King County partners with Second Use to reduce waste – one door, lamp, or kitchen sink at a time
Crossposted from Keeping King County Green Whether you’re a DIY home repair expert, a vintage furniture aficionado, or just in the market for some lightly used plumbing fixtures, home reuse stores are an irreplaceable resource to find hidden gems at a reasonable price. They also give items ranging from lumber to lighting a second life, keeping valuable materials out of the landfill. This important waste reduction potential led King County’s Solid Waste Division to team up with Second Use, a local business that sells reclaimed building materials at locations in Seattle and Tacoma,… Read More
Recognizing Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month
Crossposted from Metro Matters Earlier this month, Executive Dow Constantine proclaimed Sept. 15 – Oct. 15 as Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. We would like to take a moment to recognize this annual observance, which celebrates the cultural, educational, economic and political contributions of the Latinx/Hispanic communities across our region and country. National Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month was enacted into law on Aug. 17, 1988, by President Ronald Reagan and is observed annually from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, coinciding with the national independence celebrations of several countries. The Latinx/Hispanic community is the second-largest ethnic group… Read More
2024 Annual Giving Drive is here!
A message from Councilmember Jorge Barón and John Taylor, Director, Dept. of Natural Resources and Parks, 2024 Annual Giving Drive Honorary Co-Chairs. Dear fellow King County employee, As we enter the season of giving, we are excited to announce the start of our Annual Giving Drive, running from October 7 to November 22, 2024. This year’s theme, “Small Acts, Big Impacts,” perfectly captures the essence of how each of us can contribute to making our local, and global, community a place where everyone can thrive. By participating in the Annual Giving Drive, we can… Read More
Outside Employment and Volunteer Activities policy
Dear employee, King County released the Outside Employment and Volunteer Activities policy for employees in executive branch departments, offices, divisions, and agencies, including the Assessor’s Office and King County Elections. We are a large, diverse organization with employees who generously support their communities and organizations through volunteerism. We also recognize that there are employees who have outside employment. We acknowledge that employees and the County can benefit from employee involvement with outside organizations. The Outside Employment and Volunteer Activities policy reminds King County employees that they are responsible for meeting the job expectations and work requirements of their King County positions…. Read More
Balanced You Mindfulness: Fall 2024 schedule
Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged with whatever we’re doing at the moment—free from distraction or judgment. It’s a proven method to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being. Balanced You partners with mindfulness providers CuriosityBased, SolJoy, and Mindfulness Northwest. View the full list of classes and learn more here. Supervisors: Here is a printer-friendly PDF with the Mindfulness fall 2024 schedule to post at your worksites for employees who do not have access to email. We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions, please contact BalancedYou@kingcounty.gov.
“Fall” in love with $50 dog adoptions in October
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC The leaves are changing color and the weather is turning cooler, making October a great time to cuddle up with a warm pup from Regional Animal Services of King County! All this month, you can adopt a dog for just $50, plus a pet license fee where applicable. All pets from RASKC have had an initial veterinary exam, are up to date on their vaccinations, have been spayed or neutered, and are microchipped. Adopters get 30 days of opt-in pet health insurance through Trupanion, among other benefits…. Read More
New virtual contact center and search tool to connect King County residents to services
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections On Sept. 30, the Resource Access Team, a new key investment of the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy, launches their virtual contact center and online interactive resource database to better connect King County residents with the services and resources they need to thrive. Resource Access is a multifunctional customer service team within the Department of Community and Human Services that will serve as a centralized information and resource referral system, helping to bridge gaps across the human services system making it easier for residents of King County to access the services they… Read More
Test of KCInform employee alert and warning system on Oct. 17
King County will conduct a test of KCInform, King County’s employee alert and warning system, on Thursday, Oct. 17 between 9 and 10 a.m. as part of the annual Great Washington ShakeOut drill to test earthquake preparedness. KCInform is used to notify County employees of emergency situations, infrastructure disruptions, facility closures, changes in department business operations, and other critical impacts. Your King County desk phone and @kingcounty.gov email address are already in the KCInform system. However, please register your County provided cell phone (if applicable) and personal cell phone and email address… Read More
Earn rewards when you bike or scoot to transit!
Crossposted from Metro Matters As we step into fall, King County Metro, in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), Sound Transit and Lime, is offering a new exciting promotion for those connecting their rides on shared bikes or scooters with public transit. Whether you’re hopping on a bus or catching the Link light rail, you can now earn rewards just by riding and parking at certain transit hubs. What’s new this year? Launched on Sept. 16, the Bike and Scoot to Transit pilot now makes it even easier to ride… Read More
How King County is reducing waste generated by building demolition and creating more equitable access to green jobs
A new training program offered by King County is helping the local construction industry transition from demolition to deconstruction, a modern approach that dramatically decreases the amount a material the ends up in the regional landfill while creating more equitable access to green jobs. Unlike traditional demolition that relies on heavy machinery to turn buildings into piles of mixed debris, deconstruction carefully dismantles structures so materials can be salvaged and put back into the economy or, in some cases, completely rebuilt or relocated. The approach taught by King County can reduce the… Read More
Employee News 