from the ESD no later than June 26, 2023, to avoid the non-refundable WA Cares mandatory payroll deduction that begins in July.
Send a copy of your exemption 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.
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 the ESD. For more information about the program, Contact the WA Cares Fund, go to Learn More, or watch webinar recordings on the WA Cares YouTube Channel.
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Providing support and care for people with substance use disorder: Treatment access in King County
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
In recent years, the pandemic has had a profound effect on mental health and substance use, with increasing numbers of people experiencing anxiety, depression, and loneliness. In 2021, there were over 106,600 deaths due to drug overdose in the U.S. — the highest on record. This reality is felt across the country, including here in King County, where we’ve seen a rise in substance use and overdose deaths. In the face of these tragic impacts, it is important to know where to get help and how to support someone in your community.
King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is acting in partnership with Public Health — Seattle & King County to bring more treatment and resources to communities around the county. Read more.
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Recognizing Metro’s Operators of the Month for March and April 2023
They are our “rolling ambassadors,” the kind, courteous and helpful smile that greets you every day when you ride with us.
Outside of work, they enjoy listening to live music, traveling, astronomy, motorcycle drag racing, and remote-control car racing!
They represent more than two centuries 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. Meet your Metro Operators of the Month for March and April here.
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Three short walks
Cross-posted from King County Parks
As the spring weather finally warms up, King County Parks offers some great options to explore hiking in scenic, shaded landscapes. Whether making a short daytrip to Vashon Island or birdwatching in Marymoor Park, these short walks will get you immersed back in touch with nature in no time.
To be specific by what we mean by “short,” all the walks on this list clock in at around 1.5 miles or less. Read more.
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Regional solutions to reduce stormwater pollution
From the Department of Natural Resources and Parks
King County Executive Dow Constantine recently hosted a regional summit with Tribal leaders, state and federal agency leaders, water quality experts, university researchers, and cities and counties throughout Central Puget Sound to pursue regional solutions to stormwater pollution, one of the greatest threats to water quality in the Puget Sound watershed.
“Reducing the stormwater pollution that threatens the health of people, wildlife and Puget Sound requires collaboration, creativity, and commitment throughout the entire watershed,” said Executive Constantine. Read more here and watch the video below.
Employee News 