Humans of Road Services: David Garcia
Crossposted from King County Local David Garcia has found a rare and fulfilling balance between his career and his personal passions. He is a transportation planner by day but spends most of his free time outdoors, exploring mountains, lakes, and forests with four-legged pal Winston close in step. David is drawn toward adventure, culture, and new experiences. Understandably, he has moved around quite a bit. After growing up in the bustling, diverse Bay Area, he moved to Guatemala to gain a closer connection to his family’s culture, language and land. Read more.
Daylight Saving reminder: “Fall back” one hour on Nov. 3
Remember to move your clock back one hour this weekend. Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3. Daylight Saving Time in Washington will next be in effect from 2 a.m. Sunday, March, 9 to 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025.
Seattle Thunderbirds King County Employee Nights, Nov. 16 and Jan. 11
King County employees can receive discounted tickets to two upcoming Seattle Thunderbirds vs Everett Silvertips men’s junior hockey league games. Both games are at 6 p.m., doors open at 4:30 p.m., and are at the accesso ShoWare Center, located at 625 W James St, Kent, WA 98032. Both links provided below require you to input coupon code “County” to purchase tickets for $24 plus fees, a discount of $10 off a regular priced $34 ticket. This discount only applies to blue seats on the seating chart. Saturday, Nov. 16 – To purchase… Read More
Regional Veterans Court recognizes hard work of its participants, Nov. 14
The same week the United States honors veterans on Veterans Day, King County Regional Veterans Court (RVC) will recognize the successes and hard work of RVC program participants. The annual celebration of RVC program participants, including participants who have successfully completed the program and will graduate from it, will be held Thursday, Nov. 14, at 1:30 p.m. King County employees are invited to attend either in person or via Zoom: In-person: King County Courthouse, Courtroom E326 Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/7597251370 (meeting ID: 759 725 1370) Operated by King County District Court since 2012, RVC understands that… Read More
Kaiser to close three Puget Sound-area medical facilities
Kaiser Permanente Washington recently announced that they will be closing their medical facilities in Ballard, Gig Harbor, and Poulsbo on Dec. 13, 2024. The Kaiser announcement stated “As the health care market changes rapidly, with increased competition, new technologies, and high consumer expectations, it is critical that we continue to adapt by allocating our people and resources where they provide the greatest value to our patients, members, and customers.” Members who seek care at the Kaiser medical facilities in Ballard, Gig Harbor, and Poulsbo can follow their clinician to a new location… Read More
Coming soon: Add pronouns and preferred first name/nickname to PeopleSoft and Microsoft
Starting Nov. 1, employees will be able to add pronouns and preferred first name/nickname in PeopleSoft and Microsoft 365 (including Teams and Outlook), making them visible to other King County employees. This option advances our We respect all people value and helps us create a more inclusive and affirming workplace for everyone. It also aligns with the County’s Gender Identity in the Workplace policy. These options will be available for both PeopleSoft and Microsoft 365. Sharing this information with other King County employees is a personal choice and completely optional. Once entered, this information may be subject to public disclosure… Read More
Celebrating creativity and fun on Halloween with the Annual Giving Drive
It’s finally here—Halloween—the day of fun and imagination that brings people together in celebration. The Annual Giving Drive loves this day because it is a time when creativity takes center stage and everyone—kids and adults alike— can embrace their playful side with costumes, decorations, and more! Halloween offers so many ways to showcase imagination and artistry. We hope everyone has a happy, safe, and creative Halloween! Here are some fun Halloween themed EGP nonprofits that specialize in the arts and creative spaces. Read more. Pledge or renew here by Nov. 22.
Healthcare organizations continue commitment to protect patients and healthcare workers with an update to masking guidelines
Crossposted from Public Health Insider Healthcare systems in the Puget Sound region have updated their joint guidelines for masking in hospitals and outpatient clinics during respiratory illness season. This means local healthcare facilities may require patients, visitors and employees to wear masks when respiratory illnesses such as flu and COVID-19 are circulating widely in the community. Masking is an effective way to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses in healthcare settings. These latest guidelines re-affirm the importance of the health and safety of patients and employees, particularly for those who are at high risk… Read More
Tips and resources for coping with election stress
By Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer This article is written for employees of King County. The resources listed are only available to employees of King County. Tuesday, Nov. 5, is Election Day and many Americans are waiting anxiously for the results. According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association (APA), more than two-thirds of U.S. adults say the 2024 U.S. presidential election is a significant source of stress in their life. This can be a time with a lot of uncertainty, stress, and anxiety and it is important that we take care… Read More
Open Enrollment begins tomorrow
Open Enrollment starts tomorrow, Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 15. Most employees have significant changes to the benefits offered in 2025. Use the following resources to learn about the changes and all of your benefit choices, so you can make the best decisions for you and your family during Open Enrollment. Go to the Open Enrollment website and see the 2025 Key Benefit Changes. Attend a Benefit Fair. The first one is tomorrow, Nov. 1, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. in the Chinook Building, Room 121/123. Register for an Open Enrollment information session…. Read More
Employee News 