Executive Constantine announces winners of the 2023 Green Globe Award
The Green Globe Award is King County’s highest honor for environmental stewardship. Eleven individuals and organizations from across King County were recently honored by Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks with a 2023 Green Globe Award for outstanding work to protect and restore the environment, and contributing to a more resilient, sustainable, more equitable King County. Read more here and and watch the video below.
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King County Executive and County Council proclaim June 19, 2023 as Juneteenth
In recognition that Juneteenth commemorates the traditional observance of the end of slavery in the United States and that the King County Council adopted Ordinance 19209 on November 17, 2020, making Juneteenth an official holiday for King County employees, Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council have declared June 19, 2023 as Juneteenth. Read the full proclamation below.
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DES Director Caroline Whalen announces retirement after 29-year career
Caroline Whalen, Director of the Department of Executive Services (DES), has announced that she will retire from King County in early September 2023.
“I appointed Caroline our DES Director back in 2010 and she has proved time and again to be one of King County’s most effective and respected leaders, one who leads by example with both words and actions,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said. “As sad as I am to see Caroline go after a stellar 29-year King County career, I am incredibly grateful for her many years of service and counsel. She will be sorely missed.”
Caroline was an early adopter of Lean, working to foster a culture of continuous improvement and standard work in DES, and this culture remains deeply embedded in DES today. She was honored with the 2019 Fred Jarrett Leadership Excellence Award in recognition of her exemplary leadership, embodiment of our values, and best-run government approach to her work. Earlier this year, Caroline was instrumental in the launch of the King County Customer Service Center, which opened to the public on April 20. Caroline provided leadership and strategic direction for the project, which delivered a new “one-stop shop” at King Street Center for many of the county’s most-requested services – just one of her many achievements for the County.
An internal process to identify the next DES Director will begin soon, who is expected to be on board before Caroline’s retirement to ensure a smooth, seamless transition.
Please join us in thanking and congratulating Caroline and wishing her the best in her next endeavors.
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State retirement plan contributions change July 1, 2023
Employer contribution rates for some of the following retirement plans will change on July 1, 2023, as approved by the State Legislature. The state Pension Funding Council adjusts contribution rates, as needed, to fund the retirement benefits earned by members.
The PERS employer rate will change to 9.39% for all PERS plans. There were no changes to the LEOFF plans. The PSERS employer rate will be 9.63%.
You will see the new employer contribution amounts under employer-paid benefits on your paystub beginning July 20, 2023.
More information is available on the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) website. If you have any questions about the rate change, please contact DRS at 800-547-6657 or recep@drs.wa.gov.
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City Hall Park reopens today
The City of Seattle reopened City Hall Park, adjacent to the King County Courthouse, to the public today, Tuesday, June 13.
The park will remain open between 6 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., seven days a week. Two full-time Park Rangers will be onsite in the park during these hours to engage with guests, answer questions, give directions, maintain the peace of the park, and help establish acceptable norms of behavior.
In addition, two Park Concierges will operate from a portable kiosk during weekdays and be extra resources for park guests. A contracted security guard will be on duty in the park during closed hours, from 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., seven days a week. Fencing around the park has been removed, lighting will be expanded or enhanced, and landscape beautification work will be ongoing.
The City of Seattle hosted an official reopening celebration today featuring live music performances by local bands, lawn games, buskers, and food trucks.
Going forward, the City will bring amenities to the park, including buskers, food trucks, coffee carts, café seating, food trucks, a bike repair program, and an arts instruction program, and activities such as Cornhole, Connect 4, badminton, and a giant chess set will be available. Special events will include lunchtime short films, a summer concert series, an evening movie series, and afternoon dance performances.
We will share additional information with employees as more details are provided by the City of Seattle relating to planned programs, events, and activities.
In addition to these resources, the County’s City Hall Park Neighborhood Outreach Team will continue assisting neighbors around City Hall Park. The team was created to connect unsheltered people around City Hall Park with access to services, shelter, and housing, as well as helping people in crisis. It provides supportive services in an area from Yesler Way to James Street and Second Avenue to Fourth Avenue. To speak with a Neighborhood Outreach Team member directly, or if you see someone in crisis within the service area and don’t know what to do, call 206-537-3770.
King County continues to partner with the City of Seattle, community, and other governments to ensure a safer, more welcoming environment in and around employee facilities. For more information on employee safety programs and resources, see this printable one-pager, or visit the Future of Work Personal Safety at Work intranet page (employees only) and the Safety at Work page.
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Second Professional Development Scholarship Program application period now closed
The second application period for the Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is now closed as of June 4. Awardees for this period will be notified via email no later than July 21, 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.
For more information go to the Professional Development Scholarship website or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov.
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Local Services welcomes Sara Estiri to lead Community Needs List program
The Department of Local Services welcomes its newest Project Manager – Sara Estiri!
Sara will lead the Community Needs List program, which is a way for residents to share what their communities need in terms of improvement from a planning standpoint. Read more.
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Gender Inclusion in the Workplace Team receives 2022 Innovation Award for People
The Department of Human Resources (DHR) and Gender Inclusion in the Workplace Team has been honored with the Innovation Award for People. 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.
King County employee engagement surveys found that gender diverse employees felt less engaged, less safe, less well-being, and less belonging compared to all employees. Watch the video to learn how DHR led a multi-pronged approach to bring about changes in policy, training, processes, and facilities to create a more respectful, supportive, and welcoming environment for gender expansive people. View the award announcement and watch the video here.
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Enjoy King County parks this summer
Summertime in the Pacific Northwest is always exciting! We’ve weathered months of rainy, dark days and can finally can enjoy the lush green and sun we’ve been waiting for. Enjoying nature is an important act of self-care; fresh air and sun can boost your mood and relieve stress.
The huge amount of green space in the King County parks system makes nature accessible to everyone. And Trailhead Direct is an easy way to use public transportation to take you directly to hiking trails. Explore the King County Parks and find one near you using the ParkFinder website.
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Printable safety resources one-pager now available
Our top priority is your safety and security at work, and we are continuing to partner with law enforcement, community, and other governments to ensure a safer, more welcoming environment in and around our facilities.
We have put together a one-page document with several contacts and resources to help every King County employee feel safe and secure in and around our facilities. It contains phone numbers for emergency and non-emergency services as well as information on safety programs and resources available to county employees. Download it here.
For more information on employee safety programs and resources, see the Future of Work Personal Safety at Work intranet page (employees only) and the Safety at Work page.
Employee News 