PeopleSoft HCM outage notice, December 4-6
To allow for system maintenance, the PeopleSoft system will not be available the weekend of Friday, Dec. 4 through Sunday Dec. 6.
During this planned outage, the Business Resource Center (BRC) will apply vendor updates and maintenance.
This work will begin on Friday, Dec 4 at 3 p.m. and is scheduled to be completed by 6:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec 7.
The system will not be available for access by any County staff during this outage window. There will be a communication sent out to all County staff when the system becomes available.
We realize that this outage impacts all PeopleSoft users and we appreciate your understanding and support.
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Getting a flu shot this season is even more important due to COVID-19
Winter brings with it darker days and cooler temperatures, but also an increase in respiratory illnesses, like the flu. With the risk of COVID-19 increasing as people head indoors, it is recommended to get a flu vaccine to reduce the risk of getting the flu, severe illness, and hospitalization. This helps minimize the need for medical attention and ensures hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices can care for COVID-19 patients and their health needs.
Getting a flu shot is more important than ever. Not only does it prevent flu medical visits, but since it shares some symptoms with COVID-19, getting a flu shot can help avoid confusion, unnecessary quarantine and testing, and stress over potential COVID-19 symptoms.
“In addition to decreasing the number of activities outside the home, wearing a mask whenever in public and social distancing, getting a flu shot is one of the most important actions you can take at this point in time to stay healthy and aid in our community-wide response to the pandemic,” Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, said.
On-site flu vaccines have ended for 2020 at King County. Employees and their family members who have not yet received their vaccine should visit their primary care provider’s office or local pharmacies to get a flu shot vaccine. To easily find pharmacy and clinic locations where vaccines are available based by zip code, use the online HealthMap Vaccine Finder.
Read more about the importance of getting a flu shot from Balanced You, Public Health Insider, and Dr. Duchin.
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Training Spotlight for December 3
Mentorship Lunch and Learn – Online – Would you like to have a mentor, someone who can help you grow professionally? Do you want to strengthen your coaching skills? As a Mentee, you will have a trusted advisor who can help you navigate complex situations, and as a Mentor, you can uncover new or forgotten skills and build influence. This Lunch and Learn is free and the next session is on Dec. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Register Here
Please visit our King County Eventbrite page website for more opportunities. For more information, contact the Learning and Development Team at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov or visit Learning and Development at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.
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Video: As hospitalizations increase, an update from Dr. Jeff Duchin and Matias Valenzuela
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
As cases skyrocket and hospitalizations increase, Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County and Matias Valenzuela, Equity Director for Public Health, shared updates on COVID-19 spread, reviewed what the public needs to do to turn this trend around, and discussed new data that shows where people most frequently report being exposed to COVID-19.
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Metro urges protective measures, shares reported numbers
Crossposted from Metro Matters
On Nov. 15, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a four-week statewide set of restrictions in response to the increased rate of the COVID-19 infections in Washington and across the country. King County also has seen an increase in cases, with south King County disproportionately impacted.
Since the beginning of the pandemic and especially during this time, the safety of Metro’s employees, customers, and community members remains our highest priority.
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Giving thanks for those who continued to serve at Thanksgiving
Last week, many King County employees were able to take time to celebrate the Thanksgiving Day holiday, but many employees continued to serve our community throughout the holiday.
At this time, as we battle the spread of COVID-19 and care for people impacted by the virus, we want to thank the many employees who continued to serve our community during Thanksgiving.
We send a special thank you to the many employees – bus operators, medics and other health care professionals, Isolation and Quarantine Facility staff, corrections officers, sheriff’s deputies, and many others – who served our community over the Thanksgiving holiday. Thank you!
King County never stops serving and we are grateful for your service and care at this challenging time.
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New statewide COVID-19 exposure notification tool
The State of Washington has launched a new app that alerts residents if they have potentially been exposed to COVID-19. WA Notify is a simple, anonymous exposure notification tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. By adding WA Notify to their smartphones, Washington residents will be alerted if they spent time near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19.
WA Notify uses privacy-preserving technology jointly developed by Google and Apple and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data. WA Notify is free and can be enabled in iPhone settings or downloaded as an app from the Google Play Store for Android phones. Users can opt out at any time.
Read more in the official press release.
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King County Information Technology Director Tanya Hannah recognized by national CIO agency
Seattle CIO, part of a national leadership network that recognizes chief information officers (CIO), recognized Tanya Hannah, King County CIO, with its 2020 Public Sector ORBIE Award. This award recognizes CIOs who have shown excellence in technology leadership, and honors Tanya for her work in government and with education organizations.
The CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards is the premier technology executive recognition program in the United States. Since inception in 1998, over 1,200 CIOs have been honored as finalists and over 300 CIO of the Year winners have received the prestigious ORBIE Award.
Tanya says the award reflects not just her work but that of her 460-person KCIT team. “Our team is doing amazing things each and every day so that everyone in King County can thrive,” she said. “So many people here have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership. I could not be prouder of my team.”
This year, because of the pandemic, the work of public sector CIOs like Tanya has created enormous value for their organizations, Orbie Award officials said in announcing the winners.
“This pandemic has altered how we all do business, and through tough times comes the greatest innovation,” Orbie Award officials said.
Pictured: The ORBIE Awards, recognizing CIOs who have shown excellence in technology leadership.
Expanding virtual government services is especially critical right now because of the pandemic, Tanya adds. Priorities include supporting the pandemic efforts of County departments, particularly Public Health – Seattle & King County and the Department of Community and Human Services, meeting the electronic customer service needs of agencies, and helping teleworking employees be successful. She loves her job also because of the challenging nature of technology, which changes so rapidly.
“My job is always new,” Tanya says. “As CIO, I can make a difference to the strategic capabilities of King County through technology — that’s incredibly motivating. It means a real difference in the lives of people here.”
Learn more about the Seattle CIO awards here, and about the ORBIE awards here. For information about how KCIT is leading the way visit www.kingcounty.gov/KCIT.
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Giving Tuesday: Make a difference today and all year long
As our Annual Giving Drive winds down, you can still make a difference through the Employee Giving Program. Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving powered by social media and collaboration. For just one day, we have reopened the online pledging system for payroll donations. To join the movement, give now.
More than 500 past contributors have yet to renew payroll for 2020. Renewal is easy — but not automatic. Renew now.
If you’ve already pledged — thank you for your generosity!
On Giving Tuesday and all year, we work with hundreds of nonprofits to make our community and world healthier, stronger and more vibrant.
Thank you for all you do, and for allowing the Annual Giving Drive to be so successful. This year we have raised over $2 million for organizations that make a substantial difference in our community. We look forward to continuing this impact through Giving Tuesday.
Learn more at www.kingcounty.gov/giving, and read about employee giving at the KC Employees news blog. For questions or more information, contact EmployeeGiving@kingcounty.gov.
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Training Spotlight for December 1
- Mindfulness and Emotional Resilience – Online – This 2-session workshop introduces techniques specifically designed to enhance participants’ ability to be aware of and respond to difficult emotional situations with both mindfulness and compassion, a combination which cultivates emotional resilience. This training takes place on Dec. 10 and 17, from 9:00am to 11:00am each day. The training is free and space is limited. Register here.
- Communication and Problem Solving Skills – Online – Join instructor Lenny Borer for this two-day training. He will address communication and problem-solving skills with the public and with co-workers. This two-day class covers skills for effective listening, speaking, dealing with conflicts, and dealing with defensive behavior. This training is $65 and space is limited. It takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 8 and 9, both days from 1-4:30 p.m. Register here.
Please visit our King County Eventbrite page website for more opportunities. For more information, contact the Learning and Development Team at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov or visit Learning and Development at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.
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