Government records reveal stories of accessibility advocacy
King County Archives is excited to announce its new online exhibit that sheds light on an aspect of our local history: the development of disability rights and services in King County government.
Thanks to funds received from the Washington Digital Heritage Grant, the Archives staff have digitized more than 400 items to bring these important stories to the forefront. The exhibit, Accessibility, Centered: A History of Disability Services in King County, highlights the efforts of disability advocates and showcases important milestones, including the first Washington State Special Olympics in the 1970s, summer camps featuring hot air balloon rides for children with disabilities, and the push for paratransit services. Read more.
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Larry Gossett Service Award nominations are now open
The 2025 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration will be held Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Community members and King County employees are invited to join in honoring our nation’s foremost human rights leader and King County’s namesake.
As part of the celebration, the Larry Gossett Service Award nominations are now open. The award recognizes and affirms an individual or organization that has made significant contributions in the areas of racial equity, social justice, and/or human rights in King County.
For more information about the award nominations, click here.
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Administrative professional recognitions now available for July through September
The Administrative Professionals Program is excited to announce the Administrative Professional Recognitions for the third quarter of 2024, from July through September. These 18 individuals have been recognized for their excellence as administrative professionals at King County. View the recognitions here.
The list includes: Alaina Emde, Alicia Warren, Amanda Knell, Carlos Bratcher, Cindy Hachtel, Danielle Hursh, Elizabeth Fong, Ithica Nolan-Williams, Jennifer Fitzgerald, Kristine Hanson, Laila McClinton, Lauren Olson, Marni Donnelly, My Huynh, Roger Bruckshen, Sam Wick, Sara Stefano, and Valerie Garza
Thank you to the Administrative Specialists, Executive Assistants, Customer Service Specialists, Medical Assistants, Court Clerks, and others who keep King County operating! Please consider taking a moment to recognize an Administrative Professional on your team, so we can give them a shoutout in the upcoming quarter. For more information about the Administrative Professionals Program, visit kingcounty.gov/AdministrativeProfessionals.
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King County Metro Vehicle Maintenance celebrates ‘superhero’ as Employee of the Year
Crossposted from Metro Matters
Chris Blandi is the Clark Kent of King County Metro’s Vehicle Maintenance: Quiet and unassuming, but a genuine Superman under his modest exterior, able to juggle multiple jobs keeping King County Metro’s bus fleet rolling while remaining cool and unruffled. His excellence as a mechanic was celebrated Monday when he was named Vehicle Maintenance Employee of the Year.
Blandi, selected by his fellow vehicle maintenance team members for the honor, was lauded at a celebration at Metro’s Central Base. Read more.
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General Wage Increase/Cost of Living Adjustment for 2025
Effective Jan. 1, 2025, a combined General Wage Increase (GWI) and Cost-Of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) of 5.5 percent will apply for employees represented by the King County Coalition of Unions and non-represented employees.
Employees will start to see the increase on their paychecks after Jan. 1, 2025. You can find the 2025 Wage Tables here.
Represented employees whose unions are not part of the Coalition of Unions should reach out to their union representatives for questions about their applicable increase. You can also review your union’s contract any time on this website. You can also reach out to your HR manager with questions.
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Executive Constantine on adoption of $10.2 billion 2025 King County budget – Investing in our values
King County Executive Dow Constantine issued the following statement after the County Council unanimously approved the $10.2 billion budget for 2025, which includes significant investments in housing, health, safety, transportation, climate, and the environment.
“This budget reflects King County’s values by directing investments toward our environment, shared prosperity, and support for those furthest from opportunity, access, and justice — building a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
I want to extend my gratitude to the King County Council for their dedication in passing this budget for 2025, with special thanks to Budget Chair Girmay Zahilay for his thoughtful leadership. This year presented significant challenges, and I commend the Council for rising to the occasion. I also want to thank the residents of King County who participated in the budget deliberation process — your input has made this a stronger, more inclusive budget. Read more.
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Fleet Services upgrades Motor Pool Dispatch technology
Crossposted from the DES Express
The Fleet Services team successfully completed the Motor Pool Dispatch Technology project in October. The project transitioned all Motor Pool Dispatch program vehicles from the previous Invers/CocoSoft reservation system to the new, modern, app-based WeGo technology. Users can expect a simplified reservation interface, keyless entry, and an overall smoother customer experience.
“This project was over a year’s long effort,” said Andrew Cronholm, Deputy Director of Fleet Services. “Strong collaboration across all sections in the Fleet Services Team as well as KCIT made it possible. Kudos to those teams for a job well done!” Read more.
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Changes to FMD ID Access Office operations
As part of the ongoing Space Consolidation Project the FMD ID Access Office will be relocating from the Administration Building to the Chinook Building in late November. The ID Access Office will have limited availability during the move period as the team transitions to its new location.
Important dates:
- Nov. 25 to 29 – ID Access Office closed for in-person services.
- Dec. 2 to 6 – ID Access open for limited appointments in Chinook.
Please contact FMDIDAccess@kingcounty.gov for any badge or access related needs.
In addition to preparing to relocate, for the last few months the ID Access team has been working on revamping their operational processes to better support King County employees. More information regarding the process updates will be shared in greater detail in the near future.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this process!
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New class of JDOs graduates from the State Academy
Crossposted from the DAJD newsletter
Five King County Juvenile Detention Officers graduated from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission in Burien on Oct. 31. Read more.
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Be prepared for windy weather
Strong wind gusts are forecasted in our region this afternoon through Wednesday morning, so please be prepared for potential outages. Here are helpful emergency preparedness resources:
Power outages: If you are teleworking and experience a power outage that affects your ability to effectively work remotely, please contact your supervisor to discuss other options for completing work tasks. These may include taking leave or working from your regular King County worksite.
If you work on site, please be prepared for inclement weather. Have a plan for your commute, dress warmly, and let safety be your guide when making commute decisions. If you drive, have an emergency kit in your vehicle, including extra clothing, food, water, and a flashlight.
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. Additionally, during inclement weather, department management may determine that a function or service can be fulfilled by an employee while telecommuting. Refer to HR Policy 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather (Sheriff’s Office employees refer to KCSO Inclement Weather Policy; Superior Court employees please see court policies; District Court employees please see KCDC Personnel Guidelines Section 16.10 Adverse Conditions/Emergency Court Closure Policy).
Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of inclement weather.
- Sign up for KCInform, King County’s employee alert and warning system. KCInform is used to reach County employees during an emergency with timely information about infrastructure disruptions, facility impacts, changes in your department’s business operations, and other critical impacts. Your King County desk phone and @kingcounty.gov email are already in the system. It is important to register your County-issued cell phone (if applicable), personal cell phone, and personal email address to ensure you receive time-sensitive messages. This service is free, and your personal contact information is secure and protected. To sign up, 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. Visit the KCInform website to learn more or watch our short video.
- Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now).
- Check your King County email for information on business operations, delays, and closures. Some agencies may send additional instructions directly to their staff.
- Contact your supervisor for specific instructions.
- Visit the Emergency News page at KCEmergency.com for regional impacts.
- Familiarize yourself with the safety programs listed here.
Resources for travelers
- Metro, Water Taxi, Streetcar: Sign up to receive transit alerts (via text and email) for routes you use regularly so we can notify you in the event of travel disruptions during inclement weather. Please review bus route changes before traveling on Metro’s service advisories web page. Recent transit alerts can be viewed in Metro’s RSS feed via desktop or mobile RSS reader.
- Sound Transit: If you travel on Link light rail, Sounder or ST Express buses, Sound Transit keeps riders informed of disruptions at their Service Alerts web page, where you also can sign up to receive alerts via text and email.
- Roads: Visit Roads’ Snow and Ice resources and sign up for King County Road Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcroads)
To report a non-emergency incident, use our online form, call 206-296-5000, or email FMD.Security@kingcounty.gov. In case of emergency, call 911. See additional resources and programs for personal safety at work.
Employee News 