Use your King County benefits to safely commute to work
King County offers employees a variety of safe commute options to help you arrive at your destination with confidence through the Employee Transportation Program (ETP). Your King County employee ID badge doubles as an ORCA card. One tap of your card pays your fare on the following regular services:
- Metro Transit, Sound Transit Express, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, Kitsap Transit, and Everett Transit bus service.
- Link light rail
- Sounder train
- Seattle Streetcar
Take free, unlimited trips on regional transit, any day, any time, for any reason! Learn more about your King County Employee Transportation Program commuter benefits in this video below or visit kingcounty.gov/ETP for more information.
For more information on employee safety programs and resources, check out the Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness Homepage (employee access only).
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Changes for Fleet motor pool drivers in downtown garages
Do you use any of Fleet’s motor pool vehicles based in downtown Seattle? If you drive motor pool vehicles in either Goat Hill Garage or King Street Center, read on for some important updates.
The Goat Hill Garage has been having some connectivity challenges and the License Plate Reader capability is currently down. Fleet has garage access cards for your use when driving a motor pool vehicle. Look for the small packets attached to the vehicle keys with an “S” shaped carabiner, making it easier to detach the packet from the keys to use at the gate of the garage. The packets, consist of the following:
- Voyager Fuel Card
- Goat Hill Garage Access Card (tap on the card readers with circles on them)
- Information Card
King Street Center will be undergoing some construction, adding more Electric Vehicle charging stations on Level B where Fleet vehicles are parked. Starting Friday, Feb. 13, the Fleet vehicles will be moved to designated parking spaces on the ramp between Level A and Level B. The parking spaces will be specified in WeGo and located on the placard that hangs from the rearview mirror. Please park the vehicles in the correct spaces for the next customer using the vehicle. This is a temporary move until the new charging stations are completed this summer.
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Deputy Abts-Olsen recognized by the Seattle City Attorney’s Office
Crossposted from the King County Sheriff’s Office Employee Newsletter
Deputy Nic Abts-Olsen was recently recognized with a commendation from the Seattle City Attorney’s Office for his compassionate, trauma-informed response to a stalking victim who had recently relocated for safety.
Deputy Abts-Olsen took the victim’s concerns seriously, conducted a thorough investigation, coordinated directly with the City Attorney’s Office, and went above and beyond to help protect her sense of security. The victim later shared high praise for his care, professionalism, and dedication.
The Victim Advocate Supervisor also said “His initiative and compassion made a meaningful difference for this victim.”
Thank you, Deputy Abts-Olsen, for your outstanding work and for showing empathy and respect when it mattered most.
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Exclusive savings through TicketsatWork: TurboTax
King County employees get access to exclusive discounts and deals through ticketsatwork.com.
Save an extra 20% on TurboTax
File your taxes with complete confidence with TurboTax and take advantage of two great deals.
You can file on your own with step-by-step guidance and get unlimited expert help as you go, plus save 20% when you file! Learn more here.
Or let a dedicated expert do taxes for you, start to finish. For a limited time, let a TurboTax expert do your taxes for $150 flat. No hidden fees. Includes all tax situations, federal and state included. Applies if a TurboTax expert didn’t file for you last year. File by 2/28. Learn more here.
TicketsatWork is updated daily with seasonal offers and exclusive savings on everything from home entertainment to your everyday needs. Visit ticketsatwork.com/tickets and use the company code KingCounty to begin receiving discounts and extra special offers on your go-to brands and most-loved experiences, including brand new offers on cruises, just in time for spring travel.
See all available discounts on the Employee Discount intranet page.
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KCIT launches innovative app to support DNRP Park Rangers
King County IT’s GIS Center recently launched a new app for the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Park Ranger program, marking a significant advancement in how King County monitors and manages park incidents. Built exclusively for DNRP, this tool provides the first centralized system for tracking park rule violations and other incidents – data that will help improve park safety and enhance the visitor experience. The goal is simple yet powerful, to turn Rangers’ “boots on the ground” work into actionable insights for King County leadership.
Using the app, Rangers can now document incidents – such as unleashed dogs in restricted areas – directly from their mobile devices, including phones, tablets, and laptops. Each report is tied to a precise location on a GIS map, creating a detailed record of where and when incidents occur. Back in the office, rangers and Parks leaders can access a dashboard to review data, analyze trends, and visualize patterns geographically. This new capability enables DNRP to allocate resources strategically and respond to issues more effectively.
By transforming field observations into data-driven decisions, this app represents a major step forward in supporting King County Parks and the communities they serve. The Park Ranger app is another example of the hundreds of apps KCIT’s GIS Center supports to help King County employees be more effective in their roles.
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Energize your workday with King County Activity Centers
Hoping to move more while working onsite? Energize your workday and unleash productivity and overall well-being with onsite fitness resources and movement breaks. Maintained by Balanced You, King County provides numerous worksite Activity Centers. These conveniently located spaces provide opportunities for employees to get moderate levels of physical activity and movement – before, during, and after work.
Every Activity Center is different, and may feature various commercial grade cardio and strength equipment including treadmills, ellipticals, recumbent bikes, dumbbells, stretching areas, stability balls, and more. Check out this fun video to learn more and see your co-workers in action!
See where the Activity Centers are located, and view the video below to learn more.
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King County to observe Presidents Day holiday on Monday, Feb. 16
Most King County offices will be closed in observance of Presidents Day on Monday, Feb. 16. Due to the nature of our work, some services will continue as normal while others will operate on a reduced schedule.
Metro will remain on regular weekday service.
If you have any questions about your schedule, please talk to your supervisor. Offices will return to normal service on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
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KCCF celebrates two sergeant promotions
Crossposted from the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention Employee Newsletter
Colleagues, friends, and family members packed the Seattle Division Roll-call Room at the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) to celebrate newly promoted Sergeants Kristine Raknes and Rey Auriada. Read more.
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Executive Zahilay shares latest Executive Update
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay shared a video update of some of the priorities he’s been working on.
“January has been the first full month of my new administration and our King County teams have been hard at work opening new affordable housing, expanding public transit, organizing federal response, supporting flood recovery, and building out a team that can begin advancing my policy priorities,” the Executive said in a post on LinkedIn. “We will keep you updated!” Watch the video on LinkedIn.
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Employee discount at downtown Seattle coffee shop
Parlour Pioneer Square coffee shop is happy to offer King County employees a 15% discount on coffee drinks and coffee products. Purchases must be made in person, and employees will need to show their King County ID badge in order to receive the discount. Parlour Pioneer Square is located at 119 Yesler Way.
See all available discounts on the Employee Discount intranet page.
Employee News 