State retirement plan contributions change July 1, 2024
Employer contribution rates for some of the following retirement plans will change on July 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 July 17, 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.
Attention Active&Fit members
Thank you to every Regence or Kaiser Permanente subscriber who joined the Active&Fit Direct gym program over last year. Please know that on July 1, 2024, Active&Fit is making a policy change to your membership. Learn more.
FSA mid-year check
We’re halfway through 2024, and it’s a good time to check your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) balances and take steps to make sure you spend your remaining funds before the end of the year. Here’s some additional reminders: Health Care FSAs Use Health Care FSA funds to purchase summer-related items such as sunscreen, first aid kits, and prescription sunglasses. Schedule any necessary back-to-school check-ups and sports physicals if you have children. Many over-the-counter items are FSA-eligible, such as pain relievers, cold and allergy medicine, antacids, and feminine care. See the complete list… Read More
Digital ORCA card changes not applicable to county employees
King County Metro recently announced that the ORCA card is available in Google Wallet, but it is important to clarify this change does not apply to King County employees. The King County employee dual-chip badge has this functionality disabled due to security, administrative, and logistical concerns. Many other regional employers who provide transit passes have also chosen to disable this function. In short, this means that King County employee cards cannot be added to the Google Wallet because the physical card is still needed for building access. The option is also not available in… Read More
How to get copies of Washington marriage and birth certificates
King County and its labor unions have engaged trusted vendor Mercer Consulting to conduct a routine eligibility audit to manage regulatory compliance and health insurance costs. Employees are required to review plan eligibility requirements and provide documentation supporting the eligibility of each dependent or indicate removal for any family member who is not eligible. For King County employees who need a certified copy of their Washington marriage certificate for dependent verification, the King County Recorder’s Office can provide these for a fee of $3 per copy. This fee is set by state… Read More
Use Audit ID from Mercer to verify your covered family members’ eligibility by July 29
If you cover a family member on your King County medical, dental, or vision plan, look for your Audit ID and instructions for completing the required dependent eligibility verification process sent from Mercer Consulting by mail and email. King County and its labor unions have engaged trusted vendor Mercer Consulting to conduct a routine eligibility audit to manage regulatory compliance and health insurance costs. If you deleted the email from Mercer: If you cover a family member on your employee medical, dental, or vision plan, and you did not receive an email from… Read More
With COVID-19 on the rise, remember to stay home if sick
King County is currently experiencing an uptick in COVID-19 infections. Please remember to stay home when you’re sick with COVID-19 or any common respiratory illness, including influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). We value your work here, but it won’t help anyone if you spread your illness to your co-workers. If you are sick, please follow your agency’s sick leave request and approval protocols and stay home. When you are sick, stay home and away from other people (including minimizing close contact with those in your home who are not sick)… Read More
Look for dependent eligibility verification information from Mercer
King County and its labor partners have engaged our trusted vendor Mercer Consulting to conduct a routine eligibility verification of the dependents enrolled in our health plans. If you cover a family member on your King County medical, dental, or vision plan, look for information from Mercer regarding the dependent eligibility verification process you are required to complete. On June 18, Mercer sent instructions and your Audit ID by mail and email. These communications are legitimate—please do not delete. Use your Audit ID to access the Mercer Secure Website, where you can… Read More
Dependent eligibility verification audit begins June 18
King County and its labor partners are collaborating with our trusted vendor Mercer Consulting to conduct an eligibility verification of the dependents enrolled in our health plans. If you cover a family member on your King County medical, dental, or vision plan, you are required to verify the eligibility of each person by completing the process and providing documentation. On June 18, Mercer will send a mailed letter and an email with instructions and details explaining the process. Employees are required to review plan eligibility requirements and provide documentation supporting the eligibility… Read More
Retirement-related calls and emails are not from King County vendors
Several King County employees have reported receiving suspicious calls and emails about retirement and deferred compensation plans. Should anyone claiming to represent King County employee retirement or financial services contact you directly, do not provide them with personal information. Calls are from someone stating they work for Equitable financial services who wants to discuss your deferred compensation plan. This caller does not represent any King County retirement or financial programs. In addition, Equitable is not a provider of any King County retirement or financial plans. In addition, emails have been received with… Read More
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