King County is moving to Teams – Learn to make a call
By now, many employees have been notified that Skype is retiring and King County is moving to Teams. Most employees will move by the end of the year, and KCIT will let each person know multiple times by email when that happens for them.
For those employees wondering how Teams will work for their phone calls, the process is super easy.
Below is a sneak peek at the new Teams screen showing how to make a call. KCIT will let each employee know when Teams phone calls are turned on.
Moving to Microsoft Teams is a big change, and KCIT is here to make it easy for each employee. There is a robust plan to support employees through this change:
- KCIT Training Hub – Employees are encouraged to learn more about Calling in Teams, or explore other Teams features on the KCIT Training Hub Teams page.
- Teams Live Labs – Before employees make the move to Teams for calls, meetings and chats, they will have the chance to attend an online, live lab for an overview of Teams and a chance to get questions answered. KCIT will share an invitation for these labs when the time comes.
For questions or more information, visit the Skype-to-Teams FAQs or contact the Helpdesk to get connected to a KCIT Trainer.
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Extension of mandatory telecommuting through July 5, 2021
King County Executive Dow Constantine
Dear fellow King County employee,
This has been a challenging year. We’ve had to radically change many aspects of our lives. The way we work has shifted dramatically for all of us, whether you are working onsite and remotely. First responders and employees delivering in-person services continue to do extraordinary work, adjusting to new safety measures and protocols. Teleworkers have adapted to new technology and changes in the way services are offered. Employees with school-aged children are juggling multiple roles, while the demands of work remain. I thank you for your efforts.
Here in King County and around the country, we are seeing an alarming rise in positive cases of COVID-19. With the arrival of cooler, wetter weather we need to ensure that we continue to do whatever we can to slow the spread of the virus.
With so much uncertainty surrounding our lives, I want to provide a degree of certainty for our County operations going into 2021. That is why I am extending mandatory telecommuting through July 5, 2021, for all Executive Branch employees who are currently telecommuting, except where there is an operational need to physically return to the workplace. King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci, Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, Assessor John Wilson, and Elections Director Julie Wise, have also mandated telecommuting for their employees through July 5, where appropriate. In-person customer services that are currently suspended will also remain suspended through July 5, 2021, except where there is an operational need to shift to in-person service. Employees in other branches of County government may receive additional guidance from their leaders. Please see the full guidance and definitions here.
I have made these decisions based on Public Health guidance for how we can make our workplaces safer for employees and the people we serve. By limiting the number of people in our facilities and on our roads and transit system, we can keep our worksites safer for those employees delivering in-person services.
Decisions on when teleworking employees should return to County worksites will be based on Public Health guidance. I have asked department directors to look beyond July 5 – ultimately towards a time when COVID-19 is no longer a threat to our community – and plan for what the future of our work will look like. Depending on where you work, this may include some combination of part-time or full-time telework and in-person services, and a reimagining of counter services and office space needs.
I have asked for these plans by the end of December 2020 for Administration Building occupants, and the end of March 2021 for non-Administration Building occupants. I look forward to reviewing these plans and sharing them with you in 2021.
Lastly, if you haven’t already done so, I urge you to get a flu shot. While the flu shot won’t protect you from COVID-19, it can reduce your risk of getting the flu, help protect vulnerable populations by slowing its spread, and conserve health care resources so health care professionals can treat COVID-19 and other illnesses. Your health and well-being are imperative, and I urge you to take measures to keep yourself, your family, and your community as safe as possible.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine
King County Executive
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Learn about the Benefit Access Fee
Are you covering a spouse or state-registered domestic partner on your King County medical plan next year? If so, a monthly Benefit Access Fee may apply, depending on the medical plan you choose and your employee benefit group, as shown below. The Kaiser Permanente SmartCare medical plan has no Benefit Access Fees.
If you are eligible for an exemption to the Benefit Access Fee, you must select this each year during Open Enrollment, Nov. 1–15.
Benefit Access Fee exemptions
- If your benefit group and medical plan have a Benefit Access Fee, it automatically applies each year. This monthly pre-tax payroll deduction begins in January. If you qualify for one of the following exemptions to the Benefit Access Fee, you must select the exemption every year during Open Enrollment:
- Your spouse or domestic partner is a King County benefits-eligible employee.
- Your spouse or domestic partner does NOT have access to medical coverage through their own employer.
- You are enrolling in the Kaiser SmartCare medical plan, or, for Regular and Deputy Sheriff employees, the KingCare Select plan.
If you later notify the Benefits team that you qualify for an exemption and would like to discontinue the Benefit Access Fee, that change will be made going forward, but fees already deducted will not be refunded.
Learn more about Benefit Access Fees and Open Enrollment
- Go to Benefit Access Fees
- Attend an Open Enrollment information session
- Watch the Open Enrollment Overview video,
- Go to the Open Enrollment web page
- Contact the Benefits team at 206-684-1556 or KC Benefits
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A Voter’s Guide to the Finish Line: Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
Crossposted from Election Connection
Election Day is officially a week away! Can you believe it? With ballots mailed and drop boxes open since mid-October, here at King County Elections, we’ve been in the middle of an election for a while now and are going full speed ahead!
This year, we projected record-breaking turnout at 90%, and it looks like we’re well on our way! King County has shown up and we’re already at about 55% turnout. Out of 1.4 million registered voters, we’ve had more than 800,000 ballots returned already! We’ve never seen early turnout like this. To hit 90% turnout, we still need to hear from over half a million King County voters.
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Tech Tip: Operating systems update coming
All county employees using County devices will receive a critical operating system update beginning Oct. 26. This update will result in minor changes to the appearance of your system.
Most of the update will not require any action on the part of users except for a restart of their device. The restart will take a bit longer than typical for updates, from about five to 20 minutes.
Thanks for your cooperation, and please let us know if we can answer any questions about the update. Please contact the Helpdesk if you experience any issues.
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Training Spotlight for October 29
- Team Leadership – Online – Team leaders must account for the special and unique circumstance of working in a team where responsibility, accountability, communication, and leadership are shared. Know the benefits and challenges as well as key sources of motivation of empowered teams. You’ll also learn approaches for managing conflict in teams. This training takes place on Wednesday Nov. 4, from 1-4 p.m. The cost is $89 and space is limited. Register here.
- Brain-based Time Management – Online – What we do and how we do it are driven by how our brains are wired. Neuroscience tells us we have 10 brain skills and each one of us has skills that are strong (and skills that are not strong). In this class, you’ll hear about each of these skills so you can identify where the weak areas are for you and most importantly, learn what you can do about it. This three hour class is $50 and space is limited. The next session will be held on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 1-4 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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COVID-19 frontline charities
Crossposted from KC Employee Giving
You asked for it, and we created it. A highly requested list for this years Employee Giving Program was non-profits who are actively serving those affected by COVID-19.
This above link to the comprehensive list is the result of a collaborative, cross-departmental effort to uplift EGP nonprofits that are working with communities who have been particularly impacted by COVID-19/are “on the frontlines.” This workgroup is centered on mutual support of each other as Ambassadors and of the community. The group has taken a broad, inclusive approach to identify the focus areas (still broad in scope): BIPOC, immigrant & refugee, LGBTQ+ communities, and industries/workers who have been impacted. Additionally the group cross-referenced EGP listings with a local, community-generated list of nonprofits engaged in COVID emergency response for inclusion.
Browse the comprehensive list here
We plan to feature organizations weekly that are actively aiding in the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are five organizations that we love!
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King County website and PeopleSoft available for use
KCIT has resolved the issues that were impacting the King County website and the PeopleSoft system, and both of these resources are now available for use.
Thank you for your patience and understanding – we appreciate it.
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Return your ballot early
Don’t race against the clock and wait till 7:59 p.m. on Election Day to get your ballot to your nearest Drop Box. King County Elections is expecting about 500,000 ballots back through drop boxes on Election Day alone. Avoid the traffic and get it done early.
There are three ways to return your ballot:
- Ballot Drop Box: If you don’t send back your ballot in the mail, return your ballot to a nearby Drop Box—no stamp required.
- By mail: We recommend dropping your ballot in the mail by the Friday before Election Day to make sure it gets postmarked in time to be counted. Your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day.
- At a Vote Center: King County Vote Centers are available to voters who need assistance completing their ballot. Trained staff and specialized equipment are available to help voters with disabilities cast a private, independent ballot.
Feel free to encourage your friends and family to do the same and share that you voted early on social media (tag and follow King County Elections @kcelections on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. Hashtags: #Hit90 #KingCountyVotes #GOTV #VoteWa). You can also access the King County Elections Social Media Toolkit for posts and images you can easily share on your social media.
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Support survivors and speak out against domestic violence
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and an important time to share information and resources to support survivors. Prior to COVID-19, domestic and intimate partner violence were ongoing epidemics impacting people of all races, ages, genders, and orientations, but this health crisis has continued to intensify during times of stay-at-home orders, school and work transition, increased stress, and isolation as a result of the pandemic.
This is a critical time to learn about domestic violence and connect to supportive resources.
- To get help or support someone in need, review the Domestic Violence Resource Flyer to be connected to resources including safe shelter, advocacy, emotional support, and legal assistance.
- Emergency petitions through King County District Court can be now filed for Anti-Harassment or Stalking Orders remotely.
- King County employees dealing with a domestic violence situation and in need of support, can also call the King County Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at 206-263-8733 or email HRDEAP@kingcounty.gov. Additional employee resources through EAP for emergency housing and community safety can be viewed here.
King County provides support and resources for survivors of domestic violence and their families, and has also partnered with nonprofits that provide domestic violence assistance. Employees can participate in the Employee Giving Program by donating to an organization here.
Together, King County and its employees can create safe communities where all people thrive and have access to the resources they need.
Employee News 