Sustainability and support mark a summer of meaningful advocacy for Department of Public Defense interns

Crossposted from For the Defense

Cecilia Atkins, a rising 3L student at Michigan Law, chose to spend her summer internship at the King County Department of Public Defense (DPD) largely because of Washington’s unique Rule 9 licensure that allows supervised students to speak on the record. At the start of the 10-week program, she took over a handful of cases from a public defender who rotated into felonies from practicing in Seattle Municipal Court.

Although Cecilia had heard from classmates at Michigan who had interned at DPD that she’d have the support from supervisors and non-attorney staff to provide the high-quality representation her clients deserved, taking on more clients than she’d ever represented in a clinic seemed daunting at first. Then, she started meeting the people whose interests she spent the summer working to serve.

“I had so many concerns about telling [my clients] that I’m an intern, but they have been incredibly trusting. I’ve been lucky to work with so many clients who are incredibly kind people.” Read more.

Pictured: DPD’s Rule 9 interns gather outside the Dexter Horton Building in downtown Seattle.

Morgan Stanley emails and workshops are not associated with King County

Recently, several employees have reported receiving emails from Morgan Stanley Wealth Management regarding workshops for public employees. Please be aware, Morgan Stanley is not associated with King County or any of its employee retirement or financial plans.

For security purposes, it is recommended that you do not give out any personal information to anyone you did not first contact, and use caution when using links in an unsolicited email.

You can find more information about King County retirement and financial plans and services here:

If you have additional questions about your benefits or retirement, please contact Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at KC.Benefits@KingCounty.gov or 206-684-1556.

State retirement plan contributions change Sept. 1, 2024

Employer contribution rates for some of the following retirement plans will change on Sept. 1, 2024, as approved by the State Legislature. The state Pension Funding Council adjusts contribution rates, as needed, to fund the retirement benefits earned by members.

You will see the new employer contribution amounts under employer-paid benefits on your paystub beginning Sept. 26, 2024.

More information is available on the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) website. If you have any questions about the rate change, please contact DRS at 800-547-6657 or recep@drs.wa.gov.

Protect yourself, your family, and your co-workers 

King County wants employees to be healthy so you can feel good, get the most out of life, and do your best work for the community we serve.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone six months and older get a yearly flu vaccine and the most current COVID-19 vaccine.

Each year, King County’s Balanced You arranges onsite flu shot clinics for employees. This year we will also be offering the most current COVID-19 vaccine. The clinics for King County employees are scheduled at various sites around the County from Sept. 19 – Nov. 7, 2024. Stay tuned for more details about locations, times, and how to schedule an appointment.

We encourage employees to get their flu and COVID-19 shots wherever is most convenient for them. Here are some tips for getting your flu and COVID-19 shot through your health plan. Learn more.

KCSO attends annual Skyway Health and Safety Fair

Cross-posted from the King County Sheriff’s Office newsletter.

Last weekend, the King County Sheriff’s Office took great pride in participating in the Annual Skyway Health and Safety Fair alongside various stakeholders and the local community.

This highly anticipated event attracted hundreds of residents from Skyway and nearby areas and was meticulously organized by the dedicated team at Skyway Fire District 20.

The day kicked off with a complimentary pancake breakfast hosted by the fire department, setting a warm and inviting tone for the event. Throughout the day, there was a wide range of engaging and informative activities designed specifically for children, with a strong focus on promoting safety awareness. In addition to the activities, multiple service providers were on hand, offering a wealth of valuable resources and information to the attendees.

Deputies A. Mazur, A. Thomas, and Communications Center Recruiter J. Francisco (not pictured) were actively involved, offering goodies to the children and providing them with the unique opportunity to explore the Bearcat, sparking excitement among the younger participants.

The positive and engaging atmosphere made it a great experience for all who were present, and we are eagerly looking forward to being a part of this event again next year!

King County’s ultimate frisbee team brings employees together

This summer, King County employees formed an ultimate frisbee team for DiscNW’s corporate league (with the team name “zzGrp, KC Ulti”). King County departments represented on the team included Natural Resources and Parks (including players from Water and Land Resources Division, Wastewater Treatment Division, and Parks), Information Technology, Public Health, Executive Services, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, plus several significant others who consistently showed up as well.

While most other teams in the league came from tech companies that sponsored them, King County’s squad was composed of enthusiastic County employees who covered league costs themselves. Games ran from June through August and were all over the Seattle area, from Ballard to Columbia City, with player experience ranging from total beginners to advanced players with decades of experience.

DiscNW’s corporate league is explicitly geared towards introducing new players to ultimate frisbee, emphasizing safety and learning over scoring and competition. “Having never played ultimate frisbee, I was a little nervous to sign up at first. After the first game, I realized just how much fun it was, and our game days soon became my favorite day of the week. I had so much fun getting to know others at the County and learning why so many people love ultimate frisbee. Can’t wait for next year!” says Beth Mende, Senior Water Quality Manager in DNRP’s Wastewater Treatment Division.

If you are interested in playing next year, contact Alicia Kellogg alkellogg@kingcounty.gov or Iris Lippert ilippert@kingcounty.gov.

Drug Court celebrates 30 years on Sept. 16

Cross-posted from King County Superior Court.

King County Drug Diversion Court (KCDDC) will hold an in-person 30th anniversary celebration on September 16 in the Presiding Courtroom (E-942) of the King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Avenue, Seattle to celebrate three decades of “Transforming Lives and Strengthening Communities.”

“Drug Court provided me with the treatment and resources that transformed my life. Since graduating, I have devoted my time to helping others by returning to work at the same program that saved me, supporting those who are facing similar struggles,” said Joe Barsana, a KCDDC graduate who now works in the program as a housing case manager.

KCDDC graduates, current participants, current and prior judges, team members, service providers, and community leaders will be in attendance. Media and members of the community are welcome to attend. Learn more.

There will also be an option to watch via Zoom: kingcounty.zoom.us/j/82170299807. Meeting ID: 821 7029 9807. Phone: 253–205–0468.

A highly successful paint recycling program shows how extended producer responsibility reduces waste, protects human and environmental health

Cross-posted from Department of Natural Resources and Parks.

The success of a statewide rule that holds producers responsible for their own products, such as leftover paint, is a key component of Re+, King County’s initiative to prevent pollution, protect human and environmental health, and keep waste management costs in check.

A state law that went into effect in 2020 promoting product stewardship dramatically reduced the amount of oil-based paint sent to the regional landfill in Maple Valley, preventing waste and protecting the natural environment in King County.

An estimated 15,000 gallons of oil-based paint were sent to Cedar Hills Regional Landfill in 2019, a year before the state law applied the principles of extended producer responsibility. There was almost none when King County’s Solid Waste Division measured again in 2023. More than 680,000 gallons of paint were recycled statewide last year. Read more.

All employees must complete cybersecurity training

All employees and vendors with access to King County systems must complete Cybersecurity Training by Dec. 31, 2024.

Log in here to complete your assigned training with our education partner, KnowBe4.

Training takes about 60 minutes. Annual security training is an important activity that safeguards King County systems, and the number of employees who complete training each year impacts our insurance rates. Thank you for doing your part to protect King County! For assistance, contact the KCIT Helpdesk.

King County employee discounts for Husky Football

Husky Football is excited to offer local Washington government employees discounted tickets to three exciting games this year. This special offer is exclusively available to you as a local Washington government employee! Join UW as Coach Fisch, Will Rogers, and the Dawgs take on Weber State, Northwestern, and UCLA this season.

To purchase discounted tickets, click here.

Discounted tickets are available for the following games, UW vs Weber State, Saturday, Aug. 31; UW vs Northwestern, Saturday, Sept. 21; UW vs UCLA, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

See all available employee discounts on the Employee Discount webpage.