Building bridges between KCSO and the community through Special Olympics
Cross-posted from the Sheriff’s Newsletter When he was 18 years old, Dylan Centanino-Sweers began volunteering as a Special Olympics coach. Through this opportunity, he found a passion for working with the athletes and building relationships in the community. Now, as a deputy at the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), he’s able to see two things he values come together. “Given the challenging nature of our job and sometimes inherent negativity in the police profession, I hold on to the sheer positivity that the athletes exude when they compete in their events,” said… Read More
Metro deepens its commitment to a safe and welcoming rider experience
On February 27, 2024, King County Metro welcomed the newest division to the agency, the Safety Security and Quality Assurance division (SSQA). Safety has always been a priority at Metro but that scope has increased dramatically throughout the years. To understand what community’s priorities are related to safety Metro conducted community engagement, gathered feedback on fare enforcement, centered youth voices, and more. To operationalize community feedback and uphold the values of safety and equity, the SSQA section transitioned into a division. “Creating this division is a bold move to elevate Metro’s values… Read More
King County employee represents The American Legion on (the other) Capitol Hill
Whether it is directly or indirectly, the work of all King County employees is in service to the residents of King County. So it should be no surprise that many County employees bring an attitude of service to their personal lives as well. One such example is Rafael A. Munoz-Cintron, a Paralegal in the Prosecuting Attorney’s office. A former Senior Airman in the Air Force serving during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Rafael now volunteers representing The American Legion from Washington state. “The American Legion is the only Veteran Service Organization taking a… Read More
Sunsetting the Temporary COVID-19 Personnel Policy
This month, both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated their COVID-19 guidance and removed the five-day isolation requirement for people who test positive for the virus. Under the updated guidance, people who test positive for the coronavirus should stay home and away from other people until their overall symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. After returning to normal activities, they should wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask for five days when they… Read More
Register now for upcoming retirement classes
Check out the educational opportunities below to help you learn about—and prepare for—retirement. Please note, attendance at retirement classes is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related. The following 90-minute online classes are provided by your King County Retirement Team. To register, use the links below, then select the date you’d like to attend. Before classes start, you’ll receive a meeting invitation at the email address you register with. For additional information, visit the King County Retirement page, read the Retirement Guide, or contact Carmen Johnson, retirement navigator. Your PERS Pension:… Read More
Transforming the hiring process with Metro
Interviewing for a new job can be nerve racking and take up a lot of personal time. King County Metro’s new creative way of transforming the hiring process provides a much more user-friendly and efficient approach to both the candidate and the employer. Despite many hiring efforts, there have been more than 40 open mechanic positions in the Vehicle Maintenance Division of King County Metro for multiple years. Now, those open positions are all filled in large part due to the new hiring fairs hosted by Metro. On October 31 – November… Read More
Recruitment and Outreach campaigns show success
In 2021, King County began to identify a trend showing the overall number of qualified job applicants significantly decreasing while the number of open vacancies were increasing. At the same time, HR professionals were transitioning to new roles or departing the County as part of an industry-wide trend largely tied to burnout. This resulted in prolonged vacancies in key recruiter positions, which in turn slowed the recruiting and hiring process. To better understand this challenge, HR Managers were surveyed in early 2022 to obtain insight and feedback on their recruitment needs and… Read More
Employee Engagement Survey postponed in 2024
King County is building a welcoming, inclusive workplace culture where every employee feels supported, respected, and valued. Actively seeking to learn and understand employees’ experiences and perspectives is crucial to this effort and central to our We Respect all People value. Since 2015, our primary tool for organization-wide employee feedback has been the annual Employee Engagement Survey. While this anchor survey has been useful in providing a once-a-year check-in with employees, we have learned that a 70-question annual survey is no longer an industry best practice. Furthermore, our current survey tool is… Read More
Refugees & Immigrants Support and Empowerment affinity group launches
The new Refugees & Immigrants Support and Empowerment (RISE) affinity group recently hosted a Connect & Celebrate event to launch the first resource group for King County employees identifying as immigrants and refugees (I&R). This gathering marked the beginning of a series of opportunities for I&R employees to meet and network with each other, share their experiences, and find resources to support their personal and professional growth. The goal is to strengthen I&R voices in the workplace. During the Connect & Celebrate event, participants shared childhood memories of growing up in different… Read More
Executive Constantine proclaims March as Women’s History Month
King County Executive Dow Constantine has declared March as Women’s History Month in King County and encourages all county residents to honor the contributions by women to their families, workplaces, and communities. In his Proclamation Executive Constantine said, “despite the innumerable contributions women have made and continue to make, too little is taught or even known about the enormous impact women have on our collective national history.” The Proclamation also acknowledges the National Women’s History Alliance’s theme “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion” and recognizes “women throughout the country who… Read More
Employee News 