Crossposted from Balanced You  The past week has been difficult with wildfires threatening our state and plumes of smoke from wildfires in Oregon and California rendering Washington’s air unhealthy. Wildfire smoke in our region will continue today, and will likely begin to dissipate toward the end of the week . Because wildfire smoke can cause a range of health problems, including chest pain, coughing, fast heartbeat, headaches, and asthma attacks. With our current unhealthy air conditions, it’s recommended that you limit your time outdoors; however, some people need to be outdoors for their… Read More

Dear employee, Wildfire smoke in our region will continue today, and will slowly begin to dissipate as we move into midweek. Wildfire smoke can cause a range of health problems, including chest pain, coughing, fast heartbeat, headaches, and asthma attacks. Some people need to be outdoors for their work or other responsibilities. With our current unhealthy air conditions, it’s recommended that you limit your time outdoors. If you are concerned about doing field work in these conditions, please consider these tips and guidance: Talk to your supervisor about possible options to reduce the amount… Read More

National Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month takes place Sept. 15-Oct. 15. In celebration of a diverse Latinx history, vibrant culture and innumerable achievements, the King County Latinx Affinity Group (KCLx) invites employees to join this virtual kick-off event.  Come together with the King County familia and learn about the goals of KCLx and our work to advance equity and social justice in the community, enjoy a meet–and–greet with the KCLx Leadership Team, and preview an exciting lineup of upcoming Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month events.  This event will be on Wednesday, Sept. 16 from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom, and is open to all King County employees. Click… Read More

Crossposted from Election Connection  As the countdown clocks continue to tick down the days between now and Nov. 3, we’re getting lots of questions about what to expect when and how to make sure you hit all the important deadlines to make sure your vote counts. Here are some key dates to put in your calendar to make sure that you’re ready to vote.  Sept. 18 – King County mails out ballots to our service and overseas voters on this day, beating that 45-day requirement set out in federal law. Sending ballots early to those overseas… Read More

Crossposted from Metro Matters  Six Puget Sound area transit agencies have joined agencies across the nation to commit to industry best practices for safe transportation during the COVID-19 crisis.  Community Transit, Everett Transit, King County Metro, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit have all committed to a health and safety program developed by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in response to public concerns about riding transit during the pandemic.  Read more. 

King County and the City of Seattle are jointly opening a shelter in Seattle for homeless persons with conditions vulnerable to smoke, and there is an urgent need for employees to fill positions starting today and tonight. There is an immediate need to fill roles through temporary redeployment at the shelter site in SoDo as we respond to wildfire smoke in our region. Both medical and non-medical volunteers are sought for the temporary emergency smoke shelter from Friday afternoon through Monday morning. The site is located at 1045 6th Ave South, Seattle…. Read More

Dear employee, Our region is experiencing significant levels of wildfire smoke today, which is expected to continue through the weekend. Wildfire smoke can cause a range of health problems, including chest pain, coughing, fast heartbeat, headaches, and asthma attacks. Some people need to be outdoors for their work or other responsibilities. With our current unhealthy air conditions, it’s recommended that you limit your time outdoors. If you are concerned about doing field work in these conditions, please consider these tips and guidance: Talk to your supervisor about possible options to reduce the amount of… Read More