UPDATE: District Court, most Superior Court and PAO operations closed today, normal operations for most Executive branch operations, other agencies on delayed opening
District Court will close today except for essential staff for in-custody calendars. Superior Court will close with the exception of both Chief Criminal courts (10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and Juvenile Court first appearance calendar (10:30 – 11:30 a.m.). Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is closed with the exception of certain calendars.
Department of Assessments and King County Council will open on a two-hour delay. Elections will operate with Critical Crew In-Person, Online Support & Ballot Box Closing.
Most Executive branch operations will open as normally scheduled today to ensure that customers can access as many of our services as possible during this winter snow event. Unless otherwise directed by department leadership, employees are expected to report to work as scheduled. If you are able to safely commute to your worksite or have an agreement in place to telecommute or work at an alternative location, please do so.
When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work or from reporting on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.
We appreciate the many employees who were able to be onsite or telework today to deliver the services on which our customer rely. This storm event has made commuting in our region very difficult for many employees. Your supervisors will work with you and be as flexible as possible, given the circumstances and our leave policies. We appreciate our thousands of employees who are doing their best to serve the residents of our County and deliver the best possible service during this protracted winter event.
King County Metro Transit remains on Emergency Snow Network Tuesday while our system recovers from this event. Buses are limited to just 60 core routes, with severely limited or no service in some areas of the county. Please allow for another 30-60 minutes in your travel schedules and prepare alternate travel plans if your route is not in service, and connect to Link light rail service where possible. Dress warmly and be prepared for crowding and potentially longer waits at bus stops. Visit MetroWinter.com to learn more, and follow @kcmetrobus on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information.
School district closures and childcare: Some school districts will close Tuesday, and others will operate on a reduced schedule. Please check with your local school district and have a plan for your kids. When schools are closed and King County operations remain open, employees are expected to report to work as usual, or follow applicable personnel policies.
Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of snow:
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!).
- Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log on at outlook.kingcounty.gov.
- Contact your supervisor for instructions.
- Follow King County on Twitter—@KingCountyWA, @kcmetrobus, @kcroads, and@kcemployees
- Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
- Visit the Emergency News page at kcemergency.com for regional impacts.
KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your personal contact or work cell information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.govanytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website.
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Superior Court, District Court, Elections, Assessments, PAO, Council closed, most Executive branch operations open Monday, Feb. 11
Most Executive branch operations will open as normally scheduled Monday, Feb. 11, to ensure that customers can access as many of our services as possible during this protracted winter snow event. Unless otherwise directed by department leadership, employees are expected to report to work as scheduled. If you are able to safely commute to your worksite or have an agreement in place to telecommute or work at an alternative location, please do so.
District Court, Superior Court, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, King County Council, the Department of Assessments, and the Department of Judicial Administration are closed today. Elections is operating with critical staff and online support only today. Please check for additional information from your agency leadership.
When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work or from reporting on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.
We understand that this storm event has made commuting in our region very difficult for many employees. Your supervisors will work with you and be as flexible as possible, given the circumstances and our leave policies. We appreciate our thousands of employees who are doing their best to serve the residents of our County and deliver the best possible service during this protracted winter event.
King County Metro Transit remains on Emergency Snow Network Monday and Tuesday. Buses are limited to just 60 core routes, with severely limited or no service in some areas of the county. Please allow for another 30-60 minutes in your travel schedules and prepare alternate travel plans if your route is not in service, and connect to Link light rail service where possible. Dress warmly and be prepared for crowding and potentially longer waits at bus stops. Visit MetroWinter.com to learn more, and follow @kcmetrobus on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information.
School district closures and childcare: Some school districts, including Seattle, have already announced that they will close Monday, and others will operate on a reduced schedule. Please check with your local school district and have a plan for your kids. When schools are closed and King County operations remain open, employees are expected to report to work as usual, or follow applicable personnel policies.
Parking at County garages:If you left a vehicle Friday in one of the County garages, please retrieve the vehicle before 5:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 11, to avoid additional charges.
Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of snow:
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!).
- Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log on at outlook.kingcounty.gov.
- Contact your supervisor for instructions.
- Follow King County on Twitter—@KingCountyWA, @kcmetrobus, @kcroads, and@kcemployees
- Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
- Visit the Emergency News page at kcemergency.com for regional impacts.
KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your personal contact or work cell information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.govanytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website.
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RASKC honored with participation in state wide “No Kill” effort
Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) has been elected to sit at the board for Pet Alliance of Washington, with manger Dr. Gene Mueller serving as Secretary.
“Regional Animal Services of King County is excited and enthusiastic to work with the Alliance to help pets and people across the State, while we in turn grow and learn from colleagues,” says Dr. Gene Mueller, RASKC Manager and Secretary of Pet Alliance of Washington.
The Pet Alliance of Washington was created to increase the lifesaving efforts of organizations in Washington State that provide care for homeless cats and dogs, and is committed to achieving a 90% live release rate for cats and dogs in Washington State by 2020, and helping all individual participating agencies to reach a live release rate of 90% by 2025.
It is pleased to announce the election of Melanie Rushforth, executive director of Northwest Spay and Neuter Center; Lisa Feder, vice president and director of shelter operations of the Humane Society for Southwest Washington, Dr. Gene Mueller, manager of Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC); and Dawn Davies, executive director of Wenatchee Valley Humane Society. They will serve as chair, co-chair, secretary and treasurer of the Alliance respectively.
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Pet of the Week: Checkers
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC
We’re not playing games – Checkers is our awesome Pet of the Week!
This young pittie mix loves exploring, so he is looking for an adventurous family who can help get his energy out through exercise and keeping his mind busy. Because he’s so spirited, he’s one of our “Rambunctious Red” personality pets. Checkers already knows “sit,” “lay down,” and “off,” but he is still working on his manners.
Read more from Tails from RASKC
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Training Spotlight: Basic Data Visualization and Facilitating Effective Meetings
Basic Data Visualization, April 10: Our ability to gather and collect data has steadily increased over the past decade. But data alone is not information and does not easily convey a compelling story. This half-day introductory course will allow participants to understand why data visualization is important, explore ways to tell a story with data, and mock up data visualizations in whiteboard exercises, using tips explored in class. Register and learn more.
Facilitating Effective Meetings, April 16: This one day training covers the skills used by a facilitator to design and run an effective meeting. How to be a better participant is also discussed. Topics include specific facilitation skills, group decision making skills, and how to deal with disruptive behaviors. Register and learn more.
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Non-mission critical King County functions for Executive branch closing 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8
Due to heavy snow in the forecast, non-mission critical functions for the Executive branch will close at 2 p.m. today, Friday, Feb. 8. Please be extra safe in your commute and check for any impacts or delays before leaving.
Priority and mission-critical services will continue to be provided in accordance with department emergency planning. First responders and other mission critical staff are expected to report to or remain at their work location at the usual time. This includes, but is not limited to, corrections officers, 9-1-1 call center operators, emergency personnel, security staff, and certain senior managers. If you are not sure of your designation, please contact your supervisor. As always, directors can use their discretion to keep operations to open later than 2 p.m. where appropriate.
All regular, provisional, probationary, and term-limited temporary employees who were scheduled to work today and are working today will receive regular pay for the remaining hours they are scheduled to work today. This applies for hourly and exempt employees. Temporary (other than appointed, provisional, probationary and TLT), administrative interns, and non-regular part-time employees will only be paid for hours actually worked during a facility closure. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather for more information.
If you feel you need to leave before 2 p.m. to get home safely, please discuss this with your supervisor.
Other agencies and branches:
- Department of Assessments: Closing at 1 p.m.
- District Court: Closing at 2 p.m. Jail calendars will be held at Seattle and MRJC this afternoon.
- Superior Court: Closing at 2 p.m.
- Department of Judicial Administration / Superior Court Clerk’s Office: Closing at 2:30 p.m.
- Prosecuting Attorney’s Office: Closing 2 p.m.
- King County Elections: Closing 2 p.m.
- King County Council: Closing noon.
Please be extra safe in your commute and check your bus schedule before departing to find out if it is operating on a regular or reduced schedule, or snow route. Check for information on your route on Metro’s Snow, Ice and Flood Alerts webpage, Metro’s adverse weather page, or sign up for Metro Transit Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcmetrobus, see RSS feed via desktop or mobile RSS reader).
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Winter weather tips for your pet
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC
A significant snowstorm hit King County this week, dropping as much as ten inches of snow. Temperatures are not expected to warm much above freezing the next couple of days, so it’s important to make sure your pet is kept safe and warm.
As always, the best thing to do is to keep your pet inside when it’s cold and wet outside.
Read more from Tails from RASKC
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Featured Job: Chief Pharmacist Officer
Salary: $112,068.95 – $142,054.02 Annually
Location: Washington, WA
Job Type: Career Service, Hours Vary
Department: DPH – Public Health
Job Number: 2019-09307
Closing: 2/11/2019 5:00 PM Pacific
Public Health Seattle-King County is searching for a (Career Service) Chief Pharmacist Officer to supervise the clinical practice of other pharmacists, general oversight of pharmaceutical services, including quality improvement and assurance standards, ensure integrity of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, and ensuring that services and programs are in alignment with the department’s strategic plan.
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
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Be prepared for possible snow Friday afternoon, impacts to evening commute
Another winter storm is heading our way tomorrow, and will likely bring more snow and ice to the region, particularly Friday afternoon and evening.
If the roads are snowy and icy, expect delays to your commute and be prepared for very cold weather. Please have a commute plan with several fall back options, dress warmly, and as always, let safety guide your commute decisions.
If you haven’t already, talk to your supervisor about your role in an emergency, and know how to contact them.
Metro buses may have to move to snow routes at any time, so please check for information on changes to your bus route on Metro’s Snow, Ice and Flood Alerts webpage, Metro’s adverse weather page, or sign up for Metro Transit Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcmetrobus, see RSS feed via desktop or mobile RSS reader), and have a backup plan.
Consider canceling or postponing non-essential meetings tomorrow and early next week, or move them onto Skype for Business.
If telecommuting is an option for your job, make sure you submit a Telecommuting Agreement in advance for approval. KCIT has created a telework resources site that answers many questions. You may also consider adjusting your work schedule, working at an alternative location, or taking vacation if these are options. Please discuss beforehand with your supervisor and make sure you have approval.
Some school districts have already announced early closures Friday, so make a plan to take care of your kids. When schools are closed and King County operations remain open, employees are expected to report to work as usual, or follow applicable personnel policies.
HR Policies: When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.
Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of snow:
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!).
- Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log on at outlook.kingcounty.gov.
- Contact your supervisor for instructions.
- Follow King County on Twitter—@KingCountyWA, @kcmetrobus, @kcroads, and @kcemployees
- Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
- Visit the Emergency News page at kcemergency.com for regional impacts.
KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your personal contact or work cell information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.gov anytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website.
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Thank you for your service in difficult conditions
Dear fellow King County employee,
As our region continues to dig out of this week’s snow storm, I want to recognize and thank our employees for reporting to work in snowy, icy, and very cold conditions Sunday night, Monday, and Tuesday morning.
When our customers needed us, to get them home or to work, to clear a path for them on the roads, to provide the services and care they count on, these employees went above and beyond to deliver great service.
Difficult times and trying conditions often bring out the best in people, and I am proud that our colleagues responded to the challenge presented by the winter storm to deliver the services upon which our region relies.
With more snow and cold weather on the horizon I am grateful that King County has employees who epitomize the words “public service” and can be counted on to be there for our residents.
Please join me in thanking our County colleagues who went above and beyond the call of duty this week.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine
King County Executive
Employee News 