New Climate Action Toolkit will help King County cities develop customized climate strategies, mobilizing the region’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions

A new Climate Action Toolkit created by King County and King County-Cities Climate Collaboration will provide local governments with practical guidance on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for both government operations and at the community-wide scale, spur the growth of an equitable clean energy economy, and preserve our natural environment.  If approved by the King County Council, the toolkit that King Executive Dow Constantine announced today will be available at no cost to all 39 cities. It is designed to be a flexible guide for cities in all stages of climate planning to… Read More

Pet of the Week: Mr. Wilson 

Hi! My name is Mr. Wilson and I am available for adoption. I am an independent kitty who likes to do my own thing! I like getting attention on my own terms. I can get overstimulated with petting, so please move carefully with me and keep an eye out for signs that I might need a break. My caregivers have noticed that I do not seem to get along with other cats and dogs, so I may do best as the only pet in my new home. My personality color is RED. I am… Read More

Fall and winter mindfulness class schedule now available 

Mindfulness is a practice that can support you in reducing stress at work and at home. Mindfulness techniques are especially useful now, as we move through the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.  Balanced You continues to partner with Mindfulness Northwest to offer free mindfulness classes and workshops to King County employees, via both employee-specific and community classes. In alignment with social distancing recommendations, all in-person classes have temporarily shifted to online platforms.  For the fall and winter, we have expanded our mindfulness class menu to include classes for employees involved in the COVID-19 response,… Read More

Get Up and get moving! Let Balanced You know what type of virtual exercise classes you want 

We heard from employees that you wanted to be able to exercise at home while telecommuting. So, Balanced You, in partnership with our vendor Vivecorp, is offering free, live virtual fitness classes to King County employees! But first, we need your feedback so we know what type of classes you are interested in. Please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey. Let us know the types of classes you’re interested in and when you’d like to see them offered. Contact balancedyou@kingcounty.gov for more information. 

Employment Transition – online, October 8 and multiple dates 

King County experts will provide important information about the resources and services that are available to employees who are facing a layoff. Topics covered include: Career Support Services, Priority Placement Program, Employee Assistance Program, Making Life Easier Program, Balanced You and Benefits. There will also be time for you to ask questions. This is a voluntary virtual meeting.  This workshop will be held via Zoom Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Register here.  Additional courses are available on the Career Support Services training page. For questions or more information visit www.kingcounty.gov/CSS or contact Career Support… Read More

Training Spotlight opportunities from Learning and Development 

Communication and Problems Solving Skills, online – Facilitated by Lenny Borer, this three-day training is $65 and takes place from 9-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Oct. 13, 14, and 15. Register here.     QuickBooks Level 1, online – Offered through North Seattle College this class is $85 and takes place over two sessions on Oc. 15 and 22. Register here.  More opportunities are available on our King County Eventbrite page. For more information, contact the Learning and Development Team at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov or visit Learning and Development at www.kingcounty.gov/learning. 

Lunch and Learn Sessions for Disability Awareness Month, October 7 and 21 

In celebration of October as National Disability Awareness Month, the Department of Human Resources is hosting two Lunch and Learn discussions that focus on Race and Disability, to be held via Zoom. We will begin our discussion with a short video and then an open dialogue facilitated by Workforce Equity Manager Gloria Ngezaho, and employees Jennifer Greenlee, Lili Stansberry and Christina Davidson. All King County employees are welcome to join.  Lunch and Learn, Wednesday, Oct. 7 from noon to 1 p.m. – Discussion on the intersection of Race and Disability  Lunch and Learn, Wednesday, Oct. 21… Read More

Sign up now for October Mental Health First Aid@Work Trainings 

Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being that can often be misunderstood or overlooked. To increase awareness about mental health and highlight supportive resources, Balanced You has partnered with the National Council of Behavioral Health to offer Mental Health First Aid@Work trainings. These trainings are available to all County employees, free-of-charge.  As we transition our county’s pandemic response into the autumn and prepare for the mental health crisis that experts warn is ahead, Balanced You urges employees to consider participating in the Mental Health First Aid@Work training so we can all better… Read More

Plan, organize and follow through! A parent’s guide to fostering executive functioning skills, webinar, October 6 and multiple dates 

Join Balanced You benefits partner, Rethink Benefits, for a free online session to learn how to identify your child’s executive functioning opportunities. This session will help you turn their challenges into strengths by reviewing tips for children of different age groups and abilities. You will learn to boost their confidence and skills in these areas:  Planning and organization  Time management  Paying attention and staying on task  Independence  Coping and self-regulation  This webinar will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 9 a.m. Register and view additional dates here.  Registrants who cannot make it will automatically receive an on-demand recording once the webinar… Read More

Creating Effective Application Materials – online, October 7 and multiple dates 

King County Career Support Services staff will provide you with strategies and tips on making your application materials stand out. This training will include:   Understanding the purpose of the job application, resume, cover letter and supplemental questions and how to make each of them more effective   Deciding what to include in your resume and the best format to showcase your qualifications   How to write a cover letter tailored to the specific position   Identifying and showcasing your accomplishments   This workshop will be held via Zoom Monday, Oct. 7 from 1-3 p.m. Register and view additional… Read More