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).
Pet of the Week: Bagheera
Look who has their eyes on the prize… it’s Bagheera, our Pet of the Week! This young boy was brought in by a good Samaritan in early August. Bagheera likes to think he’s a panther – because he looks just like one! But that’s all just appearances, though, because Bagheera is actually a gentle and loving cat who likes to take things slow. So, he’s one of our “Bashful Blue” pets – one that would do best in a nice quiet home. He may get nervous in new situations, so he’s looking… Read More
Rev Up For Retirement online session, Sept. 22
It’s never too soon to start retirement planning. If you’re considering retiring in the next few years, the Rev Up For Retirement class will provide you with a basic understanding of Medicare and Social Security to help you make wise and informed decisions. Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 8 -10:30 a.m. Register here. At this online event, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and meet guest speakers Kirk Larson from the Social Security Administration and Jean Cormier, who will discuss your Medicare and Social Security options. This will be an online session and… Read More
Resources for parents and caregivers during COVID-19
Being a parent or caregiver during this pandemic is tough. Between school schedules, naps, entertainment, meals, finances, and work, 2020 is one big balancing act for employees caring for kids. Balanced You understands the toll that this stressful and unprecedented time is taking on working parents and caregivers, and we want to make sure employees know there are resources available from King County to help you through this. A summary of available resources can be found in this Balanced You blog post. If there’s anything else Balanced You can do to support you,… Read More
King County OEM delivers live webinar on preparedness to celebrate National Preparedness Month
September is National Preparedness Month. Over the next few weeks, the Office of Emergency Management will be reaching out to residents around the County to make sure that they are taking actions to prepare themselves and their loved ones for disasters. As we all continue to face the daily challenges of living through a global pandemic, it is important not to lose sight of other natural disasters that could occur in our region. Earthquakes, flooding, and severe weather, to name just a few, could have an impact on our families, friends, and… Read More
Make the most of your FSAs during the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted many aspects of daily life, and may have affected the amounts you are spending on day care and health care. The following reminders can help you make the most out of your Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which allow you to set aside pre-tax money for day care and medical expenses. Day Care FSAs With many schools and daycare facilities closed, many employees are struggling to find a provider who can watch their children during working hours. If your day care expenses have changed due to the COVID pandemic, you… Read More
Employee News 