Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
The warmer weather and smell of blossoming trees has us in the mood for spring. It’s time to open the windows, clear away the clutter, and start the new season off fresh with a good, deep spring cleaning. From inside to out, King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks wants to help you wipe away the winter dust in a way that’s good for the planet and for you and your family. DNRP is sharing eco-friendly spring-cleaning tips and tricks across all of the department’s social media channels this week, like… Read More
Following three rounds of interviews with the hiring committee, three candidates have been selected to move into the final phase of the recruitment process for a new King County Sheriff. In the final phase of the selection process, the candidates will meet with members of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, King County employees, labor representatives, and contract city representatives and engage with the community in a separate series of public forums prior to a final interview with Executive Constantine. Click here to read the full announcement.
For over 30 years, King County employees have been giving to participating nonprofits of their choice through the Employee Giving Program. This past year we pledged nearly $2.4 million! For nonprofit organizations to benefit from this program, they must apply annually and meet the eligibility requirements — even if they have participated in the past. Nonprofits are encouraged to join a workshop before applying. Participants in a workshop are more likely to submit error-free, eligible applications. Tuesday, April 12 at 9 a.m. Register here. The application deadline is May 4, 2022. Click here for additional information.
During the month of April, pledge to “spare the air” by substituting three car trips with climate-friendly travel choices for a chance to win a $100 gift card. You can enter by committing to use one of these earth-friendly options: Bike Walk Bus/Light Rail Water Taxi/Ferry Carpool/Vanpool Click here to sign up for the challenge. You’ll be asked for some basic information so we can send a few reminders and resources throughout the month. At the end of April, five winners will be randomly selected to receive $100 gift cards! If you have any… Read More
Tanya Hannah, King County’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Director of our Department of Information Technology, has announced that she is leaving King County. Executive Constantine appointed Tanya as CIO four years ago, in April 2018, and during that time she has overseen numerous technology projects and improvements at King County to help customers quickly and simply access our information and services. She also helped the County radically change the way it operates and delivers services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along the way the department and Tanya herself received several national… Read More
Humans have been creating records for over 5,000 years. For most of that time, records have been created in similar ways – by entering data on physical objects, like paper (or clay tablets). The advent of electronic records in the late 20th century pushed many of us into rapid change, adapting to new technologies and processes. Most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a quick change in how we work, as many county agencies shifted to electronic processes and made efforts to digitize their physical records and “go paperless”. The King County… Read More
As shared from Roll Call: the DAJD newsletter, December 2021 – January 2022 issue A promising shift could soon deliver more streamlined medical care for youth at the Patricia H. Clark Children & Family Justice Center (CFJC). “I can’t tell you how excited I am about having an opportunity to switch over to electronic medical records,” Juvenile Division Director Allen Nance said recently. During the second quarter of 2022, a project team will be migrating CFJC’s paper charts to software developed by Epic, a Wisconsin-based company that’s a leader in the medical… Read More
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Fleet Services management, colleagues and guests gathered on March 3 to celebrate Tina Taylor, Michael Domiquel, and Mason Keselburg for their successful completion of a two-year apprenticeship program. The Apprenticeship Program was designed to solve several problems. First, there is a nation-wide shortage of heavy-duty mechanics, a problem forecast to only get worse as more people retire each year than join the trade. The program is designed to grow the workforce from within to provide an ongoing source of qualified mechanics. The program also allows apprentices to become… Read More
A Seattle-King County pilot project will increase the recycling of plastic wraps and bags – known as film packaging – and convert it into new plastic packaging and products, creating a true closed loop system. On Global Recycling Day, there’s a new way for people in Seattle and King County to keep more plastics out of the landfill and recycle them into new products instead. A new pilot program offers a convenient place to drop off plastic wraps, plastic bags, and plastics bubble wrap and mailers, which are not currently accepted in blue… Read More
After a rigorous review by environmental nonprofit Salmon-Safe and its independent science team, King County Parks became the largest park system in the country to earn certification. Read the full announcement and watch a brief video about the certification here.
Want to reread a story? Need to track down the link to a webinar or important resource? Previous editions of the Employee News going back to 2019 can be found here.
Share your appreciation by recognizing an administrative professional today. Register here to attend the virtual recognition and celebration of administrative professionals on Wednesday, April 27 at noon. Event details will be provided. All King County employees are invited to attend. For more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/administrativeprofessionals.
Tickets are all gone for the April 4 fundraising “Mayors’ Concert for Ukraine and Refugees Worldwide,” but you’re invited to attend a special livestream party at Trinity Nightclub to with all proceeds going to the Seattle Refugee Fund. Please RSVP by 5 p.m. today, using this form so that event organizers can prepare to host this special fundraiser. The event is planned for 7 p.m. on Monday, April 4 at Trinity Nightclub at 107 Occidental Ave. S. in Seattle. Your attendance is strictly voluntary, and employees will not be compensated or receive overtime for attending. The concert will also be… Read More
King County Executive Dow Constantine was at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Monday evening to see off a load of humanitarian supplies headed to Ukraine to help the people impacted by the Russian invasion. Executive Constantine also recorded a short video message, where he thanked King County employees for their generous support of the special Employee Giving Program for the Ukrainian people. Watch the video below.
In recognition of Women’s History Month, King County Executive Dow Constantine has issued a proclamation celebrating Women In Technology Day on March 26, 2022. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 25% of jobs in the tech industry are held by women – this is the lowest percentage of women in technology since before 1980. Hispanic and African American women are the most under-represented groups, making up only 4% of the computing workforce, and almost no senior leadership roles.
submitted by Chief Shawn Ledford, King County Sheriff’s Office King County will soon lose almost 100 years of combined law enforcement experience when three Sheriff’s Office commanders begin their respective retirements. Major Pat Butschli, Captain Noel Fryberger, and Captain Lance Dauber will be hanging up their shields on April 1. Members of the Sheriff’s Office, current and retired, as well as family, recently attended a celebration in their honor at the Lake Wilderness Lodge. All have over 30 years of service with the Sheriff’s Office and served in a variety of leadership… Read More
King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, and more than 30 mayors from across King County are sponsoring a fundraising “Mayors’ Concert for Ukraine and Refugees Worldwide” with the Seattle Symphony and local Ukrainian performers. The “Mayors’ Concert for Ukraine and Refugees Worldwide” will be at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall on Monday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. The fundraising concert is free to the public but requires registration for tickets here. The concert will be live streamed via local NBC affiliate KING-TV’s digital platforms, and broadcast live on KONG-TV (channel 16 serving the Seattle and Tacoma area), the Seattle Channel, and Seattle Symphony… Read More
Are you ready to get your COVID-19 booster? Employees and their families have many convenient options. Drop-ins for booster shots are welcome at the Auburn Outlet Mall, Eastgate, and Kent Public Health clinics and partner sites throughout the county, and same day appointments are also available. You can find a clinic or pharmacy near you by visiting www.kingcounty.gov/vaccine or the Washington Vaccine Locator at https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov. All COVID-19 vaccinations are free of charge and all King County vaccination partnership sites are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible and open to the public. The County also allows… Read More
There are only four days left to join the more than 6,700 employees who have had their say in the 2022 Employee Engagement Survey and help make King County work better for you. The survey — which can be taken on your work computer or a mobile device — runs through Friday, March 25, so please take 15 minutes to have your say. The survey can be done during work time. Your responses are 100% anonymous and cannot be traced back to you. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Amharic and Somali…. Read More
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express HBO’s new Steven Soderbergh film, KIMI, showcases Seattle in a way few films do, with Zoë Kravitz running around the city as tech worker Angela. While most movies featuring Seattle are produced elsewhere, the outdoor scenes in the film were actually shot in the city, One of the pivotal scenes in the movie was filmed outside the King County Administration Building last May. Read how the Facilities Management Division employees helped make it all possible.