Black Lives Matter. What’s next?
A personal, reflective piece by Dr. Gloria Ngezaho, Workforce Equity Manager, Department of Human Resources It was just a couple of weeks ago that I, alongside the world, witnessed the murder of George Floyd at the hands, or should I say knees, of a White police officer. I sat in silence, along with my family, angry and not knowing what to do. It wasn’t too long after that I decided to share my thoughts with my network. This was a space I needed in that moment, because my entire family was hurting,… Read More
King County applies for Phase 2 of Safe Start recovery plan
Following two weeks of progress in modified Phase 1, King County has submitted an application to the state Department of Health to move to Phase 2 of the Safe Start coronavirus recovery plan, which would allow more re-opening of businesses to increase operating capacity. King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci submitted an application to the state Department of Health to move King County to Phase 2 of the Safe Start recovery plan following approval of the plan by the King County Board of Health. “After two weeks in what… Read More
Communication and Problem Solving Skills three-day online webinar, June 30-July 2
In this three-day training, instructor Lenny Borer will address communication and problem-solving skills with the public and with co-workers. This class covers skills for effective listening, speaking, dealing with conflicts and with defensive behavior. Participants will learn how to name and demonstrate seven active listening skills, five assertive verbal skills, the five steps to deal with defensive behavior, and identify the differences between aggressive and assertive behavior, as well as list the seven steps in the problem solving process. Tuesday, June 30, Wednesday, July 1, and Thursday, July 2, from 9 – 11:30 a.m. Register… Read More
On-demand webinar recording: Supporting Kids through the Pandemic
During the recent Balanced You webinar “A Conversation on Self-care and Connection,” we heard from employees that one of your top concerns is how the pandemic is impacting your kids. Because you asked for help supporting your kids through this, we reached out to one of the area’s top parent coaches, Sarina Behar Natkin, to coordinate a webinar and Q&A session for King County employees. Attendees of the “Supporting Kids through the Pandemic” webinar learned how to support their children and themselves while building resilience and increasing connection in the home. To listen… Read More
How to be an ally: Anti-racism resources for white people
Many white people witnessing the violence against Black bodies and minds are committed to action that will set our country on a more just path. As such, many are resolving to demonstrate allyship by taking actions to counter, disrupt, and dismantle systemic racism through anti-racism. If you’ve heard these words, wondered what they mean, and want to know how you can make a difference, visit the Balanced You blog for definitions, tips, and resources.
Featured Job: Human Resource Manager II – SDA
Salary: $108,494.26 – $137,522.94 Annually Location: Seattle, WA Job Type: Special Duty Assignment Department: KCSO – Sheriff’s Office Job Number: 2020-11741 Division: Support Services Closing: 6/24/2020 11:59 PM Pacific Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
Racism is a public health crisis: The transformation starts here. It starts with us.
Crossposted from Public Health Insider By King County Executive Dow Constantine and Public Health — Seattle & King County Director Patty Hayes “There’s nothing new under the sun but there are new suns.” Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Trickster Today, we declare that racism is a public health crisis. Public Health – Seattle & King County and all of King County government are committed to implementing a racially equitable response to this crisis, centering on community. King County government and Public Health – Seattle & King County are committed to working in stronger… Read More
Anita Whitfield named Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer
Dear fellow King County employee, I have named Anita Whitfield to serve as the County’s Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer in my office and as part of my Senior Leadership Team as we continue our work to embed our “We are racially just” value across all of our operations. In this new role, Anita will lead our Equity and Social Justice strategy and oversee the Office of Equity and Social Justice (OESJ). She will work across all of our functions to ensure that we are doing everything we can to push our… Read More
Health officials stress continued vigilance as limited reopening begins
Crossposted from Public Health Insider As King County continues its first week of limited reopening of some businesses and recreational activities, Public Health – Seattle & King County reminds the public to continue following physical distancing and infection control practices to help prevent an increase in COVID-19 cases. Also, expanded data available on the COVID-19 dashboard. Story After nearly three months of stay-at-home orders and other guidelines targeted at slowing the spread of COVID-19, the gradual reopening of businesses, recreational opportunities and social activities is underway across King County. And, while some restrictions… Read More
KCIT fixing IT system Saturday, June 13
On Saturday, June 13, from midnight until 4 a.m., KCIT will be fixing a part of the IT system. This repair will fix a bug that has caused widespread outages over the last few weeks. Many IT systems will be down for about four hours. Some programs will stay online during the repair, while others will not. Unfortunately, it is not possible to predict which stay on and which will not. The good news is many everyday tools will not be affected. This includes Office 365 applications (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, Planner) and Oracle EBS. Employees… Read More
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