Last chance to complete Open Enrollment
Elect your 2021 benefits by Sunday
If you haven’t already done so, complete Open Enrollment before midnight, Sunday, Nov. 15.
For information about your benefit choices—and what’s changing next year—go to Open Enrollment.
Last-minute help available
The Benefits team will be standing by to help you with last-minute issues on Sunday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at 206-684-1556 or KC Benefits. You can also attend a live Open Enrollment information session on Friday, Nov. 13.
Go to PeopleSoft
The updated PeopleSoft tool is mobile-friendly, so you can complete Open Enrollment from anywhere using your smart phone or tablet.
- Login to PeopleSoft and select the new Open Enrollment tile.
- Make your selections, then scroll up to Enrollment Summary.
- Click the blue Submit Enrollment button by midnight, Nov. 15. The Elections Preview statement will open in a new window—review, print, or save it.
- Benefits Enrollment Complete will then be checked.
- Click Exit to return to the PeopleSoft main menu.
- For step-by-step instructions, watch the Completing Open Enrollment with PeopleSoft video and read the Open Enrollment PeopleSoft Guide.
If you don’t participate in Open Enrollment, your current elections automatically continue for next year—except your Flexible Spending Accounts and your Benefit Access Fee exemption if you cover a spouse on your medical plan—these must be selected each year.
Get support
Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations
206-684-1556 or KC Benefits
9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Friday
Extended Hours: Sunday, Nov. 15: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Due to COVID-19, the Benefits office is closed for walk-in service.
Records management guidance and resources for teleworking
As King County continues to adapt to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, county employees are facing unprecedented changes. In particular, much of the county workforce is either adapting to long-term telework or facing space consolidations and office moves. These changes have highlighted the importance that records and information play in our everyday work. All county employees access records and information in order to do their jobs and changes to our work environment can present challenges to accessing that helpful information.
Luckily the King County Records Management Program provides various resources and services to help agencies that are facing office moves or transitioning to long-term telework. Please contact Records Management for any assistance or questions at Records.Management@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-2679
Here are several resources for records management.
- Content Manager – Content Manager is an enterprise content management system that can be used to manage both electronic and physical records from the point of creation.
- Records Center Storage – The King County Records Center is the county’s official storage location for inactive electronic records. If you have inactive physical records that are within their retention period, you can send them for secure storage for the duration of their retention period.
- Disposition after Digitization – Are you interested in going paperless and scanning your physical records into a more accessible electronic format? Getting Disposition After Digitization approval allows agencies to manage their physical records in an electronic format, which helps support teleworking employees and space consolidation efforts.
- Physical Records Toolkit – This toolkit includes various resources for employees facing office moves, and provides tools to help manage physical records.
- Consultation – The staff of the Records Management Program is always available if you have any questions or scenarios you need advice about.
Records Management has also developed guidance documents specific to records management and telework:
For more information, contact Records Management at Records.Management@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-2679
Reminder on wearing masks at work
As we try to slow the spread of COVID-19, please remember that all Executive Branch employees must wear face coverings over their noses and mouths if they are likely to be in contact with another individual and distancing of six feet is not able to be maintained.
If an employee has a medical condition that impacts the employee’s ability to wear a mask, they should contact their HR Manager. The county may not be able to reasonably accommodate a disabled employee’s request that they be exempted from the requirement to wear a mask if the employee works in an environment where social distancing is difficult and/or not wearing a mask creates a risk of exposing others.
The County has cloth masks available for all employees to use in the workplace. Individuals should use County provided masks or substantially similar masks in the workplace. Bandanas, gaiters, buffs, vented masks and face shields are not permitted substitutes for masks.
Because it is still important to conserve medical-grade or N95 respirators for health care workers, unless a particular health reason requires it, individuals should use county provided cloth masks or substantially similar masks in the workplace. Cloth face masks must be worn properly in order to avoid contaminating the hands or face of the user. Here is how to properly wear a mask.
Please see the County’s Guidance for Workforce, Operations, and Customer Service Recovery and Temporary COVID-19 Personnel Policy for full guidance on face masks.
Video: As COVID-19 cases spike, an update from Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
In recent days, King County has seen the highest COVID-19 case counts we’ve experienced to date. In light of these increases, we’re sharing Dr. Jeff Duchin’s November 6th, 2020, press briefing where he discusses the rising numbers and what we need to do to turn around this outbreak. View the update below.
Pet of the Week: Tinsy
Hi, I’m Tinsy, and I am looking for my forever home! I am an affectionate, talkative and independent lady! I like getting attention on my own terms. I can get overstimulated with petting, so please move carefully with me and keep an eye out for signs that I might need a break. My personality color is RED. I am a spirited cat with a fun-loving personality! I may be sensitive to handling, so I would do best in a home with a cat savvy family who knows when to give me some space.
Read more and view all available pets at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Have you or someone you know adopted a pet from RASKC? Let us know. We’d love to tell your story.
Additional Mental Health First Aid@Work Trainings added
More than 20 million Americans experience a mental health challenge in any given year. In a world that sometimes makes it feel impossible to ask for help, it’s up to all of us as people leaders and co-workers to know when to help, what resources are available, and how to offer support. Mental Health First Aid@Work Trainings will teach you how to recognize the signs and symptoms of different mental health challenges and conditions and connect someone to resources at work or in the community. Trainings have been scheduled through the end of the year. Check out the full schedule here.
Training Spotlight for November 12
- Building Gender Inclusive Spaces – Online – In this two-hour workshop, participants will learn foundational knowledge of gender and sexuality and best practices to support a gender diverse workforce, with a focus on the intersection of race and LGBTQ+ identities. Participants will have the opportunity to move through real-life scenarios, apply their understanding of pronoun use, and develop strategies to advance gender equity at King County. This training is free and takes place on Monday, Nov. 16, from 1-3 p.m. Register here.
Seattle College Winter offerings will be posted by the end of next week. Please visit our King County Eventbrite page website for these and 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.
New tool available to help employees choose medical plan during Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is King County employee’s annual opportunity to evaluate employee benefit options and make changes for the upcoming year. The 2020 Open Enrollment period is currently open until November 15.
Employees who are considering choosing a new medical plan may be interested in the Washington Health Alliance’s 2020 Quality Composite Scores for Medical Groups and Clinics. This tool measures health care quality across the state of Washington using four domains (measures):
- Prevention and Screening
- Care for Chronic Diseases
- Coordinated, Cost-Effective Care
- Appropriate, Cost-Effective Care
For more information on this ranking tool, and how it can help you choose an insurance plan, please visit this Balanced You blogpost.
King County Elections and Department of Community and Human Services Election Day partnership
On Nov. 3, King County Elections conducted the largest Presidential election in its history, amidst the backdrop of a global pandemic. As can be imagined, Election employees had been preparing for this day for months. Elections formed a great partnership with the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) Health Ambassadors in the COVID-19 Emergency Services Group. The Health Ambassadors program was developed to play a critical role in King County’s ongoing effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and preserve hospital capacity. The Ambassadors, who perform outreach duties by passing out masks, hand sanitizer, and COVID-19 education tips, were dispatched to various drop box locations and two Vote Centers in King County. Working with Elections staff, they helped with social distancing and line management, while providing a friendly face and a message of appreciation to people who were voting.
Elections also wanted to build a voting experience that was safe and reassuring to all voters. Since the death of George Floyd and so many other Black lives that have been taken through senseless, violent, and racist acts, the Elections team has been concerned about ensuring the safety of staff and voters, while emphasizing a non-militarized and non-police security presence that is community oriented at drop boxes and vote centers. This partnership with the Health Ambassadors provided an additional opportunity to have King County staff available to assist voters and help de-escalate any potentially tense situations. King County Elections looks forward to other ways to partner with the DCHS Health Ambassadors in the future.
Supporting mental health and well-being through the 2020 Annual Giving Drive
This week, we are highlighting nonprofits whose work supports mental health and well-being. These and hundreds of nonprofits are participating in this year’s Annual Giving Drive.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (1508) – Exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education and to reaching out to people with mood disorders.
- Kitsap Mental Health Services (0907) – Kitsap Mental Health Services provides recovery-based behavioral healthcare for people of all ages. Services are each designed to best support an individual’s recovery.
- Mental Health American, formerly National Mental Health Association (4035) – The nation’s leading community-based non-profit dedicated to helping all Americans achieve wellness by living mentally healthier lives.
You can go online or use a paper form by Friday, Nov. 20, to make a pledge to your favorite Employee Giving Program nonprofits by:
- Payroll donation: One-time, once–per-month, or twice-per-month.
- Time donation: Eligible vacation or comp time. See your department Lead Ambassador for details in your office.
- Check or credit card: Made out directly to the nonprofit.
- Volunteering: Up to three sick days per calendar year at a nonprofit in the EGP (for non-represented and employees whose union has approved this benefit, including those covered by the Master Labor Agreement).
For more information, contact your Employee Giving Program Ambassador, visit www.kingcounty.gov/giving, email EmployeeGiving@KingCounty.gov, call 206-263-9405, or attend an online Nonprofit Expo.

