Safety video: Consider your route

Our top priority is your safety and security at work, and we are continuing to partner with law enforcement, community, and other governments to ensure a safer, more welcoming environment in and around our facilities. Here’s another tip to help you stay safe. Consider your route when going from A to B and use common sense. Avoid uninhabited parks, parking lots, garages, alleyways, and shortcuts. Stick to well-lit areas. Be alert when walking between buildings and stay aware of your surroundings. Check out the video and watch for additional videos with safety tips… Read More

World Aids Day

Every year, on Dec. 1, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with and affected by HIV and to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS. Four decades into the HIV response, inequalities still persist for the most basic services like testing, treatment, and even more so for new technologies. King County is committed to radically reducing new HIV infections through diagnosing, treating, preventing, and responding quickly to HIV outbreaks. Learn more about Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative through Public Health – Seattle &… Read More

Executive Constantine proclaims November as Native American Heritage Month

In recognition of the fact that we live and flourish on the lands and waterways of the Coast Salish peoples of Puget Sound, and that the impacts of systemic racism and colonization on Native Americans have created great harm, and to honor the many contributions that Native Americans have made in all aspects of our lives, King County Executive Dow Constantine proclaims November 2022 as Native American Heritage Month. Read the full proclamation below.

Resources to help navigate family conversations about racism

As we look toward gatherings over the holidays and into the future, the Anti-Racist White Action Group offers some resources that may help you with what might be difficult family conversations. How to Navigate Difficult Conversations During the Holiday Season How to Talk to Your Family About Racism on Thanksgiving Six steps to help you tackle difficult conversations How to navigate difficult conversations with family over the holidays ARWAG is one of the county’s Affinity Groups (also called Employee Resource Groups) that addresses racism and other forms of oppression to advance the county’s equity… Read More

Intuitive eating tips for the holidays

It is common to feel stressed about food and exercise during celebrations, and this often peaks at winter holidays. Balanced You and our colleagues at Public Health want to remind you to be gentle and kind to yourself. The winter holidays and the new year are a great time to take a look at our assumptions and judgments about food, exercise, and our bodies, and to learn more about Intuitive Eating and making peace with food. During the holidays, you can support yourself and others by: Not labeling foods as “good” or… Read More

King County collaborates to build new facilities for Harborview’s future 

Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Harborview Medical Center, the people’s hospital, is undergoing a radical campus-wide modernization. Owned by King County and operated by University of Washington Medicine, the medical center will experience dynamic improvements over the next 10 years thanks to King County voters who overwhelmingly approved a $1.74 billion capital improvement bond in 2020. Read more.

State-of-the-art stormwater station in Georgetown to protect the Duwamish River and Puget Sound

King County’s new $275 million Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station will be ready for crews to operate this rainy season enabling better protection of the Duwamish River and Puget Sound from stormwater pollution during severe rainstorms, which are occurring more frequently due to climate change. Read more and watch the video.

Indigenizing leadership, advocacy, and education

Throughout Native American Heritage Month, the Native American Leadership Council in partnership with the Office of Equity and Social Justice are bringing you videos in employee news featuring Indigenous and Native community members, King County employees, youth and elders on the movement to increase awareness of the diverse experiences, culture, stories of struggle and resilience within the Native community. In this video, we feature the youth and elders participating in the Urban Native Education Alliance’s (UNEA) Clear Sky program. UNEA represents an organization founded and maintained by the Native community in King… Read More

County offices closed Nov. 23 and 24

King County government offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 23 and Friday, Nov. 24 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Click here for Metro Transit holiday bus schedules. If you have questions about your holiday schedule, please speak to your supervisor. Have a safe and healthy holiday.

Safety video: Plan your trip

Our first priority is your safety and security at work, and we are continuing to partner with law enforcement, community, and other governments to ensure a safer, more welcoming environment in and around our facilities. Here’s another tip to help you stay safe. Plan your trip ahead of time and wear clothing and shoes that are comfortable, low profile, and appropriate for the weather. Don’t carry too much and try not to carry anything in your hands. If you carry a purse, carry it close to you, and never carry a wallet… Read More