Pet of the Week: Bryce
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC
Fall in love with Bryce, our Pet of the Week!
This seven-year-old boy quickly became a favorite among staff and volunteers at the Pet Adoption Center. He is curious, affectionate, and active. He also loves to meow, so if you like a “talker,” Bryce might just be the cat for you! He cannot hear though, so he is looking for a special home with a family who will take the time to get to know his communication style. Because Bryce is deaf, he should be an indoor-only cat.
Read more from Tails from RASKC
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Training Spotlight: Introduction to Mindfulness and You’re the Boss: Now What?
Introduction to Mindfulness, Feb. 14: In this workshop we will review the various aspects of mindfulness practice, the ways mindfulness can help reduce stress, reactivity and burnout, and the science that supports the practices. The workshop includes hands-on learning of several simple but effective mindfulness practices that participants can put to use in their lives right away. Register and learn more.
You’re the Boss: Now What? Feb. 28 and March 7: Has your job position changed and now you are in charge? Are you adapting to a new supervisory role? In the two-class workshop gain insight in how you can efficiently make the transition to supervisor and how to effectively support and coach your team. You will be responsible for calendaring and attending both of these dates to receive a course completion. The dates are Thursday, February 28, 2019 and Thursday, March 7, 2019. Register and learn more.
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UPDATE: All non-mission critical King County functions closed today
Due to updated weather forecasting and safety concerns resulting from today’s winter storm, King County operations will not be open today Monday, February 4, 2019 except for essential and mission-critical functions. First responders and other mission critical staff are expected to report to 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.
Priority and mission-critical services will continue to be provided in accordance with your department’s emergency planning.
Thank you to all employees who made it in to work today. For non-mission critical staff who have already come in to work, you may return home. Please be extra safe in your return commute.
District Court, Superior Court, King County Council, the Department of Assessments, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and King County Elections have already announced their closures today.
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Updated program offers help for home buying, selling, and remodeling
You could qualify for significant savings and special services! Learn about the newly updated homeownership and banking benefits program offered to King County employees by HomeStreet Bank. Home loan and finance experts will be on-site to talk to you about programs to help you with home buying, selling, and remodeling and answer questions you have about your financial goals.
- Thursday, Feb. 7, Noon – 1 p.m., Chinook Building, Room 118
- Thursday, Feb. 14, Noon – 1 p.m., King Street Center, Cloaca Maxima
Don’t miss the overview of this important King County employee benefit! Snacks and refreshments will be provided. To learn more, go to King County Homeownership Program.
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Employee survey revised to better hear from you!
How can we make King County work better for you? We use the annual Employee Engagement Survey to hear from you about changes you want to see here at King County.
Employees who participated in the survey over the last three years have helped us make King County a better place to work, and a more effective service provider for our residents. This year we’re making some enhancements to make the survey work better for everyone:
- The survey is shorter.
- Analysis will be done in house.
- There will be more ways to take it electronically.
- Annual administration of the survey is switching from fall to spring.
- We will be able to look at how engagement relates to organizational performance.
Read more about these changes and what will stay the same here.
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An exciting new wellness tool for Kaiser Permanente members
King County employees enrolled in the Kasier Permanente health plan have access to a new wellness tool. Omada® is a program to support you and eligible covered family members in achieving your goals toward healthy weight and reducing your risk of certain chronic diseases. Omada is available at no cost to you, if you’re eligible. This is another way that King County is Investing in YOU. Learn more.
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DHR manager named a 2018 Emerging Training Leader by national magazine
Debra Baker, Acting Employee Development and Training Manager with the Department of Human Resources (DHR), has been selected by Training magazine as one of the winners of its Emerging Training Leaders of 2018.
In selecting this year’s winners the magazine said it was “recognizing 25 training professionals who inspired and engaged their organizations with exceptional leadership skills, business acumen, and innovation.”
As one of the winners, Debra will be profiled in the January/February 2019 issue of Training magazine and online at www.trainingmag.com, and will be honored at an awards ceremony next month at Disney World’s Coronado Springs Resort during the Training 2019 Conference & Expo in Orlando, FL.
Congratulations Debra!
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King County appraiser awarded national honor
The International Association of Assessing Officers, (IAAO) the leading professional trade association offering education, technical standards, and consulting services to property appraisers, has conferred the professional appraisal designation of Residential Evaluation Specialist upon Mike Mills, residential appraiser within the King County Department of Assessments.
The designation recognizes attainment of the highest level of experience, competency, and professionalism in the appraisal professional, and is awarded after a rigorous application process. Very few appraisers pursue or achieve this designation.
Mike is a 5 year member of the King County Department of Assessment and is assigned to the Multi-Family Properties Appraisal Team.
“Mike’s dedication and expertise are an inspiration to our department,” said Assessor John Wilson. “This achievement demonstrates his commitment to serve the citizens of King County. “
King County Department of Assessments provides ongoing education and professional development opportunities for its staff to better serve its customers.
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King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office employee featured for work promoting disability rights
Lori Bridgewater, a paralegal in the Homicide and Violent Crimes unit within the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, was recently highlighted by KIRO 7 News. A long-time employee, Lori recently suffered a stroke and now uses a wheelchair. Lori has received services from King County Disability Services, and has been supported through the accommodation and return to work process. She has used this experience to raise awareness about accessibility issues for people and how buildings and locations can work to become more ADA compliant.
To view the full story, read more here. You can make an ADA request for sidewalk fixes as well as find route options on the city of Seattle’s website here.
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Winter weather could impact Monday morning commute
Cold, wintry weather is forecast for this weekend, with the potential for snow Sunday night into Monday, so please be prepared for possible delays to your Monday morning commute and potential impacts to business operations.
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.
HR Policies: 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. Refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather (Sheriff’s Office employees refer to KCSO Inclement Weather Policy; Superior Court and District Court employees please see check court policies).
Resources for travelers
- Sign up for Metro Transit Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcmetrobus, see RSS feed via desktop or mobile RSS reader)
- Sign up for King County Road Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcroads)
- Sign up for King County Water Taxi Alerts (text, email)
- Visit the King County My Commute page
- Visit the Eye on Your Metro Commute (blog during peak weekday commutes).
Employee News 