Balanced You Conversations: Understanding your benefits with Matt Munson
Balanced You Conversations is a series of talks about important topics related to overall health and well-being. Karla Clark, Employee Health & Wellness Educator with the Balanced You team sits down with Matt Munson, King County Benefits Navigator. They discuss the work Matt does to help educate all King County employees about their benefits and the options they have, the importance of having a primary care provider, and some of the things he likes to do outside of work. “I’m always available to talk to employees about the available benefit options and… Read More
ORCA transit ridership grows to 151 million trips
Crossposted from Metro Matters Regional ridership jumps 12% in 2024 Transit in the Puget Sound region delivered 17 million more trips in 2024 than the prior year, according to six ORCA transit agencies. Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit delivered 134 million trips in 2023 and 151 million trips in 2024. The growing popularity of transit aligns with recent expansions and improvements across the region. Transit agencies celebrated adding more bus trips, opening new bus rapid transit lines, launching Sound Transit Link light rail… Read More
Airport unveils new hybrid electric fire truck, cutting air and noise pollution
Crossposted from the DES Express King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) is the first airport in the country to receive a hybrid electric airport fire truck to respond to emergencies like aircraft crashes or hangar fires. The Oshkosh® Striker® Volterra™ from Oshkosh Airport Products dramatically cuts greenhouse gas and particulate emissions compared to diesel-only fire trucks. KCIA’s new hybrid electric fire engine is designed to maximize performance while reducing fuel use, emissions and maintenance costs. The new fire truck is part of the airport’s work to combat climate change and allows the airport to… Read More
Digital Accessibility Training now available in NEOGOV
All King County employees are invited to learn more about digital accessibility in the free course: “Beyond Compliance: Building an Accessible and Inclusive King County,” now available in the NEOGOV Learn catalog. Developed in collaboration with the Office of Equity, Racial, and Social Justice (OERSJ) KCIT, this 45-minute online training is designed to foster a deeper understanding of disability rights, digital accessibility standards, universal design, disability etiquette, and proactive accommodations. This is an introductory course and applicable to all county employees, regardless of their current learning level. Digital accessibility is crucial to ensure… Read More
Together We Thrive: Employee Engagement Survey is coming soon
The Employee Engagement Survey is returning and will take place March 31 – April 21. We know that to provide great service to the public, King County needs to be a great place to work. The survey is an important tool to help us continue to be one. It also provides an opportunity to check in with employees to learn what is going well and where we need to improve. That is why your participation is critical – we need each employee to provide feedback about their experience so that we can… Read More
From the Director’s Desk: Women’s History and Employee Appreciation
From the DAJD newsletter Women have served in law enforcement nearly as long as official police and corrections departments have been in existence in the U.S. In jails, female staff provided needed care and protection for incarcerated women. Read more.
King County Security Tips – HTTPS the ‘S’ stands for secure
If you have ever signed in to a website such as Facebook or Amazon, you will notice that on the login page, the URL will change from ‘http’ to ‘https’. What that little ‘s’ stands for is secure. It means that your web browser and the website have both agreed to communicate securely so that no other individuals will be able to ‘listen in’ on your conversation. If you needed to communicate some sensitive information such as a password to someone else, you would not shout out in the open ‘HERE IS… Read More
“Favorites” link changing to new Employee Intranet homepage
King County has launched a new Employee Intranet homepage, along with an intranet site and updated public-facing pages for the Department of Human Resources (DHR). These changes centralize all employee information into a single portal, accessible only to King County employees, while also making it easier for residents to find what they need on kingcounty.gov. New pages: King County Employee Intranet homepage (SharePoint) Department of Human Resources Intranet (SharePoint) Department of Human Resources public webpages On March 11, KCIT will change the quick link in all Executive branch employees’ “Favorites” menu to the new King… Read More
Try telehealth to receive health care at home
King County employees and family members enrolled in Kaiser and Regence medical plans have access to telehealth services that allow you to virtually access board-certified, trained medical providers from your home, using a tablet, smart phone, or personal computer. Read this blog for more information on how to access telehealth care for both Kaiser Permanente and Regence members. Supervisors: Here is a printer-friendly PDF with primary care provider resources to post at your worksites for employees who do not have access to email.
Pet adopters and foster homes still urgently needed at RASKC
Also: What to do if you lose a pet, or find an animal at large in the community Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) continues to be overwhelmed with the number of animals at the Pet Adoption Center in Kent. Pet adopters and foster homes are urgently needed to address overcrowding at the shelter. “All of our dog kennels are full, and in fact we’re ‘double bunking’ some of the smaller dogs to make room,” said Tim Anderson, interim manager at RASKC. “Our cat condos are also overflowing, with peak kitten… Read More
Employee News 