Let’s Hit 90, King County! 

Crossposted from Election Connection  Over the last year, voters in King County have surpassed our expectations time and time again when it comes to turnout.  In the August Primary, we projected 43% — you all showed up at 56%. The turnout for the 2016 August Primary was 37%. In the March Presidential Primary, we projected 40% — you all showed up at 56%. The turnout for the 2016 Presidential Primary was 33%. Needless to say, King County voters have been showing up and making their voices heard.  Now, as we turn our attention… Read More

Join the conversation about employee safety during the COVID-19 pandemic 

All employees will soon receive an invitation by email or mail from the Auditor’s Office and the University of Washington to participate in a short, voluntary survey about employee safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work builds on some of the safety surveys and communication you might have already received. By providing your insights, you can help to continuously improve wellness and safety efforts at the county and contribute to occupational health research being conducted by the University of Washington. 

Featured Job: Volunteer Program Coordinator 

Salary: $78,992.16 – $100,127.46 Annually  Location: WA 98027, WA  Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week  Department: DNRP – Natural Resources & Parks  Job Number: 2020-12065  Division: Parks  Closing: 9/14/2020 11:59 PM Pacific  Learn more about this position or view all available positions. 

Featured Job: ESJ Trainer (Educator Consultant III) 

Salary: $86,852.69 – $110,090.86 Annually  Location: Seattle, WA  Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week  Department: DHR – Human Resources  Job Number: 2020EM12011  Division: Career and Culture  Closing: 9/9/2020 11:59 PM Pacific  Learn more about this position or view all available positions. 

King County pulse survey starting Sept. 8 

King County is conducting a short pulse survey of a random sample of employees to get a better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on our workforce, starting Tuesday, Sept. 8.  This survey builds on the May 2020 survey and listening sessions of more than 1,000 randomly selected Executive branch employees, which asked about their experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its affect on their work. Its results will be used to better understand how the County can effectively support employee well-being at this time, and the changing nature of work.  As this is a… Read More

Metro is ‘Ready When You Are’ with new safety innovations and route changes 

Crossposted from Metro Matters  King County Executive Dow Constantine announced Metro is rolling out more than 1,400 first-of-their-kind automated safety partitions between passengers and the driver, to be installed on Metro buses, including Sound Transit Express buses operated by Metro. Metro also will equip over 100 buses with on-board dispensers to provide masks on the busiest routes.  To provide greater operator and passenger safety, Metro ceased front-door boarding and collecting fares on March 21.  Read more.   

King County is moving to Microsoft Teams from Skype 

Microsoft Teams will soon be the hub for communication and collaboration. Teams provides communication with phone calls, meetings and IMs; collaboration tools for the shared work, and support for virtual large meetings with Teams Live Events. What are the benefits? With Teams as the hub, working together will be easier: IM / Chat: Send IMs (instant messages) and chat with individuals, teams or groups, all in one location. Meet: Invite anyone with an email address to join a meeting to collaborate in real-time, share screens or use a digital whiteboard. Call: Make and receive calls within King County or to outside people or groups with no app needed. Collaborate: The new “one-stop” location for SharePoint, OneNote and Office tools. What will the move to Teams look like? The move will happen in two phases: The first… Read More

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Dear King County employee, September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and this year it comes at a particularly difficult time for many people in our community. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report found that 1 in 4 people aged 18-24 has had suicidal thoughts in the month preceding the survey, which was conducted in June. Behind that statistic are people experiencing racism, worrying about their jobs, and feeling the pandemic’s threat to their health. It is clear, these unprecedented times are having profound impacts on the mental… Read More

Upcoming learning opportunities this fall  

Learning and Development has a diverse collection of classes to choose from. Employees can view the King County Eventbrite page for current listings, and visit the Learning and Development website for other opportunities from various agencies. Current offerings include:    Brain-based Time Management Online – This three hour class is $50 and space is limited.   Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, from 1-4 p.m. Register here.      Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, from 9 a.m. to noon. Register here.   More options for this class available on the King County Eventbrite page  Grantwriting 101 Online – Offered through North Seattle College, this course is $99 and is four sessions. The series takes place every… Read More

Tech Tip: Reminder to complete 2020 Cyber Security Awareness Training 

All employees are required to complete KCIT’s Cyber Security trainings. Each employee should have received an email titled “King County 2020 Cyber Security Awareness Training,” which includes details on accessing this mandatory training. The training contains several short modules and will help all employees keep King County’s online systems safe and secure. Please note some departments will begin training this month.   For questions or more information, contact the KCIT Helpdesk or call 206-263-4357 (3-HELP).