The Balanced You Worksite Fund is a competitive process brought to you by King County’s Department of Human Resources. The purpose of the Worksite Fund is to empower employees to make creative improvements to improve the health and well-being at their worksites.

Today, Balanced You released the list of 2019 Worksite Fund recipients. This year, King County received over 150 applications and is investing over $100,000 in 44 projects reaching employees across the county.

Projects are funded in a range of categories, including mental health. Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being.

It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health can be improved by Worksite Fund projects that focus on physical activity, nutrition, and social connection. Examples of projects funded this year to directly improve the mental health of King County employees include:

• Wellness rooms at offices across the county
• A Peacemaking Circle Introductory Workshop at the Department of Natural Resources and Parks
• A First Responders’ Mental Health and Wellness Conference hosted by King County Sherriff’s Office
• Reflective supervision training at the Department of Public Health

• Therapy dogs for clients and staff at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
• An arts- and story-telling focused cultural-competency training at the Department of Human Resources

While the Worksite Fund opportunity is now closed for 2019, Balanced You supports employees’ mental and physical health in many ways throughout the year. Contact Balanced You to learn more.

Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer, King County Executive Office

Dear employee,

As we continue our efforts to make King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive, we are also working to make our worksites more supportive of the health and wellbeing of all employees.

One way that we are doing that is through the Balanced You Worksite Fund, a competitive process brought to you by the Balanced You team and part of our Investing in YOU strategy.

In 2019, the Worksite Fund’s second year, we received more than 150 applications totaling almost $580,000 in requests, and we are investing just over $100,000 in 44 projects reaching worksites throughout the County. They cover a wide range of categories, including mental health, nutrition, physical activity, workplace environment, and social connection. Click here to see a full list of projects we are funding this year.

In addition to awarding applications with Worksite Fund dollars, Balanced You partnered with your leadership to identify department funds and other funding streams that will help bring your projects to life.

We intend to offer the Worksite Fund opportunity again in early 2020. Eligible projects that did not receive funding in this round are welcome to reapply. While the Worksite Fund opportunity is now closed for 2019, Balanced You supports employees in many ways throughout the year. Contact Balanced You to learn more.

I applaud your interest and enthusiasm in creating positive, healthy, and equitable change in our worksites.

Sincerely,

Whitney Abrams,
Chief People Officer

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. 

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.

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.