Power of connection: Resources for survivors of domestic and sexual violence
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
October is Domestic Violence Action Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. During the month of October victim advocates, allies, survivors of abuse, their loved ones, and the surrounding community come together to raise awareness of domestic violence and its impact on individuals, families, and communities. It is a time to connect, lift each other up, share resources, save space for each other, mourn lives lost, and celebrate progress towards ending domestic violence.
Everyone has a role in ending domestic violence and its impact on our communities, from staying connected to someone experiencing abuse, volunteering at nonprofit organizations serving survivors, to sharing resources with each other. We can all contribute to building safe and resilient communities. Read more.
Share this:
Adaptive adventures: Making the outdoors accessible
Crossposted from King County Parks
This spring, the Healthy Communities and Parks Fund (Tier 1), awarded nearly $200,000 total to 14 different organizations working to improve access to parks, open space, and recreation in underserved communities of King County. One of those organizations is Needs of the Community (NOC) Society, who received almost $15,000 to provide free and accessible travel opportunities for young adults with medical illnesses and disabilities through their Camp Without Borders program. Read more.
Share this:
Reminder of required training: We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at work
To reach our True North – a welcoming community where every person can thrive – we must achieve racial justice. “We Are Racially Just” is a core value of King County. Through personal testimonies from King County employees, the We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at Work eLearning course explores what it means to be racially just and helps to familiarize employees with King County’s Pro-Equity and Anti-Racist actions and identify behaviors that can support these actions at work. This training helps to ensure that each of us understands what it means to be racially just and what we can do in our own work to advance racial justice at King County.
If taking this eLearning is still on your NEOGOV To Do list, employees who have regular computer access at work should complete the eLearning by Dec. 31, 2023. Those without regular computer access have until Sept. 30, 2024. This NEOGOV eLearning can be accessed here: We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at Work. Thank you again to everyone involved in creating a welcoming community at King County where every person can thrive.
Share this:
Kaiser Permanente and unions reach tentative agreement
Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions which represents their employees recently announced they reached a tentative national agreement.
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions has withdrawn their notices of a potential strike and there should be no disruption in services King County employees receive from Kaiser Permanente providers and facilities.
For more information, please call Kaiser Permanente Washington at 800-297-6877, or contact the King County Benefits team at 206-684-1556 or email KC Benefits.
Share this:
King County’s Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship: Empowering tomorrow’s public service leaders
We are excited to introduce the 2023-2024 Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellows. The Ruth Woo Emerging Leaders Fellowship offers a unique one-year, paid fellowship and is dedicated to nurturing the next wave of public service leaders. Inspired by Ruth Woo, a dedicated advocate of public service and mentor to elected officials, the Fellowship provides immersive experiences across various County departments. Fellows will actively contribute to projects aligned with King County’s core values of equity, social justice, and community well-being, engaging in tasks ranging from supporting government initiatives and strategic planning to tracking legislation and internal operations. This experience will offer them deep insights and real-world experience in the realm of public service.
The 2023-2024 Fellows are:
- Beza Ayele, Department of Human Resources – Career and Culture Division
- Pauline Estrella, Metro Transit
- Maddy Magana, Executive’s Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget
- Andrea Rivas, Department of Natural Resources and Parks
- Vincent Rugio, Department of Executive Services – Facilities Management Division
- Ternia Wilson, King County Council
Please extend a warm welcome to the 2023-2024 Fellows as they embark on this journey!
Share this:
Support humanitarian efforts in the Middle East during the Annual Giving Drive
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. Thousands of lives have been lost, and many more people have been injured and displaced. Many nonprofit organizations were already on the ground providing aid, and more still are working to ensure immediate and long-term humanitarian aid for Israel, Gaza, and the surrounding region.
When people are in need anywhere in the world, employees want to help. The King County Employee Giving Program has several nonprofits in the program that are responding. Both short-term and long-term support will be needed. See how you can provide support during the Annual Giving Drive.
The images and reports coming out of the conflict have been difficult to watch. As a reminder, King County has many support services available through our Making Life Easier (username King County) and Employee Assistance Programs, with counselors and licensed professionals available if you need assistance or just to talk to someone.
Share this:
Learn about 2024 benefits before Open Enrollment
Take the time to review your benefit choices before Open Enrollment, Nov. 1-15. The following benefit changes become effective for all employee benefit groups on Jan. 1, 2024:
KingCare PPO and KingCare Select (Regence BlueShield) medical plans:
- The PrudentRx program will be offered by CVS to members who take specialty drugs. If you enroll in PrudentRx, you will pay $0 for eligible specialty medications. If you do not enroll, you will pay 30% coinsurance for specialty medications. PrudentRx representatives will contact all eligible employees to enroll.
- The CVS Cost Saver program will be added Nov. 1, 2023. Cost Saver will automatically provide discount prices on many non-specialty generic retail prescription drugs through GoodRx. No action is required by you – the discount prices will apply when you go to your usual in-network pharmacy.
All medical plans (Regence and Kaiser):
- In addition to regular preventive breast cancer screenings, further diagnostic breast examinations will now be covered at 100%. This may include mammography, ultrasound, and breast MRI.
- Coverage for in-network services and medications for termination of pregnancy will increase to 100%.
Flexible Spending Accounts:
- For Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), the maximum contribution increases to $3,050 and the carryover allowed from this year to next year increases to $610. For more information go to Flexible Spending Accounts.
More information:
- Go to the Open Enrollment web page.
- Look for the Open Enrollment mailer sent to your home address.
- Sign up for an Open Enrollment Learning Session.
- Plan on attending one of the Benefit Fairs.
- Watch the Open Enrollment Overview
- Contact or stop by the Benefits office:
Chinook Building, 2nd Floor
401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104
206-684-1556 kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov
Closed on Veterans Day: Nov. 10
Share this:
Five questions with Lauren Orichio, Supported Employment Program Manager
1. What is your role at King County and when did you start? I started at King County on Sept. 18 as the Supported Employment Program Manager. The goal of the Supported Employment Program is to create employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities within King County Government. In doing so, we get closer to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve.
2. What is your background in supported employment? I was a special education teacher in Seattle Public Schools before joining PROVAIL, a multi-service agency supporting individuals with developmental disabilities to fulfill their life choices in school, work, and housing. In the first half of my eight-year career there, I worked as a Job Coach to support people with disabilities to find and maintain employment in their communities. I then moved on to managing job coaches before becoming the Director of Employment Services for my final two years with the organization. Supported Employment provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to contribute meaningfully to a team, leading to a greater sense of purpose and inclusion in the world around them.
3. What will you be responsible for in your new role? In collaboration with the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Community and Human Services’ Developmental Disabilities and Early Childhood Supports Division, I am responsible for the coordination and administration of King County’s Supported Employment Program, which offers a creative and cost-effective approach to meeting business needs and including people with developmental disabilities in the workforce. I provide additional support to managers, human resources, supported employees and employment agencies to increase satisfaction and address areas of concern. I also support departments in identifying new tasks for current supported employees in collaboration with the employment agencies as well as assist in the recruitment and hiring of individuals with developmental disabilities.
4. What is the biggest challenge in the role? The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of all workplaces, including King County. One of the challenges in this new role will be helping Supported Employees to navigate their “new normal,” re-envisioning jobs that have changed with the workforce being largely remote. This will involve the exciting task of helping Supported Employees learn new skills that will further open the door for them to participate in a hybrid work environment.
5. What do you most hope to achieve in the role? In this role, I hope to help reduce the 70% unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities in King County by expanding Supported Employment into all departments in the County government. I also hope to empower County staff with the tools to support coworkers with disabilities through regular training and mentorship.
Share this:
Upcoming employee COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinics
King County is hosting two onsite clinics where employees can get vaccinated against both COVID-19 and the flu.
Employees can register for one of the two clinics offering both COVID-19 and flu vaccines scheduled for November. This is the new 2023 monovalent COVID-19 vaccination targeting the XBB 1.5 strain of COVID-19. Learn more and register here.
Share this:
Helping King County’s older adults prepare for emergencies
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
Every September organizations and local governments across the country observe National Preparedness Month to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. This year, the nationwide theme “Take Control in 1, 2, 3” focuses on preparing older adults for disasters, specifically older adults from communities that are disproportionally impacted by hazardous events.
To learn more about the Department of Community and Human Services‘ (DCHS) work to prepare older adults for emergencies in King County, Taylor Gaston, the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy Community Liaison, sat down with Esther Lee, who serves as a Policy and Community Engagement Project/Program Manager with the Older Adults and Healthy Aging (OAHA) Unit within the DCHS Adult Services Division. Read more.
Employee News 