Volunteer to be a Ballot Drop Box Closer for March 10
Looking for some Election Day excitement? Meet your neighbors and continue your commitment to public service by volunteering as a drop box closer. Drop box closers are the friendly face the public sees on Election Day, ensuring that every vote is counted, and every voice is heard.
Who: You and your co-workers
What: Closing ballot drop boxes across King County
When: Election Night – March 10 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: A drop box location near you
Most voters wait until Election Day to return their ballots, with drop boxes seeing the most traffic in the final few hours. We need your help to provide customer service and assistance to voters using this last opportunity to return their ballots. Sign up and join us for a fun and fulfilling experience helping your neighbors experience the excitement and community of casting their ballots.
King County Elections has expanded our ballot drop boxes from 10 to 70 over the last few years. We need your help to fill over 100 volunteer shifts across King County to bolster our operational capacity. You’ll be partnered with Elections staff and no experience is necessary – we provide all the training you need!
Our colleagues who volunteered in November described their experiences as rewarding, fun, and inspiring! Join us by signing up to help with the Presidential Primary on March 10, 2020 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Have questions? Learn more here.
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Ongoing Coronavirus response, February 18
As we continue to respond to novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Public Health is committed to providing up-to-date information to King County employees. Below you’ll find links to our most recent blog posts, as well as travel guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Planning for a novel coronavirus update: What you can do to prepare at home, at work and in the community – Our Public Health Insider blog features an interview with Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer, about how we can prepare at home, at work and in the community in case this virus becomes a pandemic. Read more here.
Travel Guidance from the CDC – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to China at this time. It’s always a good idea for anyone planning travel to check the CDC’s travel notices on their website, regardless of the destination.
In addition to novel coronavirus, there are other infectious diseases and other health topics that travelers should be aware of and take precautions against wherever they are headed. Depending on the destination, travelers may need specific vaccines and take other steps to prevent illness and injury. That can be as simple as washing your hands frequently or using hand sanitizer or understanding the risks from contaminated food and water, or taking steps to avoid malaria and other mosquito-borne infections. And there are some places that the CDC recommends avoiding for travel. You can look up your destination on the CDC’s website and it will tell you the health information you need to know.
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FLASH program leads the way
King County’s FLASH is a comprehensive, widely used sexual health education curriculum developed by Public Health – Seattle & King County that is designed to prevent teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and sexual violence, by utilizing a behavior change framework.
“I think it’s important for people to know that FLASH is a public health intervention program, making it a very different type of curriculum,” Kari Kesler, FLASH Educator Consultant, said.
The curriculum is continually updating in order to provide the most accurate information. It has been adopted in every school district in King County, as well as many districts across Washington, and in at least 40 other states. The Family Planning Health Education Team provides FLASH training for teachers to help increase their confidence in delivering these lessons and answering student questions. They also do community outreach for the family planning clinics to help people learn about the clinical services offered by Public Health – Seattle & King County and teach FLASH lessons around the County.
The curriculum has always been concerned with the prevention of sexual violence, which is unique among comprehensive sex ed programs. FLASH has lessons beginning at elementary and continuing up until high school.
“We get great feedback from students after they have gone through the curriculum,” Kari said. “It’s so meaningful for us to know that the curriculum is useful and helpful for them.”
FLASH works very hard to shift people’s attitudes and make sure it equips them with the skills to prevent STD’s, sexual violence, and teen pregnancy. It’s an evidence-informed curriculum teaching and equipping people with the skills needed to improve their sexual health. To learn more, visit FLASH Lesson Plans.
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Changes as a result of the Employee Engagement Survey
Since King County began conducting an annual Employee Engagement Survey, your feedback has shaped how we invest in YOU. These investments have had a measurable impact on the employee experience.
Through the annual Employee Engagement Survey, employees said they wanted:
- Opportunities for career growth and skills development.
- A respectful workplace where people feel valued for their unique contributions.
- Strong follow through on our commitment to Equity and Social Justice (ESJ).
- Work-life balance and other supports for personal well-being and mental health.
In response to these concerns, we acted on your feedback and:
- Expanded the Bridge Fellowship
- Launched the King County Mentoring Program
- Created Professional Development Scholarships in partnership with Labor
- Rolled out leadership training for managers and supervisors
- Increased the diversity of top tier hires and promotions by 18%
- Implemented widespread ESJ training
- Designed a well-being index to focus attention on employee health and satisfaction
- Created a comprehensive mental health strategy to improve access to services, destigmatize mental illness and partner with community groups to bring their expertise to our employees
Response to the survey is happening at every level of the organization with action plans developed by teams at the department, division, workgroup and senior leader levels. Hundreds of action plans were created focusing mostly on growth and development, respect, and peer culture.
The impact of our mutual efforts has shown in survey results. Since 2015, the Employee Engagement Survey has made a noticeable difference:
- Perceptions of career advancement increased from 48% to 62%
- Peer culture increased from 66% to 80%
- Feeling respected increased from 70% to 79%
- Have the skills to apply ESJ increased from 72% to 77%
- Have the support to apply ESJ increased from 65% to 69%
Due to these noticeable results, we can see a measurable impact on engagement with the survey, and in how employees are taking the time to provide feedback:
- Employee response rate has increased from 59% to 70%
- Engagement index has increased from 70% to 78%
- Belief that action will be taken on results has increased from 37% to 46%
We know that in order to provide great service to the public, King County needs to be a great place to work. The annual employee survey is an important tool to help us get there. By participating, you will help us measure our progress from last year and determine areas still needing improvement.
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Employee discount available to Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Monster Jam
Employees can now access discounted tickets to Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Monster Jam at CenturyLink Field in Seattle during March and April 2020. Monster Energy AMA Supercross is Saturday, March 28, 2020. Click here for instructions for the discount. Monster Jam is Saturday, April 4, 2020. Click here for instructions for the discount.
See all available discounts on the Employee Discount page.
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Training Spotlight: February training opportunities
The Department of Human Resources’ Learning and Development team is hosting several trainings this month, including:
- Conflict Management for Women (Two Session) Workshop: Feb. 19 and 26, 2020. Register here.
- Time Management/Working Smarter: Feb. 21, 2020. Register here.
- Excel – Level 3: Feb. 22, 2020. Register here.
- Intro to Strategic Planning: Feb, 24, multiple dates. Register here.
View more training and development opportunities at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.
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Two weeks away: Buses shift to smoother, more reliable trip when Columbia Street reopens on 2/22
With the Alaskan Way Viaduct out of the way, we’re putting the finishing touches on Columbia Street, transforming the street to connect buses between Alaskan Way and Third Avenue – one of the nation’s busiest busways.
Opening Feb. 22, the new bus connection will be smoother and more reliable, bypassing previous freight train delays in SODO. (View map here.). New bus stops also will be within a block of Washington State Ferries at Colman Dock and the Metro Water Taxi at Pier 50, and buses will now carry riders from the waterfront to the regional public transit network and Link light rail stations in the heart of Downtown Seattle.
Read more in the official press release.
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Be safe, plan your trip
Check out the latest safety video with suggestions on how to be safe when walking to and from your workplace or other destinations. A few of the top tips:
- Wear clothing and shoes that are comfortable, low profile and appropriate for the weather.
- Don’t carry too much. Overloading yourself can make you appear vulnerable.
- If you must carry a purse, carry it close to you.
- Never carry a wallet in your back pocket.
- Avoid walking alone. Walk or travel with a friend.
- In the downtown core, consider asking Facilities Management Division Security at 206-296-5000 for an escort, particularly during hours of darkness.
For more information, visit the Safety at work webpage.
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Featured Job: Alternative Dispute Resolution Mediator
Salary: $96,362.03 – $122,144.67 Annually
Location: Seattle, WA
Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Department: DHR – Human Resources
Job Number: 2020EM11334
Division: Career and Culture
Closing: 2/24/2020 11:59 PM Pacific
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
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Pet of the Week: Georgie
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC
Don’t let the scowl fool you – our Pet of the Week Georgie is actually a sweetheart!
This older tabby girl enjoys chillin’ in her human friends’ laps. Like most cats, Georgie also loves to relax, nap, purr, nap, and then repeat. She used to live in a home with another cat and a dog. She also lived with kids, but wasn’t a good fit there. Georgie can be a little shy around kids and other cats, and would prefer to be the only kitty in her new home. Read more.
View all available pets at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet.
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