Sure a lot has changed in 2020, but all King County employees are still required to file public records in Content Manager (even if you’re working from home). Complete these easy steps and cross electronic records management off your “to do” list:

1. Delete transitory records from your inbox, SharePoint, or drives.
2. File records with 2020 year-end cutoff dates into Content Manager. Your records will count toward your agency’s year-end filing stats. Don’t know the retention period for your records? See the King County Retention Schedules.
3. Set up your folders for records with a 2021 year-end cutoff date in Outlook, SharePoint, and Content Manager.

“Records management is an employee responsibility all year long, but year end is a great time to clean up and start fresh in the new year,” Lisa Mankin, Records Management Analyst, said.

As King County continues to deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, much of the county workforce is either adapting to long-term telework or facing space consolidations and office moves. So what do you do with the paper records left in your office?

Some agencies have decided to “scan and toss.” A blanket Disposition After Digitization now allows agencies, including those transitioning to work from home, the ability to scan and toss certain types of records as long as they meet the Washington State imaging standards.

“Digitizing paper records can be a time-consuming task, but this solution has the benefit of reducing your file room size and makes records more accessible for employees working remotely,” Mankin said.

Here are additional resources to help employees facing office moves or transitioning to long-term telework:

• Managing Records While Teleworking 
• Managing Records at Home  

For more information, or for a personalized consultation, contact Records Management at Records.Management@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-6889. 

Facilities Management Division (FMD) is in the final phase of installing touchless restroom fixtures throughout King County facilities to create a more hygienic environment for employees and customers, in keeping with COVID-19 best practices.  

FMD’s goal is to provide minimal restroom contact for people using facilities in public-facing buildings and  mitigate potential restroom touchpoint contamination during the current pandemic, while saving energy and water.  

FMD will replace nearly 1,000 wet fixtures in public-facing restrooms by the end of 2020 to take advantage of federal CARES Act funding, which must be used this year. 

Thanks to technological advances, today’s touchless fixtures limit water output and are equipped with solar panels that utilize restroom lights to extend battery life up to three years. Non-rechargeable touchless systems need new batteries every four months. “This version will reduce maintenance costs and minimize battery disposals, in addition to saving water,”  Chris Stenger, FMD Building Operations Section Manager said. 

The project had three phases to replace manual restroom faucets, toilet and urinal flush valves with touchless fixtures. The initial project included installation of touchless soap and paper towel dispensers, which was completed between July and September 2020. Phase 2 focused on wet fixtures in frontline and public spaces with an emphasis on judicial, correctional, and public health facilities that have remained operational throughout the pandemic. Upgrades to Administration Building facilities are now underway as part of Phase 3.  

In addition to touchless restroom fixtures, FMD has implemented additional cleaning protocols to regularly sanitize highly touched surfaces such as door handles, elevator controls, and conference rooms.  

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 9-11 a.m. each day. The training is free and space is limited. Register here. 

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 Learning and Development Eventbrite and our Learning and Development 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. 

This 60-minute, virtual, small group workshop is designed to provide participants with several rounds of mock interview practice and feedback sessions using the STAR-LA method.  To get the most from these mock interview practice sessions, it is strongly recommended that participants have attended the Strategic Interviewing Tips and Techniques workshop and/or have reviewed the 10 minute STAR-LA Method video.  

There are two opportunities to attend this online workshop:  Thursday, Dec. 10 from 1-2 p.m. and Tuesday, Dec. 15 from  noon to 1 p.m. Register here.  

For additional online workshops offered by King County Career Support Services (CSS), visit their Eventbrite page. For more information about CSS along with links to career related tips and resources, visit www.kingcounty.gov/CSS.