New Vanpool Pilot Program – 100% Metro Vanpool and Vanshare subsidy
Starting October 1, the King County Employee Transportation Program (ETP) will cover the Metro Vanpool or Vanshare program for all King County employees who choose to form a new group or participant in an existing Metro vanpool or vanshare group.
Currently, the King County ETP provides $65 per month towards the cost of your vanpool. ETP has always provided a vanpool subsidy to King County employees, but now we are offering our employees a 100% Metro Vanpool and Vanshare subsidy.
This is a one year pilot program that is available to all King County employees receiving transportation benefits!
KC provides transportation benefits through the ORCA business program that covers 100% fares for ORCA regional partners (KC Metro, Sound Transit, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, et at) to ride the bus, train, light rail, foot ferry, fast ferry and streetcar. This one year Pilot Program, will offer King County employees 100% vanpool/vanshare coverage for King County Metro commuter vans, and equal the subsidy to the fixed route benefit they currently receive. The subsidy will remain $65 per month for other public transit vanpools.
Here is how it works:
If you are a current participant in a Metro Vanpool or Vanshare group, all you need to do is to read the ETP Vanpool Rules, complete the Acknowledgment Form on the last page, and send your completed form to hossein.barahimi@kingcounty.gov. Your van bookkeeper will submit their paperwork as they always have and the Metro commuter van program will send their bill to cover your vanpool costs, directly to the Employee Transportation Program for you.
If you are interested in forming a new Metro Vanpool or Vanshare, find four other commuters and start discussing the logistics – driver/bookkeeper roles, route, work hours, etc. To learn more and start the process visit www.kingcounty.gov/metrovans
To find an existing Metro commuter van, please visit www.RideshareOnline.com and create a trip to search for a van for your commute.
Start saving money and time, join a Metro Van! Need more information? Contact Hossein Barahimi at 206-477-5853 or at Hossein.Barahimi@kingcounty.gov. For more information about your employee transportation benefits, visit: www.kingcounty.gov/ETP.
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Untold Stories: Lunch and Learn, Sept. 10
As part of the Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) Initiative, King County government has prioritized race to address the historical and persistent inequities in our communities. Such inequities are experienced by the county’s own employees, both on and off the job. US–The Untold Story Project, sponsored by the ESJ Literary Project team, is excited to launch its 2019-2020 program.
Come learn about the Untold Story Project, read stories, engage in conversations, and learn how to get involved in the Untold Story Project at this one hour Lunch and Learn!
- Sept. 10, 2019, noon – 1 p.m., King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St., Room 8279, 8th Floor (Director’s Conference Room)
Check out How the Untold Story Project Came About.
Racism takes many forms – from subtle slights to openly hostile attacks. Racism may be unintentional or deliberate. It may reflect individually held beliefs as well as institutionalized policies. Its impacts vary in their intensity, but there is no question of its harm.
The future is not something that just happens to us, it is something we create. In order to intentionally build a more equitable future, we must share and co-create that vision. This vision needs to put people of color in the driver seat and so we invite all the possibilities as part of the Untold Story Project 2019-2020.
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Upcoming flu shots information
Ready, set, protect. Every fall, King County’s Balanced You offers worksite flu shots for employees. Building a countywide culture of health and well-being – it’s one way we’re Investing in YOU.
We’ve expanded this year’s scheduled based on feedback received from employees and will offer flu shots at 33 worksites around the region. These are open to all King County employees, except when noted otherwise. In many instances, benefits-covered spouses or family members, age 11 and above, may also participate. Flu shots are provided at no cost for benefits-covered individuals – those without benefits may self-pay $30 for vaccines. Check out the King County 2019 Flu Shot Schedule and mark your calendars for the location most convenient for you.
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Training Spotlight: Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Emerging Leaders
Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Emerging Leaders, Oct. 19: Emotional intelligence describes the ability to understand one’s own feelings, and that of groups, and how these emotions can influence motivation and behavior. Leaders who are emotionally intelligent foster safe environments, where employees feel comfortable to take calculated risks and to voice their opinions. Engage in interactive, hands-on self-evaluation and exercise to develop your emotional intelligence and become a respected and inspiring leader. This course is every Saturday from 10/19/2019 – 11/02/2019 and you must attend all sessions in order to receive a complete. A $10 materials fee is due to the instructor on the first day of class. Register and learn more.
View more training and development opportunities at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.
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Featured Job: Health and Environmental Investigator III
Salary: $77,320.88 – $98,008.77 Annually
Location: Bellevue, WA
Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Department: DPH – Public Health
Job Number: 2019NH10487
Closing: 9/11/2019 11:59 PM Pacific
The Environmental Health Services Division is seeking to fill a full-time career services position for an Environmental Health Investigator III (HEI-III). The HEI III will operate within the On-site Sewage System Permitting Program and provides education, inspection and compliance, technical assistance, program process documentation, and regulatory compliance advice to the on-site sewage industry, the real estate industry, the public and the media, and translate technical and regulatory information to a variety of audiences. By performing this work, the HEI-III will enable property owners and businesses to protect public health and comply with the codes of the King County Board of Health. Additionally, the HEI-III will implement program activities and priorities outlined by the King County Equity and Social Justice Ordinance and the King County Strategic Plan.
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
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Pet of the Week: Duck
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC
We have a Duck for Pet of the Week – but he’s really a cool cat!
Duck is a two-year-old brown tabby. This handsome boy is very sweet and gentle, but likes to take things a bit slow. He likes getting attention on his own terms and can get overstimulated if there’s lots of movement and activity around him. Just move carefully and keep an eye out for signs he may need a break. Due to his shy nature, Duck would do best in a calm and quiet home with a cat-savvy family who knows when to give him some space. Because he’s so spirited, Duck is one of our “Rambunctious Red” personality pets.
Read more from Tails from RASKC
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Washington State’s new immunization law: How does it affect you?
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
Your back to school routine may look a little different this year. That’s because Washington State recently passed a law removing personal/philosophical exemptions for MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. The law also requires employees and volunteers at licensed childcare centers to provide immunization records indicating they’ve received the MMR vaccine or have proof of immunity.
Read more from Public Health Insider
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Walkpools: Safety in numbers
Have you heard of walkpooling?
Walkpooling is a buddy-up initiative that helps employees travel safely. Some of you have said you’d feel more comfortable walking to and from work with a buddy, and walkpools are a great option; whether you walk long distances, walk early in the morning or late in the evening, or have to navigate transit stations.
Our top three reasons why walkpools are great: safety in numbers, health benefits, and mutual interdependencies that can lead to friendships.
Check out our video, or visit the Employee Transportation Program website for more information.
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Fluid Life Events: Changing your benefits after birth or adoption
Last week, the Business Resource Center (BRC) launched a new PeopleSoft feature, Fluid Life Events, that allows you to make benefit changes online from any mobile device or computer. You can make changes to your medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D coverage if you experience one of the following life events: marriage, divorce, birth, or adoption.
You can still submit paper Qualifying Life Event forms and documentation to the Benefits office if you prefer; these forms can also be used for life events not yet available in PeopleSoft.
Birth and Adoption
The addition of a new dependent child due to birth or adoption is considered a qualifying life event, which allows you to make changes to your benefits mid-year. After welcoming a child into the family, you may want to add them to your coverage and consider other benefit changes. Make any benefits changes within 60 days of birth or 30 days from the adoption date.
For detailed step-by-step instructions, see:
Click here for information about the Marriage and Divorce life events.
Questions? To help the Business Resource Center continue to deliver excellent service, please use the PeopleSoft Life Events Employee Feedback Tool. If you have questions about your benefits, contact Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556 or KC Benefits.
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‘BUPE Pathways’ Program reduces illicit opioid use and improves quality of life
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
In downtown Seattle, a program to treat opioid use disorder that is co-located with needle exchange services is showing promise for reaching people experiencing homelessness. The program is based on a public health model that provides immediate, client-centered care and access to buprenorphine.
Initial findings from two different sources of data shows that the innovative Buprenorphine Pathways (Bupe Pathways) program may reduce opioid use and improve the health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable community members. A recent article in the journal Substance Abuse found that Bupe Pathways was successful at retaining people who often face barriers to more traditional treatment settings and showed evidence of reduction in opioid use. A separate qualitative evaluation found the program improved patients’ general health, access to health care, relationships and housing.
At the core of the model is co-locating the clinic with the Public Health Needle Exchange and the Downtown Public Health Center. This allows patients to begin treatment with buprenorphine as close to the time as they are ready, as opposed to waiting for appointments or needing to travel to other sites. The clinic also connects people to social services.
Read more from Public Health Insider
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