Power outage in downtown Seattle
Dear employee,
Many buildings in downtown Seattle, including King County buildings, are currently experiencing a power outage due to a substation equipment failure.
We are working to get additional information to you as soon as it is available.
Please stand by for further instructions.
Thank you.
Share this:
MRJC hosts County’s third ESJ Fair
Employees in south King County got to learn more about what their colleagues are doing to promote Equity and Social Justice into their work at 2016’s third Equity and Social Justice Fair at the Maleng Regional Justice Center on Tuesday, May 24.
This is the first year that three ESJ Fairs have been held for County employees, and the fairs provided great opportunities for employees to learn from one another’s challenges and successes in building equity and opportunity for residents and employees across the county.
If you were unable to attend one of the fairs, the County will soon be releasing its first-ever Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan, which was developed from feedback provided by employees and residents. Find out more about the draft ESJ Strategic Plan here.
Share this:
Employees power transportation program to awards
Employee Transportation Program Manager Hossein Barahimi holds one of seven awards received by King County from the City of Seattle Commute Trip Reduction Program.
In 1991 the State of Washington turned to large employers like King County to help reduce the number of vehicles on Washington’s roads, and the impact those vehicles were having on air quality.
That year, the Commute Trip Reduction Law was passed as part of Washington Clean Air Act, requiring employers who have more than 100 employees to offer alternative modes of transportation to and from work.
At King County it started with offering employees free transportation on Metro buses. And it didn’t stop there.
Share this:
Featured Job: Employee Engagement Specialist
Closing Date/Time: Wed. 06/01/16 4:30 PM
Salary: $69,846.40 – $88,524.80 Annually
Location: King County Administration Building – 500 4th Ave, Seattle, Washington
Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Division: Department of Executive Services – Human Resources Division
Description: The Employee Health & Well-Being Section (EHWB) of King County’s Human Resources Division invites candidates for the position of Employee Engagement Specialist to join a team that is revitalizing King County’s award-winning Healthy Incentives program. In partnership with employees, we are advancing a leading-edge “culture of health” approach that more fully engages and supports our diverse workforce in all aspects of health and well-being, including physical, emotional, social, and financial. The incumbent will help design, promote, implement, and evaluate a portfolio of employee health and well-being programs. The successful candidate will bring a passion for meaningful employee engagement and a track record in strategic communications and project coordination, with experience in health promotion and wellness strongly preferred. The King County workforce is culturally and socioeconomically diverse, and we seek a candidate committed to making Healthy Incentives more relevant, responsive, and accessible to all. King County recognizes that the health and well-being of its employees is essential to maintaining a quality, engaged workforce and ensuring the county’s ability to deliver efficient and effective services to the public.
Learn more about this position or view all available jobs.
Share this:
Social Media Spotlight: King County Department of Public Defense Twitter
The Department of Public Defense zealously defends the rights of indigent clients in King County and tries to helps address the underlying issues that brought them into the criminal justice system by placing them in drug treatment programs, mental health programs, or other alternatives to incarceration. The department strives to connect clients to a holistic suite of services – from housing to job training – so as to break the cycles that can lead to arrest.
Follow KC Public Defense on Twitter today!
Click here to view all King County social media pages.
Share this:
Tech Tip: How to get calls to the right place
This week’s inaugural tech tip comes from the Skype team. Skype for Business is a fabulous tool. It allows for conference calls, screen sharing, and instant messaging just to name a few. In short, it’s the best communications system you’ve ever had!
This week’s Skype tutorial shows you how to forward calls, send Skype calls to voice mail, send your calls to someone else while you are away and integrate your personal cell into the Unified Communication system. It’s 18 minutes long and will be the best 18 minutes you’ve invested in communication all day!
If you aren’t a video watcher and prefer to go at your own pace using PowerPoint, you can find what you are looking for here in a Sharepoint training.
Share this:
Kudos! King County Water Taxis receive rave from Seattle Times readers
The King County Water Taxi was recently honored as one of the best passenger ferries of 2015.
This piece was featured at the top of the Seattle Times’ Rant and Raves list. Kudos to the Water Taxis for a job well done!
“RAVE To King County Water Taxis and their crews for their work to accommodate the large increase in passengers due to the Alaskan Viaduct closure. From using larger buses for shuttles, coming up with ways to speed boarding, and adding the Spirit of Kingston to fill in when possible, their efforts are really appreciated by both regular and new passengers.”
Share this:
Developing the next generation of King County employees
Crossposted from the DES Express blog
Attendees at the 2016 Women in Trades Fair had the opportunity to build a birdhouse, thanks to FMD
Like many of our region’s employers, King County is facing a “silver tsunami.” Members of the Baby Boom generation, born between 1946 and 1964, are set to retire in huge numbers in just a few years. Many of them have decades of institutional knowledge that could be lost when they leave.
There’s also another demographic challenge facing the County: Millennials, those born between 1981 and 2000, are more likely to pursue tech-oriented careers. Many Millennials aren’t even aware of the lucrative job opportunities available in the trade industries.
The King County Apprenticeship Program seeks to tackle these two demographic issues head-on by providing training opportunities that lead to journey-level positions in the trades.
Share this:
ESJ Fairs draw crowd, offer fun mix of activities and facts
The second of three Equity and Social Justice Fairs, held Monday, May 16 was a loud, crowded success. With more than 15 groups represented, attendees milled about, chatting and participating in various activities. Spin wheels, pop quizzes and jeopardy-like games attracted people to displays for the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, Department of Public Defense, and Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget among others.
Each display did a wonderful job of engaging passersby in discussions, asking questions and handing out informative one-page updates around ESJ efforts. Using all kinds of colorful giveaway items, like lanyards, water bottles, stickers and the ever present candy, displays got people talking about current efforts and future plans. From highlights on the KC Information Technology ESJ committee to an explanation of the Solid Waste Division’s free environmental educational field trip program, many of King County’s finest showcased their ESJ progress.
The fairs have been a great way to engage employees in these discussions. Building on the enthusiasm of last year’s single fair, there were three scheduled for this May, with the final fair to be held May 24, from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Rotunda at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
Please continue to join King County departments and programs in developing these creative and meaningful practices towards achieving equity and social justice. It is with the support of committed employees and the community at large that the County can continue to make great strides in furthering these efforts to impact personal, community and economic values.
Share this:
Yesler Bridge Rehabilitation Project: Reminder! Yesler Way Bridge to close for construction starting May 23
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will begin construction to rehabilitate the Yesler Way Bridge, located at the intersection of Yesler Way and Terrace St. over 4th Ave S. Construction is scheduled to begin as soon as May 23 and expected to last through fall 2017.
As a result of this project, some transit routes may be affected during construction, including KC Metro routes: 27, 111, 114, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219, 252, 257, 268, 304, 308, 311, 312, 355; Sound Transit routes: 510, 511, 512, 513, 554, 590, 594, 595; Community Transit routes: 402, 405, 410, 412, 413, 415, 416, 417, 421, 422, 424, 425, 435. Some additional bus stops will be temporarily relocated.
Additional street closures will also result from the Yesler Bridge Rehabilitation Project during construction: Yesler Way will be closed in both directions between 3rd Ave and midway between 5th Ave and 6th Ave. Terrace St will be closed to through traffic, open to local access. 4th Ave will have ongoing lane closures and occasional full nighttime and weekend closures. Sidewalks on either side of 4th Ave will have alternating closures.
To learn more about the Yesler Bridge Rehabilitation project, visit SDOT’s Project Page. For more information view the SDOT Project Fact Sheet (contains re-route map).
The Yesler Way Bridge Rehabilitation Project, which will improve safety and reliability while preserving the bridge’s historical elements, will continue through fall of 2017. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the project further, please contact YeslerBridge@seattle.gov or 206-684-8684. To learn more about the project, visit the project website.
Employee News 