State retirement plan contributions change Sept. 1, 2023
Employer contribution rates for some of the following retirement plans will change on Sept. 1, 2023, as approved by the State Legislature. The state Pension Funding Council adjusts contribution rates, as needed, to fund the retirement benefits earned by members. The PERS employer rate will change to 9.53% for all PERS plans. You will see the new employer contribution amounts under employer-paid benefits on your paystub beginning Sept. 14, 2023. More information is available on the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) website. If you have any questions about the rate… Read More
New Racially Just training for all Executive branch employees
Dear fellow King County employee, One of our core values is “We are racially just.” This means that we work purposefully and intentionally against racism and discrimination, and toward equity for all by building anti-racist and pro-equity approaches into our work, our policies, our budgeting, and our trainings. It means that we make racial justice a central part of how we work and act as King County employees. That is why we have launched a new training: We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at Work. This training will help to… Read More
Take care in hot temperatures
The hotter than normal weather we’re experiencing this week can take a toll on our mental and physical health so it’s important to take care of ourselves, our loved ones, and our furry friends. With the National Weather Service’s Heat Advisory for our area now extended until Thursday, Aug. 17 at 11 p.m., here are some tips from Public Health – Seattle & King County to help you manage the heat. Learn more.
Website migration starts Monday, Aug. 21 – what to expect
Starting Monday, Aug. 21, King County will begin transitioning our public website (kingcounty.gov) to a new platform. While website migration is underway, site visitors may experience brief, occasional errors. This process is expected to be completed by Wednesday, Aug. 23. KCIT is working with departments’ Web Content Manager(s) to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruptions, but you can help: Be prepared for customer questions. After the transition, online visitors will see the new King County homepage and your department’s new webpages. Your webpages will look different, and customers may need help navigating to… Read More
KCIA hosts Blue Angels for Seafair weekend
Crossposted from DES Express The U.S. Navy Blue Angels roared in and out of King County International Airport for this year’s Boeing Seafair Airshow, held Aug. 4 – Aug. 6. The Blue Angels were parked on the airport’s main terminal ramp again this year, making for a close-up show for airport employees and others at the terminal. Read more.
Employee Engagement for the Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan Continues Aug. 28 – Sept. 13
Employees who opted-in to Identity-Based Affinity Spaces should have received a calendar invite for their Affinity Space’s second meeting, which are scheduled to take place between Aug. 28 – Sept. 13. Please check your email to ensure you’ve received this calendar invite and seek time approval from your supervisor. Effectively engaging King County employees is a key part of refreshing the Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan. Earlier this year, employees opted-in to Identity-Based Affinity Spaces, one of the ways the Refresh project will engage with employees. In these meetings, employees will… Read More
Participate in survey to improve the Customer Experience
The Customer Experience (CX) Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from departments across the county, has developed a survey to learn more about how we are delivering customer service across the enterprise. If customer service, whether external or internal, is a component of your work, please participate in the survey. It takes 10-15 minutes to complete and will be open until Aug. 25. To access the survey, click here. With your participation, we will be able to gain a robust understanding of services we provide to customers, ways we interact with customers, and how we request feedback from… Read More
Caroline Whalen retires after 29 years at King County
Crossposted from DES Express Caroline Whalen, director of the Department of Executive Services since 2010, retires next month after 29 years at King County. Her last day in the office will be Sept. 8. “Working for King County was the best career decision I’ve made,” Whalen said. During her county career, she has written land use code, organized massive rezone mailings along with an associated call center, analyzed legislation, and served as a lead staff for the County Council. She worked her way up to deputy director in the former Department of… Read More
King County Metro’s largest union approves 3-year labor contract with higher salaries and expanded training opportunities
King County Metro and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 have finalized a three-year labor contract that increases wages by approximately 17 percent over the life of the contract. The agreement also includes a lump sum retroactive payment, a retention bonus of $2,500, and a one-time $2,500 ratification signing bonus. The contract shortens the pay step progression and vacation accrual time for part-time transit operators, aligning it with the current policies for full-time employees. Negotiations on the contract started in May 2022, with the parties reaching a tentative agreement this June. The… Read More
$1.2 million in narcotics blocked by Shoreline Police and King County Sheriff’s Office – keeping nearly 300,000 fentanyl pills off the street
Nearly 300,000 fentanyl pills and other narcotics are out of the hands of a narcotics trafficker thanks to the diligent work of the King County Sheriff’s Office, which recently conducted an operation to stop the dangerous drug from hitting the street. The amount of fentanyl seized is enough to cause more than two million lethal doses and is one of the Sheriff’s Office largest seizures ever. Operation “Jade” took place on Thursday, Aug. 3, and was led by the Shoreline Police Special Emphasis Team (SET) and assisted by Precinct 4 SET and Narcotics Detection… Read More
Employee News 