Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
King County Elections will hold a candidate filing period for the elected member position on the King County Personnel Board. The candidate filing period will begin on Monday, May 4 at 8 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 8. There is a $5 non-refundable filing fee. The Personnel Board conducts hearings on appeals of certain personnel actions as provided for in Section 540 of the King County Charter. The Personnel Board consists of five members, four of whom are appointed, and one member elected by county career service employees. The… Read More
During Records and Information Management Month, it’s a great time to celebrate our successes. Last year, King County received a report from an independent consultant that evaluated how well King County’s records and information management practices align with best practices and standards. That consultant, FreeDoc, evaluated King County’s practices based on 25+ different industry standards, maturity models, guidelines, and technical reports related to records management. They also compared our practices to the 15 largest self-governing counties in the United States. Overall, the feedback provided by the consultant was very positive. Their report outlined… Read More
Crossposted from GIS & You Sometimes the best reminder of why GIS matters comes from seeing it through fresh eyes. Recently, an energetic 8th grader with a real passion for maps and geography visited the King County GIS Center with his mom for a lunchtime learning adventure. His excitement, curiosity, and thoughtful questions made it a memorable visit with Fred Lott and the GIS Center staff. It was inspiring to see him realize just how much of daily life GIS quietly shapes. We’re happy to share his story here on the GIS… Read More
The Walk Partner program is now live on RideshareOnline.com. With Walk Partner, you can match yourself with other people to walk to and from King County buildings. In addition to talking to your friends and co-workers to see if they could walk with you, RideshareOnline.com is a great tool for matching yourself with other walkers. How to use Rideshare Online Create an account (or sign in if you already have one). “Add a trip“ in your Ride Match / My Trips section. Instead of using your home and work address, enter where you would be walking… Read More
Residents in King County who were affected by the historic December 2025 flooding may now qualify for federal disaster assistance under Federal Emergency Management Administration’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program. After the flooding, Washington requested federal disaster declarations to help individuals affected by the atmospheric river flooding, as well as to help public entities repair infrastructure and partially reimburse their response efforts. The application deadline is June 10, 2026. From April 28 to June 10, King County will operate a Disaster Recovery Center for people who would like in-person assistance with their FEMA application. It is located at the King County Elections Office, 919… Read More
King County employees can receive free admission to the King County Fair, happening July 16-19. In honor of celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and the Back to our Roots 2026 fair theme, the fair is inviting all King County employees to enjoy a free day. King County managed the fair for over 140 years, from 1863-2006. For more information, visit kingcofair.com. Free admission for employees only, with proof of employment such as ID badge or recent paystub. View this flyer for details. See all available discounts on the Employee Discount intranet page.
A study launched this spring by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks will assess the current condition of forest canopy in unincorporated areas, which will inform future actions with communities that promote equitable access to healthy tree canopy. The project team will study 34 square miles, which includes urban unincorporated communities and the unincorporated rural towns of Fall City, Vashon, and Snoqualmie Pass. The study is led by the department’s new Urban Forestry Program, building on decades of progress King County foresters have made promoting forest health in rural… Read More
Crossposted from Public Health Insider Birth and death are some of life’s most meaningful and complex moments, and for nearly two decades in Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Vital Records, Robbie has been supporting community members through the process of gathering and filing records for these momentous events. We’re proud to celebrate Robbie, her 24 years of service to King County, and the essential work of the eight dedicated staff she leads in our Vital Records team in our series, Portraits of Public Health. Hi Robbie! What does the Vital… Read More
Crossposted from Field Notes King County Executive Girmay Zahilay recently announced that King County Parks has entered an agreement to purchase Skway Park Bowl as the location for Skyway’s first community center. The 3.82-acre property is adjacent to the northwest corner of the park. King County Parks will continue to work with community partners to collect public input on the design for the new community center and which programs it will offer. The location was selected based on strong community preference and the approval of an advisory committee. “For more than a decade, Skyway neighbors… Read More
On Wednesday, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay released the following statement following a forensic evaluation report of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) commissioned by King County and the City of Seattle: “Solving King County’s significant homelessness crisis requires honesty about where the regional response system is falling short and a commitment among government partners to bring more people inside. We have a responsibility to ensure this system delivers results — operating with greater efficiency, full transparency, and strong accountability for every public dollar entrusted to us. Read more.
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County’s largest affordable housing investment, developed by BRIDGE Housing and Community Roots Housing, offers 235 units of high-quality affordable housing and amenities in a central Northgate location, steps from the Northgate Station King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, BRIDGE Housing, Community Roots Housing, and community members celebrated the grand opening of Copperleaf Northgate (Copperleaf), a new transit-oriented affordable housing community with 235 apartments in Seattle’s Northgate neighborhood. The project reflects King County’s ongoing investment in transit-oriented development, including the contribution of public land and $30 million in transit-oriented development funding… Read More
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the King County Dependency CASA Program curated a pinwheel display at the Clark Children and Family Justice Center (CCFJC). Each pinwheel represents a child in King County who is still waiting to be matched with a Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteer; a consistent, caring adult who advocates for their best interests during a critical time in their life. There are currently 357 children still waiting. If you find yourself at the CCFJC, we invite you to take a moment to view the display and… Read More
Crossposted from Metro Matters Sixteen transit agencies from around the world, including King County Metro, are conducting a bus service customer satisfaction survey. These agencies will compare the results of the surveys to help us learn from each other and work toward giving you even better transit service. The survey is open until Sunday, May 10. We would like to hear your thoughts about King County Metro’s bus service. We are interested in your thoughts on current service, whether you ride frequently, occasionally, or even if you hardly ever ride. Your personal details and responses… Read More
Crossposted from the DES Express With the reorganization of the Executive’s Office and the formal establishment of the Harborview Construction and Infrastructure Division (HCID) earlier this year, the Department of Executive Services (DES) expands its commitment to climate action. DES is among several key agencies in King County leading climate work, along with Metro, the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and others. “We are well-positioned for this critical work,” said Lorraine Patterson-Harris, DES Director. “Most of our divisions are involved and bring strong leadership and expertise.” Read more. Pictured: Fleet Services’ Sina… Read More
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections Thanks to the voter-approved Crisis Care Centers (CCC) Levy, King County is expanding its services that offer immediate mental health and substance use care for people in a moment of crisis, including: Someone to Call (988) Someone to Respond In-Person (Mobile Response Crisis Teams) Somewhere to Go (Crisis Care Centers) Someone to Follow-Up (Post-Crisis Follow-Up Teams) Less than two years into implementing the CCC Levy, teams across the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), our provider network, and communities have come together to be in community and make major… Read More
Crossposted from the DES Express Started by the Arab American Foundation and Arab America, Arab American heritage month has been celebrated since 2017. It was first federally recognized under President Joe Biden in 2021 after resolutions were introduced by Congressional Representatives Rashida Talib and Debbie Dingell in 2019. The month celebrates the presence and contributions of Arab Americans in the United States to science, the arts, humanities, and social justice. There are approximately 3.5 million Arab Americans in the United States, however it can be hard to have exact numbers since there is no specific… Read More
Return to Office is before us and February was National Heart Month. With these two facts in hand, the KCIT Network Services team flexed their “King County Cares” muscles. Realizing that they would all be in the office more frequently and that heart disease is the leading killer among men and women, the network team decided to increase the number of CPR-certified employees on their team. Over February and March, 12 employees volunteered to be first responders. Jesse Mock, Greg McDonald, Lori Dickneite, Jason Ford, Mohammed Kadhim, Wade Graham, Phillip Kinsley, Chris Stark, David… Read More
Crossposted from the DES Express Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) is celebrating Sandy Jones, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, who is retiring after more than 32 years of service. Sandy is admired and respected by her work associates and community partners alike for her tireless enthusiasm and dedication to the RASKC program. Over the years Sandy has led a very successful pet license canvassing program protecting thousands of pets annually, while helping to fund animal services operations. She has also coordinated hundreds of community events, increasing visibility and awareness of the… Read More
This week, April 19–25, is National Volunteer Week and King County’s Employee Giving Program offers a unique way for employees to convert up to three instances of sick leave each year to volunteer in their community. The volunteer program allows all employees covered by the Coalition Labor Agreement with the King County Coalition of Unions, other collective bargaining units that have ratified this option, and all non-represented employees to use up to three instances of sick leave per year for volunteer service at a local school or participating Employee Giving Program nonprofit. “Volunteering is one way we… Read More
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay visited a King County library this week to highlight the importance of childhood programs and resources for families delivered in partnership with Best Starts for Kids. “For Library Week, I visited the King County Library System Tukwila branch to see programs supported in partnership with Best Starts for Kids,” Executive Zahilay said. “Libraries are places where kids can explore, learn, and build important early skills through play, reading, and connection with others. These programs are designed to support healthy development and help families access resources in their… Read More