Featured Headlines
Holiday travel? Metro will help you get there
Emergency exercise tests communications ahead of World Cup
King County Wins 2025 Geospatial Professional Network Award for Innovative AI-GIS System
Recognizing the service of Metro veterans
News
Spend your FSA money before it’s gone
Do you have money left in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? Check the balance of your Health Care or Day Care FSA by going to Navia Benefits and signing in to your account. Expenses must be incurred by Dec. 31, 2020. And you have until March 31, 2021, to submit claims to be reimbursed. Day Care FSAs Use your Day Care FSA to pay for day care or dependent care expenses for your child under age 13, disabled spouse, or dependent parent so you can work or attend school full-time. Day Care FSA funds can also… Read More
Honoring Indigenous People during Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. This November, Balanced You gives thanks to Indigenous communities. We honor the wisdom and culture of Indigenous people, we mourn the colonization of their land, and we celebrate the Indigenous people who continue to reside on their ancestral homeland. While the tradition of Thanksgiving has been rooted in colonization, there are steps you can take toward decolonizing the holiday. Balanced You invites King County employees to honor and give thanks to Indigenous People during Thanksgiving, Native American Heritage Month, and year-round. Visit this Balanced You blogpost for tips… Read More
Vivecorp exercise classes will not be held the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas
In response to employee requests, Balanced You, in partnership with Vivecorp, is offering free, live, virtual exercise classes starting Wednesday, Oct. 21. King County employees and anyone in their home, including children, are welcome to join. Classes will be hosted on Zoom and held on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and Fridays at noon through December 2020. Visit this Balanced You blogpost for the class schedule and instructions on how to register and join. These classes will be not be held the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Please note: You will need to use Chrome or Microsoft Edge as… Read More
Celebrating Thanksgiving during the COVID-19 pandemic
Thanksgiving gatherings traditionally center around time spent breaking bread with loved ones. This year, in light of the ongoing pandemic, the steep rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases, and the recent Governor orders to limit social gatherings and non-essential activities, Thanksgiving celebrations are likely to look different for many people. Fortunately, there are still safe, fun, and meaningful ways to celebrate the holiday together. Visit this Balanced You blogpost for tips and resources for navigating 2020’s Thanksgiving.
Learn about Medicare options, December 15
Are you reaching Medicare age? Do you want to learn more about Medicare and your options as a King County employee? SIgn up for Medicare 101, an upcoming seminar featuring guest speaker Jean Cormier, who will discuss Medicare basics. In addition, Jenny Stark from Regence BlueShield and Hannah Bachelder from Kaiser Permanente will discuss their Medicare Advantage plan options. This seminar takes place Tuesday, Dec. 15 from 2:30–3:30 p.m. Register here. Please note, attendance is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related. For more information, contact Carmen Johnson.
Tech Tip: Remember: A good way to help identify potential phishing
Phishing attacks continue to hit employees at King County, just like other local jurisdictions. Because of this, KCIT wants to remind employees about the banner which identifies emails sent from outside of the county. The banner is used because a common phishing tactic employed by the bad guys is sending emails in which the display name in the “From” field looks like it’s been sent by someone within King County, but that email address is fake and actually from someone making a phishing attempt. Unfortunately, users do not always notice when such an email is a phishing attempt. This makes employees vulnerable to viruses and other… Read More
Reminder: Employees needed for Balanced You Well-being Advisory Committees
Do you have ideas on how King County can better support the well-being of you and your colleagues? In response to employee surveys and listening sessions, Balanced You, is developing two new well-being advisory committees: one for telecommuters and one for essential employees working onsite. Anyone interested is invited to apply. Visit this Balanced You blogpost for more information.
Executive Constantine on the adoption of $12.4 billion biennial King County budget: Putting our money where our values are
“I thank the King County Council for their careful deliberations since I transmitted my proposed two-year budget in September. I also want to recognize the many community members who participated in hearings and other venues to get their voices heard. “This budget puts our money where our values are. It will provide a safe, dignified place to live to thousands of chronically homeless people. It re-orients our criminal legal system and makes a significant down payment in our ongoing efforts to shift resources to upstream programs aligned with racial and social justice. … Read More
Join the virtual blood drive for King County employees, November 23–December 7
Bloodworks Northwest is hosting a virtual blood drive for all King County employees. Employees are encouraged to the give the special code KING when registering in person the day of their appointment to help keep track of all King County employees who are participating to help save a life. Make an appointment at a donor center, or pop up donor center at the link below for anytime between Nov. 23 and Dec. 7. All donations are by appointment only to provide the safest possible donation environment. Additionally, no walk-ins, guests or people under age 16 are permitted onsite, and masks (or an appropriate face covering) are required. Make an… Read More
King County Council approves Metro’s Access Paratransit Advisory Committee (APAC)
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Metro is pleased to announce the 11 members of its newest advisory group, the Access Paratransit Advisory Committee (APAC). The Access Paratransit Advisory Committee will advise Metro, the King County Executive, and the King County Council on transit and policy issues related to equitable public transportation for people with disabilities. The work of this new committee will enhance the Access paratransit program by providing guidance to Metro on what to prioritize and on developing a vision for ongoing improvements. The committee was appointed by the King County… Read More
Elections Building selected for Round 1 of PSE Community Solar Program
Crosposted from DES Express Puget Sound Energy has selected King County’s Elections Building in Renton to be one of the sites for Round 1 of its Community Solar Program, currently under development. “This is a really great opportunity to shine a light on renewable energy in general and Elections specifically,” said Sarah Calvillo Hoffman, Energy Manager for Facilities Management Division in Executive Services. “Elections is really interested in doing more sustainable things in general. There are lots of people who go to that building, and there will be signage about the project.” Read more.
Featured Job: Education Specialist – Downtown Needle Exchange
Salary: $56,673.97 – $71,837.79 Annually Location: Seattle, WA Job Type: Career Service, Part Time, Std Wkly Hrs Vary Department: DPH – Public Health Job Number: 2020DB12401 Division: Prevention Closing: 11/23/2020 11:59 PM Pacific Learn more about this position or view all available positions. https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty/jobs/2907925/education-specialist-downtown-needle-exchange
Tech Tip: Skype Business to Teams migration chatting and instant messaging
For the next year, as employees move to Microsoft Teams for County communications, many people will continue on Skype until they move. Did you know you can send Instant Messages between Skype and Teams? Below are instructions to send Instant Message between Skype and Teams. Once employees move to Teams, send a message, called Chats in Teams, to coworkers using Skype by simply looking them up and sending a message. They will receive the message in Skype. When they reply, it will show up in Teams for the original sender using Teams. Pro… Read More
KCIT successfully transitions the new PSERN emergency radio system core
KCIT recently transitioned to the new Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN) system core, which will help provide more effective and coordinated emergency responses in King County. The PSERN Project’s dispatch center and core cutover was an important milestone because it replaced components that were unsupported by the manufacturer due to their age. The PSERN core is the “brains” of the system composed of servers, switches, routers, databases, storage units, and radio components. In essence, it is a large data center dedicated to managing the radio network primarily used by emergency personnel… Read More
Thank you from Employee Giving Program – Last Day of the Annual Giving Drive
Dear fellow King County employee, In the midst our work, our families, the planning, schooling, cooking, finding new routines, and doing what we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we are encouraged to stop and take a moment next week to celebrate all those very precious people and things we have in our lives. This year, I am thankful for the extra time with my children. While it is hard balancing all the things, I am getting to see parts of them I didn’t know before. They are showing me how… Read More
Staying safer as COVID-19 infection rates increase
Dear employee, Nationally and locally our Public Health agencies are reporting an increase in COVID-19 infection rates in communities. This escalation in infections is also reflected in our work community, with increasing numbers of employees testing positive for COVID-19 or reporting significant exposure to those who have tested positive. Temporary statewide restrictions announced by the Governor are in place to help reduce the rate of infections. Workplace exposure The County continues to review workplace exposures where employees report that they have tested positive for COVID-19. County staff conduct workplace contract tracing on… Read More
Investor relations website launched
Crossposted from DES Express King County’s first-ever Investor Relations website is now live. The site, maintained by a third-party vendor, BondLink, greatly improves the potential investor experience with links in one place to Official Statements, ratings, budgets, Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFRs), policies and more. With voters approving a $1.74 billion bond measure for capital improvements at King County-owned Harborview Medical Center, the website comes at the perfect time. “We are hoping King County sees an increase in the pool of potential investors and bidders by leveraging the BondLink communication functionality,” said Carol Basile, Treasury Manager. Read more.
Stay informed in inclement weather
Getting timely, accurate information in an emergency or inclement weather event is critical. Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information on how you are affected, at work and at home: KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your County provided mobile phones and employees personal contact information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.gov anytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website. Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your… Read More
More than 500 nurses urge King County to confront the surge
Crossposted from Public Health Insider In the midst of an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, more than 500 King County nurses are issuing an urgent call to renew efforts to turn around this troubling trend. “It’s been a tough year, and we’ve all sacrificed so much to stay safe. But now, with cases skyrocketing in King County, it’s more important than ever to stop the spread,” reads the nurses’ message, published Sunday in a special wrap-around section of the Seattle Times. Read more.
Prepare now for winter weather
As we approach winter, now is a great time to ensure you are well-prepared for an emergency or inclement weather at home or work. Taking a few steps now to plan ahead will give you peace of mind and help you make good decisions in an emergency: There are many online resources that you can use to make sure you and your family have what you need to Make it Through an emergency – from an extended power outage to a more severe event. Please take personal preparedness seriously. If your child is attending… Read More
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