Pet of the Week: Bagheera
Look who has their eyes on the prize… it’s Bagheera, our Pet of the Week! This young boy was brought in by a good Samaritan in early August. Bagheera likes to think he’s a panther – because he looks just like one! But that’s all just appearances, though, because Bagheera is actually a gentle and loving cat who likes to take things slow. So, he’s one of our “Bashful Blue” pets – one that would do best in a nice quiet home. He may get nervous in new situations, so he’s looking for a family that understands he might need some time to warm up.
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.
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Rev Up For Retirement online session, Sept. 22
It’s never too soon to start retirement planning. If you’re considering retiring in the next few years, the Rev Up For Retirement class will provide you with a basic understanding of Medicare and Social Security to help you make wise and informed decisions.
- Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 8 -10:30 a.m. Register here.
At this online event, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and meet guest speakers Kirk Larson from the Social Security Administration and Jean Cormier, who will discuss your Medicare and Social Security options. This will be an online session and you will be provided a confirmation email the week prior to the seminar.
Registration is required. Please note attendance is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related. For more information, contact King County Retirement Navigator Carmen Johnson at Carmen Johnson or 206-263-1096.
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Resources for parents and caregivers during COVID-19
Being a parent or caregiver during this pandemic is tough. Between school schedules, naps, entertainment, meals, finances, and work, 2020 is one big balancing act for employees caring for kids.
Balanced You understands the toll that this stressful and unprecedented time is taking on working parents and caregivers, and we want to make sure employees know there are resources available from King County to help you through this. A summary of available resources can be found in this Balanced You blog post. If there’s anything else Balanced You can do to support you, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at BalancedYou@kingcounty.gov.
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King County OEM delivers live webinar on preparedness to celebrate National Preparedness Month
September is National Preparedness Month. Over the next few weeks, the Office of Emergency Management will be reaching out to residents around the County to make sure that they are taking actions to prepare themselves and their loved ones for disasters. As we all continue to face the daily challenges of living through a global pandemic, it is important not to lose sight of other natural disasters that could occur in our region. Earthquakes, flooding, and severe weather, to name just a few, could have an impact on our families, friends, and loved ones, and by planning ahead we can reduce the impacts those emergencies can have on our lives.
Making a preparedness plan is an easy step we all can take. To learn more, register for a live webinar on getting prepared, Thursday, Sept. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join the webinar here.
The webinar will feature preparedness plan tips including:
- Involve your loved ones, including your children.
- Discuss where you will meet and how you will communicate if you are apart when a disaster strikes.
- Document the actions you and your family will need to take if an emergency happens. Together address the questions:
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- Where will you go if you need to evacuate?
- What if transportation is limited or you are unable to travel by traditional modes?
- How will you communicate with loved ones?
- What will you do if you must shelter in place for an extended period?
- Take into consideration all members of your family and their abilities/needs. Don’t forget your pets!
Please follow along this month at @KingCounty,WA and visit www.kingcounty.gov/prepare for more information on getting prepared.
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Make the most of your FSAs during the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted many aspects of daily life, and may have affected the amounts you are spending on day care and health care. The following reminders can help you make the most out of your Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which allow you to set aside pre-tax money for day care and medical expenses.
Day Care FSAs
With many schools and daycare facilities closed, many employees are struggling to find a provider who can watch their children during working hours. If your day care expenses have changed due to the COVID pandemic, you can enroll in an FSA outside of the normal enrollment period, or, you can adjust your current Day Care FSA election without a qualifying life event. Also:
- If you participate in a Day Care FSA, you can use these funds to pay an eligible family members to watch your children, as long as the family member is not your tax dependent (your spouse, the parent of the child, your dependent, or your child under the age of 19).
- Online or “virtual” day cares and camps are not eligible for reimbursement with Day Care FSAs, according to IRS regulations.
- Your Day Care FSA offers Kinside, a service that can help you find day cares and preschools nearby that are open and have availability.
You must use your FSA money for eligible expenses incurred during the plan year—unused funds are forfeited.
Health Care FSAs
- If your health care expenses have changed due to the COVID pandemic, you can enroll in an FSA outside of the normal enrollment period, or, you can adjust your current Health Care FSA election without a qualifying life event.
- If you participate in a Health Care FSA, you may use these funds to purchase over-the-counter medications and expenses, including menstrual care products.
- Health Care FSA funds can be used for eligible ergonomic office equipment when you obtain a letter of medical necessity from your doctor.
- Up to $550 in unused funds can rollover into the following plan year. Any other unused funds are forfeited.
For additional information, go to the Flexible Spending Accounts page or contact Navia Benefit Solutions at 425-452-3500 or email Navia Benefit Solutions. To request a change to your FSA, please contact the King County Benefits Team at KC Benefits or 206-684-1556.
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Support setting up remote workspaces
Many King County employees are teleworking through July 5, 2021, as we try to limit the transmission of the novel coronavirus and slow its spread.
Remote work has its challenges. To support teleworking employees, King County will provide assistance, where needed, with equipment to support telework. This assistance may take four forms:
- Taking equipment home from work
- Purchase of home office equipment
- Furniture, equipment, or supplies for a medical accommodation
- Connectivity support
Necessary furniture and equipment can be purchased prior to the end of 2020, and the County will provide computers and technology to support teleworking. Employees can procure necessary office furniture and equipment through County supply contracts and/or purchasing cards (P-Cards) with supervisor approval. Purchases should be made through the standard work group protocol via blanket contracts or other vendors that include delivery to the telework site.
Any purchases related to setting up and operating a telework office must be approved by supervisors in advance, documented, and reported for reimbursement to the County. Expenditures associated with teleworking are eligible for federal COVID-19 reimbursement to the County through Dec. 30, 2020. Federal COVID-19 reimbursement to the county may not be available after Dec. 30, 2020, for furniture for teleworking spaces.
It can be challenging to maintain good ergonomic practices when working away from the office. For information on ergonomic resources and assistance while working remotely, please visit King County’s Ergonomic Evaluation website. If you need assistance with the ergonomics of your home workstation, first complete the self-assessment checklists on the website. If you have a medical restriction and/or require an accommodation related to your home workstation, please request an ergonomic evaluation (requires SharePoint login).
These guidelines apply to employees hired before September 1, 2020 who anticipated working from County facilities and are now primarily teleworking. For more details, please see page 6 of the Guidance for Workforce, Operations, and Customer Service Recovery.
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Free webinar for employees: Student Loan Repayment Strategies, Sept. 24
For many employees in the first half of their careers, student loans represent a significant component of expenses. During this free webinar offered by My Secure Advantage, attendees will learn how to pay off their loans more quickly, or lower monthly payments to fit better within their budget. The webinar discusses repayment options for both federal and private loans by walking through a variety of real-life examples.
- Thursday, Sept. 24 from 9 – 10 a.m. or noon to 1 p.m. Register here.
Employees who register and cannot attend, will receive a recording of the webinar, along with a copy of the session presentation and handouts, within 24 hours.
For questions or more information, contact Balanced You at 206-263-9626 or email BalancedYou@kingcounty.gov.
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Featured Job: Public Health Evaluator
Salary: $41.76 – $52.93 Hourly
Location: Seattle, WA
Job Type: Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temp (TLT)
Department: DPH – Public Health
Job Number: 2020ML11837
Closing: Continuous
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
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Guide for parents with children at home due to COVID-19
The announcement that most schools will start remotely in fall of 2020 creates additional challenges for working parents, as does caring for elderly or sick family members.
King County has put together a new guide for parents with children at home whose school or childcare has closed because of COVID-19 to help them better understand their options for adjusting schedules and taking leave to care for family members.
The Guidance for parents with children at home sets out several options for working parents, such as adjusted work schedules, the various leaves available, and accessing accrued time off.
Please work with your supervisor and seek approval when pursuing any of the options in the guide, and consult your Human Resources Manager (SharePoint: employee access only) for more information.
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Executive branch EEO/AA Committee recruiting new committee members
The Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Committee is recruiting new committee members for the 2021– 2023 term. The committee is employee-based and serves in an advisory capacity to the County Executive; developing and reviewing strategies, systems, policies and guidelines to implement and enhance executive branch EEO/AA plans.
The committee is actively recruiting representatives recruiting representatives from the following departments for the 2021 – 2023 term:
- Department of Assessments (DA)
- Department of Executive Services (DES)
- Department of Local Services (DLS)
- King County Information and Technology (KCIT)
- Metro Transit Department (MTD)
The application period closes September 14. View qualifications and apply here. A short video with additional information regarding the committee can be viewed here. For questions contact Lisa D. Longdon, EEO/AA Program Manager, at 206-477-3258 or Lisa.Longdon@kingcounty.gov.
Employee News 