Food drive underway
The 2019 Northwest Harvest Food Drive has begun and runs through Nov. 22. Collection boxes are being distributed to King County buildings.
Feel free to get creative and hold competitions to encourage donations! If a box gets full and you would like a replacement, please contact Angela Strong of the Facilities Management Division of the Department of Executive Services.
Last year the generous employees of King County gathered 3,702 pounds of food. Click here for more information about Northwest Harvest and their mission.
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Join the Executive Department at the Harvest Festival, Nov. 8
The Executive Department Senior Leadership Team is excited to invite you to the Employee Giving Program Harvest Festival. This seasonal event will feature treats, a photo booth, nonprofits, and pets available for adoption. There will be a drawing for prizes such as a $100 gift certificate to Ethan Stowell restaurants, a fall-themed gift basket, and lunch with the Executive.
Are you eager to try the new Cosmic Crisp apple? Come to the Festival, and you’ll have the opportunity to try these not-yet-released Washington apples.
Suggested donation of $10 at the door, but giving at any level is welcome. Proceeds will go to select nonprofits and the EGP general fund. All are encouraged to join the fun!
Friday, Nov. 8 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the first floor of the Chinook Building, Rooms 124, 126 & the Executive Conference Room, 401 Fifth Ave, Seattle WA 98104.
For more information contact Lily Clifton at LClifton@kingcounty.gov.
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Open Enrollment starts today, ends Nov. 15
Take a fresh look at your benefits
Make the most of your robust King County employee benefits package by making informed decisions for next year during Open Enrollment, Nov. 1 – 15. Follow these steps to ensure you are selecting the right benefit options for you and your family:
Review your benefit choices
- See what’s changing next year.
- Evaluate your medical plan options using the Plan Comparison Charts and other resources on the Medical plans page. Consider whether one of the lower-cost plans, Kaiser SmartCare or KingCare Select (Regular and Transit ATU employees only), makes sense for you.
- Review the Benefit Access Fee associated with your medical plan if you cover a spouse or eligible domestic partner. If you qualify for an exemption, you must confirm this each year during Open Enrollment.
- Consider enrolling in a Flexible Spending Account—Health Care and Dependent Day Care FSAs save you money by reducing your taxable income. You must re-enroll every year during Open Enrollment.
- Give to the Employee Giving Program during the Annual Giving Drive. Pledges do not rollover—you must submit your pledge each year.
What if you don’t participate in Open Enrollment?
- The Benefit Access Fee associated with your medical plan and benefit group will be automatically applied if you cover your spouse or eligible domestic partner.
- You will not be enrolled in a Flexible Spending Account for 2020.
- Your other benefit choices will remain the same for next year.
Complete Open Enrollment by Nov. 15
- Sign in to PeopleSoft.
- Select Benefits, then Open Enrollment.
- When you’re done, use the Final Submit button and sign out.
Get in-person Open Enrollment help:
If you would like in-person assistance with Open Enrollment, stop by one of the help sessions: Onsite support. More Open Enrollment and benefits information
Kingcounty.gov/Open-Enrollment
Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations
Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Ave., 2nd Floor, Seattle
206-684-1556 or KC Benefits
9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Friday (closed Veterans Day, Nov. 11)
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Featured Job: Assistant Archivist
Salary: $22.41 – $28.40 Hourly
Location: WA 98122, WA
Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Department: DES – Executive Services
Job Number: 2019AB10800
Closing: 11/6/2019 11:59 PM Pacific
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
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Pet of the Week: Sadie
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC
Need a warm snuggle buddy for the coming chilly winter nights? Check out Sadie, our Pet of the Week!
This genteel older lady loves to stop and smell the roses! Sadie has a lot of pep in her step and loves going for long walks… sniffing here, there, and everywhere! Afterwards, Sadie just wants to hang out and cuddle, and she thoroughly enjoys neck scratches.
Read more at Tails from RASKC
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Tech Tip: A change in county email quarantining
Microsoft has changed the daily quarantine notification message to make it easier for email users to review possibly suspicious emails quarantined over the last 24 hours. This adds an extra layer of protection by allowing King County employees to preview messages online without releasing them to their inbox.
Got a message that doesn’t need to be quarantined? Simply click on the “Review” button in the email to view the message and be routed to the quarantine portal. This section will explain why the message was quarantined and other information about it.
After reviewing the summary information, to double check it is a valid message, click on the “Preview Message” button to view it. If the message is okay and should be released, click on the “Remove from Quarantine” button and it will be delivered to the mailbox. Please be cautious when releasing messages from quarantine.
If the message looks suspicious, just leave the message in quarantine. If it’s in the inbox, delete it without opening.
Why all the steps for a simple email? Short answer: King County employees are targeted daily by malicious and dangerous phishing campaigns. We all need to be alert and careful to protect our systems.
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Rev Up For Retirement seminar on Nov. 13
Are you too young to think about retirement? Think again! With increasing concern over the future of Social Security and the stability of retirement plans, it’s a good idea to stay informed and to prepare in advance. Please join the King County Retirement team for a three-hour seminar featuring guest speakers from Social Security and Jean Cormier, an expert in Medicare choices and options. Employee resources available through King County will also be shared.
Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., King Street Center, 8th Floor Conference Room, 201 S. Jackson St. Registration is required. Register here.
Please bring a lunch and plan on joining us! Please note: Attendance is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related. For more information, contact King County Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at KC.Orientations@kingcounty.gov.
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DNRP Division Day in the Enchanted Habitat, Nov. 1
View the event flyer.
Employees are welcome to join the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) for their annual Division Day expo on Friday, Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 pm. in the 8th Floor Conference Room at King Street Center.
Come and see what your DNRP colleagues are doing to protect and enhance King County’s environment and advance our “We are responsible stewards” value.
Visit displays and check out the innovative and progressive work the department is doing to preserve and enhance the ecological health of King County – and the health and well-being of our residents. This fun annual event is not only inspirational, it helps all of us become better ambassadors for DNRP when we know about the great things our colleagues are up to.
Enchanted Habitat is our “prom” theme for DNRP’s 2019 Division Day. No date needed and you can skip the awkward baby blue tuxedo or puffy-sleeved taffeta dress. On the other hand, there might be a 1 Million Trees coffee mug in it for those who do stop by in habitat-friendly prom wear.
Fill out an outreach “scavenger hunt” card for a chance to win tickets for next summer’s Concerts at Marymoor series (generously provided by King County Parks), and other fun gifts. Be sure to stop by the photo booth and to treat yourself to free popcorn!
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Five questions with John Miller, Organizational Development Practitioner, Department of Human Resources
Why did you start in your role with King County?
My King County journey started more than 21 years ago in central finance, shifted to permitting, then to Lead Analyst on the Business Resource Center – Business Intelligence (BI) Team. Most recently, I joined (on Special Duty) the Department of Human Resources – Career and Culture Division’s Organizational Development Team. Throughout my career I have been steadfast in maturing as an Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) Practitioner.
I started here in King County because of my passion to serve.
As an old offensive lineman you do the most difficult work every offensive play. You protect, create opportunities and drive. You get no credit for when things go well and all of the credit when things go bad. Service is one of my core values. We, as King County employees, have the privilege and responsibility to uphold values that advance favorable outcomes for our communities.
What do you do in your role?
As an Organizational Development (OD) Practitioner I will be joining 5 other incredible individuals in developing an OD plan and consulting with departments to support cultivation of a healthier workplace culture where every employee can thrive.
On this ESJ Practitioner journey, I have collaborated with a collective of brilliant change leaders in advancing equity, racial and social justice for our workforce and the communities we serve. Our collective is advancing digital equity in disadvantaged communities, building inclusive policy design processes, increasing our risk appetite in achieving equity, developing marginalized community youth, making our contracting processes more equitable, delivering equity analytics, building community relationships, improving workplace culture and empowering our workforce to thrive. I am because of them. Thank you!
On the BI Team I worked with an amazing team in meeting the reporting and analytics needs (payroll, HR, finance, budget) of King County. The BI Team’s vision is to mature King County in analytics through the application of a value’s driven/data supported modality.
Why did you choose this field as your career?
I didn’t choose these fields. These fields chose me.
People and numbers are at the core of everything we do, so I couldn’t ignore the draw to the opportunity to build relationships while leveraging data in creating stories centered in virtuous values.
As a Black man I live with the cost of having to survive inequitable and unjust systems. As a father of four young men, I have a responsibility to do my part in disrupting these systems so that my son’s, our communities of color and indigenous ancestry and our future has a more positive experience. I am driven to continue the efforts of those who came before me.
What is the biggest challenge of your job?
Navigating the resistance to change and practicing self-care in the midst of the whirlwind of obligations.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
The people, bridge building and seeing planted seeds (processes, policy, programs and people) blossom.
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EGP Nonprofit Expo now offering online option
The Employee Giving Program (EGP) hosts multiple expos for employees to meet amazing nonprofits and get to know the work they are doing in the community. This year the EGP offers an online option, every Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. via Skype. Here employees can meet nonprofits in an online webinar and learn about a specific topic each week. View the upcoming schedule below, and click on the link to download a calendar invite to Outlook with Skype access information.
- Oct. 31: Animals
- Nov. 7: To be decided
- Nov. 14: Youth
- Nov. 21: Environment
The replay of previous webinar topics, such as Hurricane Dorian and natural disaster relief, and South King County nonprofits, can be viewed here. Find out more about this year’s Annual Giving Drive at www.kingcounty.gov/giving.
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