Reminder on mask requirements for employees
On June 30, 2021 King County Executive Dow Constantine announced updated mask requirements for Executive Branch employees:
- If an employee has provided verified proof that they are fully vaccinated (see definition below), the employee is not required to wear a mask while working.
- If an employee has not provided verified proof of full vaccination, the employee is required to wear a mask when working indoors, outdoors, and when in an enclosed space with others (for example, when multiple people are in a vehicle). The only time the employee is not required to wear a mask, is if the employee is working at least six feet from others outdoors.
It is also recommended that unvaccinated employees socially distance from others to further protect themselves and others, particularly when working indoors or when working with the public.
Employees in the following settings are required to always wear a mask while working, per state and CDC guidance, due to the nature of their work: correctional facilities, homeless shelters, schools, public transportation, long-term care facilities, and healthcare settings.
Proof of vaccination
If an employee chooses to do so, the employee can provide proof that they are fully vaccinated by either:
- Initiating the COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration process through their NEOGOV Dashboard (click on Dashboard > Forms > COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration) and attaching a copy of an official document (see list below), OR
- Showing one of the following to an HR professional or other designated department representative: o their actual vaccination card, or a photo or a copy of it, or a copy of their state vaccine record, or o a verified medical record.
Departments will not keep copies of vaccination cards, state vaccine records, or vaccine medical records; however, they will document that the employee has been vaccinated, which vaccination was received (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson), and the last date of the vaccination.
People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, like the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. If it has been less than two weeks since a person’s shot, or they still need to get their second dose, they are NOT fully vaccinated/protected.
If you have any questions, please contact your department’s HR Manager.
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King County Pro-equity Actions
You, as an employee may have different (and better) approaches; but here are some first steps about how you can incorporate the four pro-equity actions in your work at the County. For each approach ask “how will I advance this pro-equity action with the urgency needed to help address the public health crisis which is racism?” If we do these things every day, individually and collectively, WE WILL make a difference and WE WILL reach our True North of “Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive.”
- Share power.
Sharing power requires intentionality. It will not happen just because we want it to. Until it becomes automatic, it will require work. Think about the people in the community and your colleagues who are directly harmed by racism and other “isms.” Honor the brilliance and the resiliency of these communities by centering and uplifting their voices.
How are we sharing power at King County?
We have established an Equity Cabinet to partner with and advise the County on how to ensure that our policies, practices, and outcomes align with our intention to lead with equity and racial and social justice.
How will you share power?
- Interrupt business as usual.
We must interrupt the business as usual practices that maintain the systems, structures, and workplace culture that do not advance belonging, true equity, and racial justice. To interrupt them, we have to identify them. In every situation, ask: “What about this situation or actions truly advance(s) equity and racial justice?” If you don’t have an answer, that’s a place to examine further. Then ask, “What can I do to advance equity and racial justice?” Then do that.
How are we interrupting business as usual at King County?
The Executive’s Office is working with Public Health and Jail Health, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and community organizations to divert approximately 1,000 non-violent, first-felony filings from the judicial system. Instead of maintaining the business as usual system, these individuals (who are disproportionately young men of color) will have the opportunity to benefit from a community-based alternative that emphasizes restorative justice and restoration for harmed parties.
How will you interrupt business as usual?
- Replace it with something better.
Removing something bad doesn’t guarantee that something good will replace it. We must take action to ensure that pro-equity and anti-racist approaches, policies, and programs that advance racial equity replace those that don’t.
How are we replacing our business as usual with something better in King County?
The Office of Equity and Social Justice consults with, advises, supports, and trains King County teams to effectively use the Equity Impact Review (EIR) process to center community partnerships and engagement to create pro-equity policies, programs, and practices. The EIR process has been used to develop Open Space Equity, Mobility Framework, Metro’s Subsidized Annual Pass, and Public Health-Seattle & King County’s Food Safety Rating System, among many other areas.
What will you replace with something better?
- Get comfortable with discomfort.
Change isn’t easy, and growth is even harder. Strive to become a change agent and exercise your voice, individually and collectively. We are asking our employees to stretch past your own personal comfort to ensure King County is a welcoming place where every person can thrive. This means, sacrificing our own comfort to address racism – because it IS a public health crisis. For too long, we have considered equity and social justice the responsibility of a designated person or a group. As public servants, we are all responsible for supporting all members of our community.
How is King County is getting comfortable with discomfort?
When racism was declared a public health crisis, a diverse and brilliant group of professionals from across the Executive Branch – known as the Racism is a Public Health Crisis (RPCH) Core Team – was formed to help the Executive address the public health crisis of racism. The Executive centered and uplifted their voices and expertise to develop the 2021-2022 “down payment” budget and policy agenda.
King County is getting comfortable with discomfort in numerous ways, including acceptance of the truth of the following Racism is a Public Health Crisis Core Team Guiding Principle: “We will recognize equity demands sacrifice and redistribution of power and resources to break systems of oppression, heal continuing wounds, and realize justice.”
How will you stretch your comfort to address the public health crisis of racism?
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New process for voluntarily providing vaccination information
On June 30, Executive Constantine announced the next phase in our COVID-19 pandemic, which includes updated requirements for wearing masks and a new process for employees to voluntarily provide vaccination information.
If an employee chooses to do so, the employee can provide proof that they are fully vaccinated by either:
- Initiating the COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration process through their NEOGOV Dashboard (click on Dashboard > Forms > COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration) and attaching a copy of an official document (see list below), OR
- Showing one of the following to an HR professional or other designated department representative:
- their actual vaccination card, or a photo or a copy of it,
- a copy of their state vaccine record, or
- a verified medical record.
Departments will not keep copies of vaccination cards, state vaccine records, or vaccine medical records; however, they will document that the employee has been vaccinated, which vaccination was received (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson), and the last date of the vaccination.
As a reminder, the County’s updated mask requirements for Executive Branch employees are:
- If you have provided verified proof of full vaccination to your HR Manager or their designee, you are not required to wear a mask when working indoors or outdoors, unless you are required to wear masks while working under the state and CDC guidance due to the nature of your work. Employees who are still required to wear masks in their work settings include those in correctional facilities, homeless shelters, schools, public transportation, long-term care, and healthcare settings.
- If you have not provided verified proof of full vaccination to your HR Manager or their designee, you are required to wear a mask when working indoors, outdoors, and in an enclosed space with others (for example, multiple people in a vehicle). The only time you do not need to wear a mask is if you are working at least six feet from others outdoors.
If you have any questions, please contact your department’s HR Manager.
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Jail Health Services new deputy director brings deep background
Cross-posted from Roll Call, the DAJD newsletter
Angela (Angie) Hosking recently joined Jail Health Services (JHS) as Deputy Division Director, offering a wealth of behavioral health experience in her new role.
Before joining King County, she served as the Director of Organizational Development at Western State Hospital – one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in the country.
“I am so excited that she has joined our team, and she has already started immersing herself into our practice and operations,” JHS Director Danotra McBride said in an introductory email.
Soon after being named Jail Health’s permanent Division Director in September, McBride made hiring a permanent Deputy a top priority. She lauded Becca Cole for a “phenomenal job” serving as interim Deputy Director of the Division.
One of Angie’s recent accomplishments was featured in a press release by Gov. Jay Inslee about the implementation of Virtual Reality training. This innovative project supported the agency’s violence reduction initiatives and Angie was part of a core team that included creative directors, psychologists, and a production crew. She transformed her agency’s Employee Development Department, introduced patients into the employee onboarding program to improve employee-patient relationships and reduce violence, and launched the hospital’s first annual in-service program with a focus on improving safety and providing high quality patient-centered care.
Angie also has almost a decade of experience with the Washington State Department of Corrections. She started her DOC career as an officer and ended it as one of the agency’s executive leaders. Her duties included overseeing more than 120 offender programs, administering the agency’s offender classification system, managing a Residential Parenting Program for incarcerated mothers and their children, and other mandated federal safety programs. She served in numerous collateral roles in conjunction with her positions, including chairperson of a Diversity Advisory Council, facilitating several evidence-based programs rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy, and implementing a Violence Reduction Team.
Angie is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the Advanced Studies of Human Behavior.
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Wastewater Treatment Division reaches out for input on accessibility options at a popular trailhead
by Monica Van der Vieren, Communications Specialist, Department of Parks and Natural Resources
What is the first King County agency that comes to mind when you think about accessible recreation? You probably didn’t say the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD). But WTD’s Coal Creek Sewer Upgrade Project team is focused on that important topic right now and looking for input from the community.
WTD’s pipes thread their way throughout the region, moving wastewater from city systems to treatment plants. Pipes run through parks, under trails, roads, and streets, across tidelands and wetlands. Pipes and other facilities need to be regularly upgraded to add capacity for growth, and over time, they just wear out and need to be replaced.
The north section of the Coal Creek Trunk Sewer needs an upgrade and a refresh. The pipe has served Newcastle and part of Bellevue for about 50 years. That section is almost full. The County also has an opportunity to move much of an active sewer pipe away from a fish bearing stream.
To build the new pipe, King County’s contractor will close the Red Cedar Trailhead for up to three years. Trailhead restoration will be based on the City’s 2015 design.
WTD’s Community Services (CS) team looks for both impacts and opportunities on capital projects. At Coal Creek, the CS team recognized that the affected trailhead area would need to be brought up to current accessibility standards. The team came up with ideas for improving accessibility of signage, seating, surface, and content to help people of all abilities plan and enjoy a trip to this area.
This summer, the Coal Creek team is running those ideas by the community they are trying to serve. The team created different opportunities for people to give feedback and share their ideas. Interested people can join a remote meeting on July 14. An online open house and survey will launch on July 7 and run for a month.
How does the City of Bellevue feel about an effort focused on a park they own and manage?
The team is working closely with great partners at the City of Bellevue who really care about improving accessibility. Parks interpretive rangers, operations supervisors, and the City’s ADA Coordinator are supportive of the team’s ideas for onsite and online accessibility options. The City appreciates that King County will run these ideas by the community.
While the Coal Creek project area is small, people living with disabilities think big about accessible recreation. The team may get ideas and input bigger than the project. All input will be shared with the City of Bellevue and King County Parks for future planning efforts.
Visit the project Web page if you are interested in joining this meeting. All are welcome!
And take five minutes to meet a few people living with disabilities and thriving on access to nature and the outdoors by watching this video. You will see how improving recreational access helps meet King County’s values as a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
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Updated guidance on masks and Future of Work planning
Yesterday Gov. Inslee announced that most coronavirus restrictions in Washington would end today. This is great news and signals that, for those who have been fully vaccinated, we can begin to get back to the things we love doing without restrictions.
As we move into the recovery and rebuilding phase of the pandemic, we need to remember that the pandemic is not over, and COVID-19 is still present in our communities. Those who have yet to get vaccinated remain at risk, and we need to be mindful of virus variants.
Following the Governor’s announcement, we have updated the mask guidance for King County employees:
- If you have provided verified proof of vaccination to your HR Manager or their designee, you are not required to wear a mask when working indoors or outdoors, unless you are required to wear masks while working under the state and CDC guidance due to the nature of your work. Employees who are still required to wear masks in their work settings include those in correctional facilities, homeless shelters, schools, public transportation, long-term care, and healthcare settings.
- If you have not provided verified proof of vaccination to your HR Manager or their designee, you are required to wear a mask when working indoors, outdoors, and in an enclosed space with others (for example, multiple people in a vehicle). The only time you do not need to wear a mask is if you are working at least six feet from others outdoors.
- Employees can provide acceptable proof of vaccination by showing photos, copies, or actual vaccination cards, or a copy of their state vaccine data record or other verified medical record, to their HR Manager or designated department representatives. Departments will not keep copies of vaccination cards; however, they will record that the employee has been vaccinated, which vaccination was received, and the date of last vaccination. Employees may choose to self-initiate the COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration process through their NEOGOV Dashboard (click on Dashboard > Forms > COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration).
This information applies to all Executive Branch employees. Employees in other branches of County government will receive guidance from their leaders.
We now begin the process of implementing our Future of Work plans and the way we will deliver services going forward. July 5 is the last day of mandatory telework for Executive Branch employees, but this does not mean a mandatory return to your worksite. Each department’s plan is tailored to its operations, customers, and employees. Some require moving to a new location; some will deliver services primarily in person, primarily remotely, or a combination of the two. Your departments will continue to share their plans and expectations with you over the coming weeks and months. We will gradually reopen in person customer service operations and facilities when it makes sense operationally. At this time, most customer services will remain online or by phone and we have no immediate plans to reopen the Administration Building, Chinook Building, or King Street Center to the public.
This is a big transition and I know that you may have questions. We have built an Intranet site to provide resources, tools, and answers to your questions. You can visit it here (employee access only). We will regularly update this site with new information as conditions evolve.
Throughout the pandemic I have said that once we begin to recover, we have a tremendous opportunity to rebuild and create a fairer, more just society, and we need to do it with urgency. As I said in my State of the County address, if there’s anything we’ve learned this year, it’s that we must act now. We acted with urgency against the pandemic, and we must act with urgency against the other epidemics we face: racism, carbon, and homelessness. Together that’s what we will do.
It has been a long journey to reach this point. I am grateful for everything that you have done to keep you, your colleagues, and our community as safe as possible. I look forward to the work we will do together in this next phase to build a fair, just, welcoming King County where all people can thrive.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine, King County Executive
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Community Corrections Division recognizes Sabrina Gorman for her many years of service
Cross-posted from Roll Call, the DAJD newsletter
Sabrina Gorman started her career with King County 25 years ago as a Corrections Officer in Seattle back in 1996. She was then hired in 2000 as a Personal Recognizance Investigator at the Maleng Regional Justice Center. At the time, the position was under “Court Services,” which is now known as Intake Services and is part of the Community Corrections Division.
What Sabrina likes best about her current position at the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) is the variety of work duties, which makes each day different. She also appreciates the connections with people.
In her role at DAJD, Sabrina has been able to wear many hats: Acting Supervisor, Admin III and Personal Recognizance Investigator. It all helps to assure and assist smooth daily functions for Intake Services while meeting the needs of the courts and her team.
Sabrina is an effective team member who is dedicated to her job and those she serves. Her work ethic brings exceptional value to the Intake Services Team and as a King County employee.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with family, hanging out at her property by the beach, exploring new places, and driving her Race Red Mustang (Boss 302)!
Thank you for your commitment, Sabrina!
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Take care working outdoors during extreme heat
Our region will once again experience extremely hot weather tomorrow, and high temperatures are expected to continue before moderating later in the week. Some of our work needs to be performed outdoors. Executive Branch departments should evaluate planned field work to determine if this work can be postponed to later in the week when temperatures are expected to moderate, where possible. If work must be performed, departments should attempt to adapt schedules wherever possible so work can be performed in the morning.
Please see the following guidance and tips (this guidance applies to Executive Branch employees. Employees in other branches of County government may receive additional guidance from their leaders):
For managers and supervisors
- If an employee normally performs field work outdoors for extended periods, please consider curtailing all non-critical outdoor work on Monday (and potentially additional days depending on conditions)
- Consider adjusting employee work schedules, locations, or regularly assigned duties during extreme heat days if these are options
- If employees must work outdoors, please attempt to have work completed in the morning and avoid work in direct sunlight
- Ensure employees take frequent breaks in the shade or air-conditioned locations (e.g., office space, library, community center, grocery store), and reduce drive times, if possible
- Wherever possible, employees should avoid outdoor work in direct sunlight from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.
For outdoor workers
- Talk to your supervisor about adjusting scheduling to avoid all non-critical outdoor work on Monday, or perform critical outdoors tasks in the morning only
- Take breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned space
- Stay hydrated. Have a beverage with you at all times, and sip or drink frequently. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
- Avoid sunburn. Use a sunscreen lotion with a high SPF (sun protection factor) rating and wear protective clothing.
Remember that mask mandates remain in place. If you are working outdoors, you may remove your masks when:
- You are fully vaccinated and have provided acceptable proof of vaccination by showing photos, copies, or actual vaccination cards to designated department representatives, or
- You are working at least six feet from others.
For everyone
- Check on at-risk friends, family, and neighbors
- If you’re outdoors, take breaks in the shade or in air-conditioned buildings. Avoid direct contact with the sun
- Avoid exercising or strenuous activity in direct sunlight from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday when the heat is most intense.
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more
- NEVER leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open! It only takes a few minutes for severe medical problems and even death to occur
- Watch for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Seek medical care immediately if you know someone who experiences symptoms.
- Certain health conditions and medications make people more sensitive to heat. Check with your doctor about whether you are at greater risk.
Signs of heat exhaustion
- Heavy sweating
- Weakness
- Cold, pale, and clammy skin
- Weak pulse
- Fainting
- Vomiting.
Signs of heat stroke
- High body temperature (103° F or higher)
- Hot, dry skin
- Rapid and strong pulse
- Possible unconsciousness.
More information: www.kingcounty.gov/BeatTheHeat.
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Nature-lover leads West Point Treatment Plant updates
When first contacted about this story Kolby Hoagland started off telling about this great place he knows in the Mt. Rainier National Park for trout fishing. He mentioned the joy of the hike and the beauty of the location. Kolby is the type of person who is made for life in this region. “If it has something to do with the outdoors, I do it,” he said. “Fishing, gardening, soccer and anything in the snow…that doesn’t involve a motor.”
It might sound surprising that someone who has a passion for the great outdoors and the natural beauty of the Northwest works in a field that deals with all kinds of waste and… well, excrement. But the project that Kolby Hoagland leads for the West Point Treatment Plant is designed to keep Puget Sound safe and clean for all its inhabitants. So maybe the contrast isn’t that far of a stretch.
One might think, however, the path that lead Kolby to this role a little sideways. After getting a BA from The Evergreen State College, Kolby got his MS in Agriculture – Soil Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree focus on nutrient cycles and bio-energy crops. He went to work for a bioenergy firm until depressed oil prices decimated the R&D side of the alternative fuels industry. Kolby then took to the air, so to speak, landing a job in Seattle working for a wind energy company. Earth, wind, and sky work combined, it was all the project management experience that made him such a good fit for the King County Capital Project Manager role he now has.
West Point Treatment Plant upgrades
Under the emergency declaration and request for $65 million from Executive Constantine, Kolby leads a project team of King County staff, consultants, and contractors to improve power quality and reliability at West Point. The project team will plan, design, and help construct projects to stop power disruptions from causing plant bypasses of wastewater. The project includes significant coordination and cooperation with Seattle City Light, the source of West Point’s power.
On top of the emergency fund, the County will invest more than $660 million at the plant making improvements over the next 10 years, which will replace pumps and pipes, retrofit facilities for earthquake resiliency, and upgrade the power supply.
“The system goes into a protective mode if power quality dips too low,” Kolby explains, similar to how a fuse in your house may trip if the lights flicker. But, unlike a fuse, “This is very expensive equipment that we want to protect while we keep it operating in order to protect the public and environment of the Puget Sound and the region.”
Most of us, thankfully, don’t have to think twice about where our wastewater goes once we’ve flushed it, or it’s gone down the drain. Fortunately, there is a team of dedicated professionals committed to ensure everything flows smoothly while keeping our public waterways remain safe and clean. Having someone at the helm of this work who enjoys the region’s offerings so enthusiastically the way Kolby Hoagland does, helps to make sure nature’s gifts will remain available to us all.
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King County corrections officers line up for vaccines at clinic
By Noah Haglund, DAJD communications specialist
One by one, King County corrections officers rolled up a sleeve to get a dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Officer Marcus Barrow was among those attending a June 15 clinic at the downtown Seattle jail. Dropping in during his shift helped Barrow fit in the appointment between work and family obligations.
“I saw an opportunity and I took it,” Barrow said. “It was an easy, quick, painless process.”
Employee Health staff hosted the clinic, giving doses to 13 employees at the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle. The next day, they put on a similar event at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. Another 15 employees got a jab there.
These were just two of several events coordinated by the Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention (DAJD), with government partners, to make it easy for King County’s essential workers to get vaccinated.
Other opportunities include inviting DAJD employees to Metro’s Family Vaccination Day in Tukwila on June 26. And since March, DAJD’s HR Department has been scheduling COVID-19 appointments directly for employees at ShoWare Center in Kent, a King County mass-vaccination site across the street from the Maleng Regional Justice Center.
“Providing employees with access to COVID vaccinations is an important priority for our Department,” said Peter Hu, DAJD’s HR manager. “The vaccination protects not only the staff themselves, but also their coworkers, family members and people in custody.”
DAJD’s Juvenile Division has taken a different approach to on-site vaccinations. The Patricia H. Clark Children & Family Justice Center has been working with mobile vaccination teams from the Seattle Fire Department to inoculate detained youth against COVID-19. Youth must have parental consent to get vaccinated.
Juvenile detention officers and other staff also are invited to get vaccinated at those events. During Seattle Fire’s most recent visit, on June 18, two youths and three employees got a COVID-19 shot. Seattle Fire first visited on April 20, when their teams administered doses to nine youths and three employees. The partnership is ongoing.
For more information on getting vaccinated in King County, click here.
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