Benefits Unlocked: Supporting you in navigating your benefits
Do your benefits ever feel like a puzzle that’s hard to put together?
Many employees run into stress when trying to figure out their health insurance, whether it’s for physical, dental, or mental health.
King County’s new Benefits Unlocked series is here to simplify that process. Join the Balanced You team’s Karla Clark and the Benefit team’s Matt Munson as they discuss topics such as finding a healthcare provider, understanding how to make changes, anticipating any costs, and more. Together, they will answer your questions and help you feel more confident using your insurance to access care.
Learn more and watch the video.
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Women in Rail inspiring future trades workers
Crossposted from the Metro Layover Employee Newsletter
Metro’s Women in Rail Employee Resource Group (ERG) helped showcase careers in skilled trades at the 45th annual Washington Women in Trades Fair earlier this month at Seattle Center.
Lead Track Maintainer Stephanie Forester, Lead Maintenance Service Center Worker Helen Nicdao, and Lead Facilities Electrician Erika Ruff staffed the Rail Division table, giving attendees a hands-on look at the equipment and work that keep Metro’s rail system running every day.
This year, the group wanted the display to feel authentic to the work employees do in the field. Their table featured welding equipment, a used piece of light rail track, a sledgehammer, a three-foot wrench, and other tools used on the job. In fact, a sign warning that the “wrench is dirty” had to be added because every item on display came directly from the field.
Throughout the event, attendees stopped to ask questions, hear personal stories, and learn more about careers in rail and trades work. Stephanie Forester shared her enthusiasm for helping inspire more women to explore careers in the field.
“We as women can do anything,” she said. “It’s time to get more women out in the field and show them how it’s done!”
Women continue to be underrepresented in many trades professions, making events like the Washington Women in Trades Fair an important opportunity to build visibility, connection, and support while encouraging the next generation of trades workers.
Pictured: From left to right, Lead Facilities Electrician Erica Ruff, Lead Maintenance Service Center Worker Helen Nicado, and Lead Track Maintainer Stephanie Forester staffed the Rail Division table at the 45th annual Washington Women in Trades Fair.
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Employees only: Join us for Pride Flag Raising Ceremony on Monday, June 1
We invite employees to kick off Pride Month with King County Executive Zahilay at the King County Pride Flag Raising ceremony. All interested employees are welcome to attend with supervisor approval. Participation is completely optional.
The event will include light refreshments and recognition of employees and community members whose leadership, advocacy, and service continue to strengthen and support LGBTQIA+ communities across King County.
- Monday, June 1, 2026
- 11 a.m.
- King County Administration Building Plaza
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Executive Zahilay announces key amendments and regional partnerships to improve Sound Transit 3 system plan for King County
Yesterday, Executive Girmay Zahilay announced his sponsorship for new amendments to the ST3 system update plan that will advance critical transit projects in King County and improve accountability at Sound Transit.
The Sound Transit Board is expected to vote on these amendments and updated plan on Thursday. In March, the Executive committed to regional collaboration to address the agency’s $34.5 billion funding shortfall while keeping projects affordable and moving forward.
“Addressing a budget deficit of this size is incredibly challenging, and difficult decisions were always going to be necessary,” said Executive Zahilay. “Even so, we made meaningful progress to move all of King County’s projects forward, and no project has been permanently shelved or taken off the table. I’m grateful to community members who have spoken out over the past few months to make their priorities clear, helping the board shape a stronger plan for our region. There is still a lot more to do, and I will continue working with federal, state, and local partners to secure the resources, cost savings, and efficiencies needed to deliver the transit system that voters approved in 2016.” Read more.
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Finding calm in times of change: The power of mindfulness
Are you noticing increased stress due to ongoing uncertainty?
During times of change, it’s common to feel a mix of emotions – such as anxiety or frustration – alongside hope for what’s ahead. Mindfulness offers a way to pause during difficult feelings, notice what’s happening in the moment, and respond with greater calm and clarity.
Balanced You and King County provide resources to help employees learn about and practice mindfulness skills. Read more.
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Celebrate American wetlands this month!
Each May, we celebrate American Wetlands Month to shine a light on these special ecosystems that provide clean water, flood protection, and critical habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetland Inventory Program, a vital tool for tracking wetlands across the United States, including right here in King County. You can learn more about this work and check out status and trends in the NWI’s 50th anniversary Storymap. The NWI includes a wetland inventory that was developed by King County and adopted by the USFWS in 2024. Read more.
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Summer ultimate frisbee season ready for launch
King County’s ultimate frisbee team is back for another summer season, with Wednesday evening games starting in June and running through mid-August. Players of all experience levels are welcome, including anyone brand new to the sport. It’s a great way to meet colleagues, get outside, and keep the momentum going after work hours.
Interested? Reach out to Danny Arauz or Amelia Bahr for details.
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Older Americans Month: Investing in senior health promotion
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
Every May, the nation observes Older Americans Month (OAM) to recognize the contributions of older adults, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm our commitment to helping older adults thrive in their communities.
The 2026 OAM national theme, Champion Your Health, focuses on prevention and wellness as cornerstones of healthy aging. It highlights the importance ofevidence-based approaches, caregiver roles, and community partnerships that empower individuals to lead healthy lives. Read more.
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New online marketplace coming for surplus goods
Crossposted from the DES Express
Fleet Services, which manages the county’s surplus goods, is launching a new inventory management system called Rheaply that will include an online marketplace to make it easy to request surplus items. The initial rollout of the new system in the coming months will be for departmental surplus coordinators, who order items and request surplus goods. Later this year, it will be available for all county employees to request free surplus items for business use.
“We have an internal marketplace where folks can peruse to find items that they need, so they don’t have to come in person anymore,” said Andrew Cronholm, deputy director of Fleet Services. “This will create internal efficiency, it will create a better customer experience, data quality and reporting accuracy.” Read more.
Pictured: Surplus employee Diane Voiland affixes a Rheaply QR code sticker to a microwave. These QR code stickers will make it easier for Surplus employees to inventory, manage and report on surplus goods located in various county locations.
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Tenaya Scheinman, former Inquest Program Attorney, sworn in as King County Superior Court judge
Crossposted from the DES Express
Tenaya Scheinman, former attorney for the King County Inquest Program in the Department of Executive Services, was sworn in on May 1 as a judge for the King County Superior Court. She has been an attorney for the Inquest Program since 2024, presenting evidence to juries investigating the facts and circumstances of deaths involving law enforcement.
She also served as a judge pro tempore in King County District Court, Snohomish County District Court and Edmonds Municipal Court.
Scheinman was appointed by Gov. Bob Ferguson to fill a position vacated by Judge Jim Rogers’ retirement. Read more.
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