Metro urges protective measures, shares reported numbers
Crossposted from Metro Matters On Nov. 15, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a four-week statewide set of restrictions in response to the increased rate of the COVID-19 infections in Washington and across the country. King County also has seen an increase in cases, with south King County disproportionately impacted. Since the beginning of the pandemic and especially during this time, the safety of Metro’s employees, customers, and community members remains our highest priority. Read more.
New statewide COVID-19 exposure notification tool
The State of Washington has launched a new app that alerts residents if they have potentially been exposed to COVID-19. WA Notify is a simple, anonymous exposure notification tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. By adding WA Notify to their smartphones, Washington residents will be alerted if they spent time near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19. WA Notify uses privacy-preserving technology jointly developed by Google and Apple and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data. WA Notify is free and can be enabled in… Read More
Wishing our employees, their families, and the community a Happy Thanksgiving
It has been a challenging year, and during this national time of thanksgiving, we would like to take the time to say Thank You to our employees, for their dedication to making King County a beautiful, welcoming, and civic minded region. Thank you for the work you do every day. Thank you to your families and loved ones for supporting you to do it. And thank you to our community, and our region, for allowing King County to serve you. We wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
Join the virtual blood drive for King County employees, November 23–December 7
Bloodworks Northwest is hosting a virtual blood drive for all King County employees. Employees are encouraged to the give the special code KING when registering in person the day of their appointment to help keep track of all King County employees who are participating to help save a life. Make an appointment at a donor center, or pop up donor center at the link below for anytime between Nov. 23 and Dec. 7. All donations are by appointment only to provide the safest possible donation environment. Additionally, no walk-ins, guests or people under age 16 are permitted onsite, and masks (or an appropriate face covering) are required. Make an… Read More
King County Council approves Metro’s Access Paratransit Advisory Committee (APAC)
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Metro is pleased to announce the 11 members of its newest advisory group, the Access Paratransit Advisory Committee (APAC). The Access Paratransit Advisory Committee will advise Metro, the King County Executive, and the King County Council on transit and policy issues related to equitable public transportation for people with disabilities. The work of this new committee will enhance the Access paratransit program by providing guidance to Metro on what to prioritize and on developing a vision for ongoing improvements. The committee was appointed by the King County… Read More
Staying safer as COVID-19 infection rates increase
Dear employee, Nationally and locally our Public Health agencies are reporting an increase in COVID-19 infection rates in communities. This escalation in infections is also reflected in our work community, with increasing numbers of employees testing positive for COVID-19 or reporting significant exposure to those who have tested positive. Temporary statewide restrictions announced by the Governor are in place to help reduce the rate of infections. Workplace exposure The County continues to review workplace exposures where employees report that they have tested positive for COVID-19. County staff conduct workplace contract tracing on… Read More
Stay informed in inclement weather
Getting timely, accurate information in an emergency or inclement weather event is critical. Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information on how you are affected, at work and at home: KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your County provided mobile phones and employees personal contact information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.gov anytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website. Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your… Read More
More than 500 nurses urge King County to confront the surge
Crossposted from Public Health Insider In the midst of an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, more than 500 King County nurses are issuing an urgent call to renew efforts to turn around this troubling trend. “It’s been a tough year, and we’ve all sacrificed so much to stay safe. But now, with cases skyrocketing in King County, it’s more important than ever to stop the spread,” reads the nurses’ message, published Sunday in a special wrap-around section of the Seattle Times. Read more.
Prepare now for winter weather
As we approach winter, now is a great time to ensure you are well-prepared for an emergency or inclement weather at home or work. Taking a few steps now to plan ahead will give you peace of mind and help you make good decisions in an emergency: There are many online resources that you can use to make sure you and your family have what you need to Make it Through an emergency – from an extended power outage to a more severe event. Please take personal preparedness seriously. If your child is attending… Read More
Executive Constantine statement on updated COVID-19 restrictions
King County Executive Dow Constantine delivered the following statement at Gov. Jay Inslee’s press conference announcing new guidance on how to slow the spread of COVID-19, and new restrictions in place until Dec. 14: “Like everywhere in the state, our case counts are soaring, and that is also true nationally. The number of hospitalizations in King County last week increased by over 70 percent compared to the previous four weeks. “In fact, it was just earlier this week that I was reflecting that our hospitalizations had not increased dramatically, and then later that afternoon I… Read More
Employee News 