Employee News

Posted on November 8, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

Join us Nov. 8 to honor employees who serve in Guard and Reserve

King County has approximately 90 employees who currently serve in the National Guard or Reserve. This event will recognize them for their service to our country and present them with a “challenge coin” in appreciation. Register and read more here.

Thursday, November 8, from noon to 1 p.m., Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Ave., Room 121/123

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Lilia Cabello Drain

Pet of the Week: Keyla

Crossposted from Tails from RASKC

This happy girl is Keyla, our Pet of the Week!

She’s an eight-year-old pittie who is very affectionate and would love to spend time cuddling with you! Despite her size, Keyla thinks of herself as a lapdog, and will gladly curl up in your lap for a nap. She’s an expert snuggler!

Exec visits Elections employees on Election Day

King County Executive Dow Constantine visited King County Elections headquarters in Renton on Election Day as the staff counted ballots. This is the first General Election since he and Director Julie Wise made it possible for King County voters to return ballots without having to pay for postage.

Posted on November 7, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

King County Whistleblower Protection Code

King County encourages employees to report significant wrongdoing, called “improper governmental action,” so that problems can be identified and corrected. The Whistleblower Protection Code creates a reporting process for such improper governmental action (IGA), and aims to protect employees from retaliation for reporting or cooperating in an investigation of improper governmental action.

Employees with concerns about improper governmental action, including violations of laws, dangers to the public health or safety, or gross mismanagement or waste, are encouraged to report these concerns to their department head or the King County Office of the Ombuds. Reports to the Office of the Ombuds may be made anonymously or confidentially.
Employees who believe they have experienced retaliation for reporting IGA or cooperating in such an investigation should contact the Ombuds. Retaliation is defined as an unwarranted and adverse change in the employee’s employment status or terms and conditions of employment, and is prohibited if it is due to the employee’s IGA reporting. Employees who believe they might have experienced retaliation are encouraged to consult with the Ombuds Office before filing a complaint so that they may receive information and guidance about the complaint process. Employees have six months to report instances of retaliation.

For more information on the county’s Whistleblower Protection Code view the Whistleblower Protection Code Summary and the Whistleblower Protection Code, or contact the King County Office of the Ombuds at Dexter Horton Building, 710 Second Avenue, Suite 790, Seattle WA 98104, 206-477-1050 (voice | TTY) and ombuds@kingcounty.gov.

Posted on November 7, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

King County Veterans Court celebrates Veterans Day and court graduates, Nov. 8

Regional Veterans Court will be holding a celebration of all veterans and a graduation for those successfully completing the court program on Thursday, November 8, 2018 at 1 p.m. at the King County Courthouse (Courtroom E-326). Regional Veterans Court is a specialized track within King County District Court that connects veterans in the justice system to health and behavioral health treatment, housing and other services they may need to re-stabilize their lives. The Court helps veterans stay out of further involvement in the justice system, and reduces the use of jails and emergency services by veterans.

The team uses a collaborative approach to identify the underlying issues that led to a veteran’s involvement in the justice system, and develops a personalized treatment plan. Participants receive behavioral health care and social services from the federal and state departments of Veteran Affairs, the King County Veterans Program, and other local providers of veteran services.

“Regional Veterans Court is an excellent example of how we can improve outcomes for our community to keep it safe and to help veterans find their way back to their communities,” said Regional Mental Health Court/Regional Veterans Court Judge Ketu Shah. “It is incredibly moving to see our participating veterans recover in their health and support each other to achieve positive relationships with their families, co-workers, and peers.”

Funding for Regional Veterans Court is provided by the voter-approved King County Veterans and Human Services Levy which will hopefully be renewed next year.

Additional questions or comments should be directed to: Callista Welbaum, Court Manager, Callista.Welbaum@kingcounty.gov , 206-477-1315 or Kate Tramontana, Court Coordinator, Katherine.Tramontana@kingcounty.gov, 206-477-0905.

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Posted on November 7, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

King County Drug Court serves as international model

King County Superior Court’s Drug Court is an international model, and recently had two international visits to capture what Superior Court is doing right to help manage the opioid epidemic.

On Monday, the U.S. State Department sponsored a high-level delegation from Haiti. Visitors spent several hours speaking with Drug Court Supervisor Mary Taylor and Judge Dean Lum about how it works and the success rate.

On Tuesday, French journalist Romain Bolzinger from the French version of 60 Minutes captured how drug court impacts just one person as he followed a participant through the process. He shared that there is also an opioid epidemic in France and officials there are looking for scalable solutions to manage the problem.

Superior Court is proud to be an international model and thanks all the participants – from DPD, the prosecutor’s office and the candidates themselves – for participating in a program that is difficult, but works.

Pictured: French journalist Romain Bolzinger following a participant through the Drug Court process.

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Jason Argo

New department focused on helping employees succeed

A new standalone department focused on building a workplace culture where every employee has the tools, support, and opportunity to do their best work was created on October 3 when King County Executive Dow Constantine signed a Council-approved Ordinance to establish the Department of Human Resources (DHR).

Executive Constantine proposed the new department in April to focus on serving, supporting and developing King County’s current and future employees so they can more effectively meet the changing needs of the people who live and work in King County.

“As we embark on building this department and bring together all of our employee-facing work into one place, we can and will make this a better employer and a place that is recognized outside of our walls as being the best place to work,” Executive Constantine recently told DHR employees. “Having all of our employee-facing services working together means that we will be able to provide greater clarity and better service to our employees, to elevate problems and solve them.”

The Department of Human Resources (DHR) brings together the Human Resources Division, The Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution, and selected staff from Benefits, Payroll, Retirement Operations (BPROS) and reports to Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams in the Executive’s Office.

“The culture we’re building here, the expectations we set for ourselves, the way we treat one another, and how we support and empower our employees is important work,” Abrams said. “By elevating it to a department level, we are signaling that our employees are a priority and this work deserves a dedicated seat in the Executive’s Cabinet.”

The work of the new department is guided by the Executive’s Investing in YOU strategy that is focused on creating a culture where every employee can be at their best and do their best work, feels empowered to try new ideas, has equitable opportunities to develop and grow their County careers, feels supported and safe, and is treated with respect.

For Abrams, creating an employee-focused department is about putting employees in the best position to “pursue the work that they are passionate about here.”

“I firmly believe that valuing public service means valuing public servants, and in order to serve our customers better, we have to serve our employees better,” she said. “That’s what Investing in YOU is all about. And that’s why we are creating this new department.”

Posted on November 6, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

Behavioral Health Legislative Forum: A community conversation about mental health and substance use recovery, Nov. 8

Are you interested in learning more about funding and services for mental health and substance use disorders? Come to the 2018 Behavioral Health Legislative Forum at Seattle Center on November 8.

Thursday, November 8, 6-8:30 p.m. Program begins at 7 p.m. Seattle Center Exhibition Hall – 301 Mercer St, Seattle

The forum will include:

Opportunities to meet with legislators before the program
Remarks by King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg
King County’s proposed 2019 behavioral health legislative priorities
Compelling personal stories from individuals in recovery

Legislative Round Table

Interpretation available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, and American Sign Language.

For those who can arrive early, an interactive Recovery in Action event will begin at 4:30 p.m. Event is free – registration requested but not required.

Posted on November 6, 2018 by Jason Argo

“Who has the best job? I do!”

Chief Administrative Officer Caroline Whalen recently toured King County International Airport, and posted this ‘thank you’ on LinkedIn: “Who has the best job? I do! Today I got a tour of King County International Airport (aka Boeing Field) from the cab of the Crash Truck. Thanks Captain Greg Thomas of the Airport Rescue and Firefighting Unit for showing me around. KCIA joins the department I direct at King County in January and I’m stoked! #kingcountyisagreatplacetowork”

Posted on November 6, 2018 by kingcountyemployees

CPR/AED Training registration available

Registration is open to all King County employees for Basic CPR classes offered in the Chinook Building. Classes cover Adult, Child and Infant CPR, AED, and Choking Rescue. Spots are still open for the November class and classes in 2019.