Empowering employees to prioritize Equity and Social Justice
The Solid Waste Division is helping build a more equitable and just King County by empowering its employees with new equity and social justice awareness and skills through a series of interactive training sessions. The Solid Waste Division (SWD) of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks engaged employees in 12 open discussion sessions where they went through the fundamentals of equity and social justice (ESJ) and what it means to establish a pro-equity environment where every person can thrive – internally and in the community. “I saw this awareness throughout the… Read More
Stay safe in the heat
Forecasts call for “unseasonable heat” today and tomorrow. Here are some tips to help you manage the heat: For everyone Check on at-risk friends, family, and neighbors. If you’re outdoors, take breaks in the shade or in air-conditioned buildings. Avoid direct contact with the sun. Avoid exercising or strenuous activity in the afternoon, when the heat is most intense. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more. NEVER leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open! It… Read More
Employee Discounts to 2019 Washington State Fair and University of Washington football
Washington State Fair: Employees can save on tickets to the Washington State Fair, Aug. 30 – Sept. 22. Click here for instructions on how to purchase your discount tickets. Once you are logged into the Corporate Perks portal, your discount pricing will be unlocked. There is no need to enter an additional discount code. University of Washington football: UW vs. Eastern Washington University, Saturday Aug. 31, and UW vs. USC, Saturday, Sept. 28. To access the discount, visit this link here. Questions? Contact Justin Rothbaum at 206-685-8429 or jrothbaum@pac-12sales.com. See all available employee discounts at www.kingcounty.gov/employeediscounts.
How can Metro meet the needs of our growing county and help solve the climate crisis? We need to hear from you!
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County is growing quickly. Our economy is doing well, but unfortunately, rising housing prices mean that many people must live farther from work and drive long distances. That’s not good for quality of life, and it’s not good for the environment – transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in King County. At the same time, innovations in mobility services mean there are many more ways to get around than ever before, but many of these services can be expensive and lead to more cars on… Read More
Fluid Life Events: Changing your benefits after marriage or divorce
Certain life events may impact your benefits and allow you to make changes mid-year. This week, the Business Resource Center and the Benefits office launched a new PeopleSoft feature, Fluid Life Events, that allows you to make benefit changes online from any mobile device or computer. You can make changes online to your medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D coverage if you experience one of the following life events: marriage, divorce, birth, or adoption. You can still submit paper Qualifying Life Event forms and documentation to the Benefits office if you prefer; these forms can… Read More
Green infrastructure, aiming for LEED Gold Certification
The recent installation of the rain garden and green roof are the latest milestones at the Children and Family Justice Center. The eco-friendly design and landscaping support the County’s climate change priorities. In addition to being beautiful, the rain garden is one of many sustainable features that will retain run-off stormwater. The garden’s landscape showcases Princeton Sentry trees, Barrenwort plants, and Mexican beach cobble stones around the perimeter of the garden. A unique characteristic to the garden are rain chains, a functional and modern alternative to traditional gutter downspouts. Visitors and staff… Read More
DPD interns: A summer of epic victories, hard-fought losses and many hours in the courtroom
Crossposted from For the Defense The Department of Public Defense is saying goodbye this week and next to its 20 interns, thoughtful and dedicated law students who experienced both epic trial victories and hard-fought losses during their 10 weeks at DPD. They worked in nearly every case area DPD handles; put forward excellent release arguments, writs, and motions; researched complex legal issues, and wrote thoughtful legal memos. They spent time together at trainings, shared lunches where they heard from others in the field of public defense, and were mentored by several excellent attorneys. … Read More
Employees connect with community at Cine en el Parque
King County employees were on hand to connect with residents about programs and services at the August 10 Cine en el Parque event. Community outreach teams from several departments did a great job of providing information at interactive booths with bilingual staff at the screening of Spider-Man: Un Nuevo Universo. “Cine en el Parque” is a free outdoor movie at Dick Thurnau Park in White Center, where movies are projected onto a 40-foot-tall inflatable movie screen (bigger than most indoor theatres) that turns the Park into a spectacular outdoor cinema under the stars. It was a great opportunity to… Read More
Pet of the Week: Ginger
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC Look at that sweet smile – it’s Ginger, our Pet of the Week! This senior Labrador/Shepherd mix is looking for her forever home. Her personality color is “Easy Going Green,” meaning she is an adaptable dog who loves to go with the flow! Ginger is a sweet girl, very affectionate, and would be thrilled to cuddle up with you at home. She loves going on walks and hanging out with her favorite people. Ginger came into the shelter with another dog, but she may be selective about… Read More
Executive Constantine announces John Diaz appointed Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention
Dear fellow King County employee, I am pleased to announce the appointment of John Diaz to serve as the new director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, effective Wednesday, August 21. His appointment is subject to Council confirmation. John has served as Interim DAJD Director since April of this year, and during that time I have been impressed by his leadership, strategic thinking, and genuine interest in the work of DAJD employees, and the stability he has brought to the department. Prior to joining King County, John was the Seattle… Read More
Employee News 