Acting on employee survey in Business Resource Center
Workgroups across King County are using the Action Plan framework to make sure that issues employees raise in the annual employee survey are being addressed.
One team in the Department of Executive Services’ Business Resource Center collectively decided to look at how they can affect two key areas identified in the 2015 and 2016 surveys – balancing personal and professional lives and opportunities for growth and development.
We spoke to John Miller, BRC Reporting Supervisor, to find out more about the process and what impact it had.

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Featured Job: Water Quality Planner III
Closing date/time: Mon. 09/11/17 11:59 PM Pacific Time
Salary: $78,644.80 – $99,673.60 Annually
Job type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Location: King Street Center – 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, Washington
Department: DNRP – Water and Land Resources Division
Description: This position provides management and support in developing and implementing King County’s NPDES Municipal Stormwater Permit Management program and other programs and projects assigned to the Water Quality Compliance Unit (WQCU). The primary work will be the development, management, implementation of stormwater and water quality-related programs and development and implementation of the various actions called out in the County’s Stormwater Management Program. This work will also consist of assisting the Water Quality Compliance Unit Manager in unit management activities and implementing day-to-day assignments as identified by the NPDES Permit Coordinator or the Water Quality Compliance Unit Manager. This position provides technical expertise on King County’s Stormwater Management program and on relevant actions and regulations.
Contact: For questions about the position, please contact Michelle Kobuki at michelle.kobuki@kingcounty.gov.
Learn more about this position, or view all available jobs.
Social Media Spotlight: King County Jobs Twitter

Home to nearly 14,000 employees, King County is one of the best places to work in Washington.
Be an ambassador of King County’s Go Public by following and supporting @CareersKC with retweets.
Follow CareersKC on Twitter today!
Click here to view all King County social media pages.
Support for people affected by Hurricane Harvey

King County Executive Dow Constantine
Dear fellow King County employee,
This weekend, Hurricane Harvey tore across Texas and Louisiana, leaving a trail of destruction and loss of life in its wake. The impact on people, the environment, and cities and towns – big and small – has been devastating, and with more storms forecast for the area, the damage is expected to get worse.
These are challenging times for the people and communities affected by this hurricane. Rebuilding towns and lives will take months and years, and many employees have asked how they can help.
Our Employee Giving Program has updated its Disaster Giving webpage with information on how to donate to nonprofit organizations that are responding to the Hurricane Harvey. This page will be updated as nonprofits confirm their work in the area.
A catastrophe such as this is a reminder that we all need to be ready to care for ourselves and loved ones in the event of disaster. I encourage you to visit www.makeitthrough.org to see what you can do to prepare yourself and your family for a disaster.
Sincerely,

Dow Constantine
King County Executive
Launch of our Mentorship Program
Dear fellow King County employee,

King County Executive Dow Constantine
Over the past few years, we’ve done a lot of work to strengthen our capacity as a culturally responsive learning organization, one that develops employees and offers equitable opportunities for growth and advancement, wherever you are in your career at King County.
Today I am pleased to announce the launch of our new King County Mentorship Program, designed to provide new opportunities for employees to grow and develop at King County as part of our commitment to Investing in You.
Mentoring is a proven approach to employee development that helps employees partner and learn from an experienced leader or colleague to progress toward their career objectives and maximize their potential.
King County’s Learning and Development team is seeking 25 mentors and mentees to kick off the program. Initial mentoring partnerships will last for six months, with a minimum of one conversation per month between mentees and mentors.
If you would like to participate, click here to register for a Lunch and Learn event where you will learn more about the program, and take this opportunity to talk about your career goals with your supervisor.
By learning together and from one another we are building on our efforts to make King County a great place to work, one where you have the tools and support to innovate, achieve your career goals and do your best work for more than 2 million people who call this place home.
Sincerely,
Dow Constantine
King County Executive
Applications for ESJ Opportunity Fund due Sept. 1
A reminder that applications for the Equity and Social Justice Opportunity Fund are due on September 1.
The ESJ Opportunity Fund is a competitive process run by the Office of Equity and Social Justice that provides resources to King County employees to develop and implement projects that work to advance equity and social justice and that complements the ESJ Strategic Plan. For the 2017-2018 biennium, there is a total of $100,000 in one-time funds available and grants ranging from $500 to $7,500 will be awarded to projects that the Funding Committee determines best the outlined criteria.
While criteria for the 2017-2018 fund have changed, a few examples of previously funded projects include:
- Equity in Hiring People with Disabilities Symposium
- ESJ Movie Night in White Center
- Spanish Language Books for Infants and Toddlers
- Strategies for Resolving Cultural Bumps in Public Health and Prevention
- Cultivating a Culture of ESJ through Literature and Poetry Event
Click here for the 2017-2018 Opportunity Fund Overview and here for the 2017-2018 Opportunity Fund Application which is due on or before September 1, 2017.
If you have questions about the application or the process, please reach out to Tynishia Walker at twalker@kingcounty.gov or at 206-263-0534.
Baby falcons rescued by county employees
Recently several baby falcons fell out of their nest on the third floor window ledge of the King County Courthouse. Lucky for these little birds, County employees were on hand to rescue them.
After saving the birds from oncoming traffic, Seattle Animal Control was called. Animal care staff then took the chicks to the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Lynwood. This facility specializes in wildlife rescue.
The baby falcons were given a full exam by a vet. Out of the three, one bird had a fracture, but otherwise, all were declared mostly healthy with no serious injuries. Too young to fly, the chicks were kept at the facility for several weeks before recently being reunited with their family.
Two of the chicks were released on the roof of the King County Administration Building, overseen by two PAWS animal specialists, several security officers and a few interested employees. Both birds proved strong and healthy, soaring above the courthouse and the jail. The third will be monitored for some time at PAWS before also being released.
Thank you to County employees for being interested in preserving our local wildlife and helping achieve a happy ending for these birds.
Coming soon: 2017 Employee Survey
The 2017 King County Employee Survey is starting in September for employees in participating departments, so please take this opportunity to let the County know what’s on your mind:
• Online survey: September 18 – October 6
• Paper survey (except Transit): September 11 – October 6
• Transit paper survey: September 11 – 25
Almost 340 action plans were created to act on the issues you said were important in the 2016 survey. Two critical issues you raised were Career Opportunities and Leadership Visibility. Here are some of the ways that we acted on your responses:
Career Opportunities
• Expanded the Bridge Fellowship program to provide leadership and development opportunities to more employees.
• Created an intensive leadership training program to help managers and supervisors support their employees to do their best work.
Leadership Visibility
• Executive Constantine has launched quarterly listening sessions with employees, met with employees on site visits, and continued his employee video messages.
• Multiple departments have worked to improve communications channels and build understanding of division and department priorities.
The annual Employee Survey is part of our Investing in You efforts. See all the employee survey responses here (intranet). For more information about the survey visit www.kingcounty.gov/employeesurvey.
Tech Tip: How to submit the perfect KCIT HelpTicket
KCIT’s HelpDesk team spends a lot of time trying to figure out help tickets and get in touch with the employees who need support. This 2:30 video shows you exactly what we need to process your helpticket and fix your problem as quickly as possible.




