What we heard from employees
Dear King County employee, Over the past few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about one of our King County values—We respect all people. At King County, we show respect by actively seeking to learn and understand all perspectives and engaging people in decisions that affect them. As we seek to stabilize during the pandemic and adapt to change, we surveyed more than 1,000 Executive Branch employees to better understand their current challenges, fears, and hopes for the future. We also held listening sessions with frontline employees and King County affinity groups… Read More
Celebrating Pride and the fight for equality
Dear fellow King County employee, Each June, we celebrate Pride and the fight for equality and equal rights for LGBTQ+ people, their accomplishments, and many contributions to our communities here in King County and around the world. While COVID-19 precautions prevent us from celebrating together in person, the fight for equality remains critical. This year’s Pride celebrations come at a time when millions of people are standing up to ongoing racism, violence, and killings of black people and other people of color, and the systemic racism that continues to impact the life… Read More
A message from the Exec: Let’s keep working together to make it right
On Sunday, following his Friday message to County employees, Executive Constantine shared this message on Twitter with the people of King County: A message from the Exec (Preface: I’m sorry for the many people who gathered to peacefully, earnestly protest injustice – an act of civic responsibility of the highest order – only to have the day & message hijacked by violent opportunists. This isn’t about the rioters.) We all know what we saw in Minneapolis. A court will make the legal determination, but we all saw black man’s life – George… Read More
Living our values to stop the spread of stigma
As we work to stop the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), it’s equally important that we stop the spread of stigma and support each other during this challenging time. “We are racially just” and “We respect all people” are two of our core values. It’s as important as ever that we stay true to our values and do everything in our power to stand together against discrimination. Misinformation about COVID-19 can create fear or hostility that hurts people. Please remember that: Coronavirus doesn’t recognize race, nationality, or ethnicity Wearing a mask may be a cultural… Read More
Reflecting on the history of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. logo
This month during Black History Month, we are reflecting on why King County adopted the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. logo, and what it means to be the only county in the United States named after the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King County changed its logo in 2007 from a gold crown to an original graphic image of civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King is an international icon for justice, equality, and peace, and the logo is symbolic of those same… Read More
Focus on values: We lead the way
Dear employee, “We lead the way” is an attitude that we bring to our work, and one of our eight Executive Branch values. Everything that we accomplish is due to your hard work and innovative thinking, and as an organization, we are creating a culture where you feel empowered to push for new and better ways of doing things. As we focus on our “We lead the way” value this month, please take a moment to watch the “We lead the way” video. Your supervisor will make time to discuss what this… Read More
Focus on values: We focus on the customer
Dear employee, As public servants, “We focus on the customer” is not only one of our core values – it’s also part of every employee’s work, whether their customer is a member of the public, or another county employee. Over the past eight years, through training, collaborating, and learning from employees about their experiences and challenges, we’ve created a common understanding of what excellent customer service looks like in King County. There are of course minor variations between departments due to different mandates and regulatory roles, yet we all have a common… Read More
Five questions with Jesse Kent, Project/Program Manager III, Department of Local Services
When did you start in your role with King County, and what is your official title? I started at King County in March 2019. I am the Manager for the Service Partnership Program within the Department of Local Services (DLS). The department works to ensure the local service needs of unincorporated communities are met. We have created service partnerships with other King County departments to help determine needs, better coordinate services, and monitor service delivery in the unincorporated areas. These partnerships help to define the relationship, services and processes in unincorporated King… Read More
Celebrating Native American Awareness Month in King County
Dear King County employee, November is Native American Awareness Month in King County, a time for us to celebrate the history, culture, and many contributions of Native people throughout our region and here at King County. We are on the ancestral lands of the Muckleshoot, Snoqualmie, Puyallup, Tulalip, and Suquamish Tribes, and the Duwamish people. And our community is home to a large population of Native people from Tribal nations across the country. Together with our Tribal partners we are advancing efforts to preserve open space, restore critical habitat, and save Orca… Read More
Focus on values: We are one team
Dear employee, What do you think of when you hear the words “We are one team?” For me, “We are one team” is about strong relationships, trust, respect, and diversity: Our relationships with one another are crucial to our success. We all rely on one another to get our work done. Each of us brings unique skills and experiences to our teams. We come from different backgrounds and places. The more we get to know one another – what we like, our communication style, what we do outside of work – the… Read More
Employee News 