Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
Mindfulness is a practice that can support you in reducing stress at work and at home. Mindfulness techniques are especially useful now, as we move through the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic. Balanced You continues to partner with Mindfulness Northwest to offer free mindfulness classes and workshops to King County employees, via both employee-specific and community classes. In alignment with social distancing recommendations, all in-person classes have temporarily shifted to online platforms. For the fall and winter, we have expanded our mindfulness class menu to include classes for employees involved in the COVID-19 response,… Read More
We heard from employees that you wanted to be able to exercise at home while telecommuting. So, Balanced You, in partnership with our vendor Vivecorp, is offering free, live virtual fitness classes to King County employees! But first, we need your feedback so we know what type of classes you are interested in. Please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey. Let us know the types of classes you’re interested in and when you’d like to see them offered. Contact balancedyou@kingcounty.gov for more information.
King County experts will provide important information about the resources and services that are available to employees who are facing a layoff. Topics covered include: Career Support Services, Priority Placement Program, Employee Assistance Program, Making Life Easier Program, Balanced You and Benefits. There will also be time for you to ask questions. This is a voluntary virtual meeting. This workshop will be held via Zoom Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Register here. Additional courses are available on the Career Support Services training page. For questions or more information visit www.kingcounty.gov/CSS or contact Career Support… Read More
Communication and Problems Solving Skills, online – Facilitated by Lenny Borer, this three-day training is $65 and takes place from 9-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Oct. 13, 14, and 15. Register here. QuickBooks Level 1, online – Offered through North Seattle College this class is $85 and takes place over two sessions on Oc. 15 and 22. Register here. More opportunities are available on our King County Eventbrite page. For more information, contact the Learning and Development Team at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov or visit Learning and Development at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.
In celebration of October as National Disability Awareness Month, the Department of Human Resources is hosting two Lunch and Learn discussions that focus on Race and Disability, to be held via Zoom. We will begin our discussion with a short video and then an open dialogue facilitated by Workforce Equity Manager Gloria Ngezaho, and employees Jennifer Greenlee, Lili Stansberry and Christina Davidson. All King County employees are welcome to join. Lunch and Learn, Wednesday, Oct. 7 from noon to 1 p.m. – Discussion on the intersection of Race and Disability Lunch and Learn, Wednesday, Oct. 21… Read More
Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being that can often be misunderstood or overlooked. To increase awareness about mental health and highlight supportive resources, Balanced You has partnered with the National Council of Behavioral Health to offer Mental Health First Aid@Work trainings. These trainings are available to all County employees, free-of-charge. As we transition our county’s pandemic response into the autumn and prepare for the mental health crisis that experts warn is ahead, Balanced You urges employees to consider participating in the Mental Health First Aid@Work training so we can all better… Read More
Join Balanced You benefits partner, Rethink Benefits, for a free online session to learn how to identify your child’s executive functioning opportunities. This session will help you turn their challenges into strengths by reviewing tips for children of different age groups and abilities. You will learn to boost their confidence and skills in these areas: Planning and organization Time management Paying attention and staying on task Independence Coping and self-regulation This webinar will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 9 a.m. Register and view additional dates here. Registrants who cannot make it will automatically receive an on-demand recording once the webinar… Read More
King County Career Support Services staff will provide you with strategies and tips on making your application materials stand out. This training will include: Understanding the purpose of the job application, resume, cover letter and supplemental questions and how to make each of them more effective Deciding what to include in your resume and the best format to showcase your qualifications How to write a cover letter tailored to the specific position Identifying and showcasing your accomplishments This workshop will be held via Zoom Monday, Oct. 7 from 1-3 p.m. Register and view additional… Read More
Salary: $42.76 – $54.20 Hourly Location: Seattle, WA Job Type: Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temp (TLT) Department: DPH – Public Health Job Number: 2020ML12142 Closing: 10/7/2020 11:59 PM Pacific Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
The International Living Future Institute is happy to invite you to the Zero Carbon Conference! This inaugural event will feature experts from around the world who understand the need for equitable decarbonization in the built environment. Join this virtual event to learn about the technology, materials, and financing needed to pave the way for scalable decarbonization. It’s more important than ever to bring carbon emissions down and change the status quo for the built environment. The keynote speakers at this event will be Tom Steyer, who is well known for his climate… Read More
Crossposted from Public Health Insider There’s never been a more important time to make sure you and the people you love are protected from disease. Especially as flu season approaches, keeping up to date on vaccinations is one of the best ways you can stay safe, healthy, and far from the hospital during the COVID pandemic. And now you can get vaccinated without having to step out of your car! Drive-thru vaccination options The Seattle Visiting Nurse Association (SVNA) is hosting a series of drive-thru flu clinics for community members ages 4+ on various dates… Read More
Would you like to reduce stress? Mindfulness can help reduce stress at work and at home, bringing peace and allowing you to focus on what matters most. Sign up today for a free, one-hour mindfulness workshop designed specifically for King County employees who are responding to COVID-19. Mindfulness workshops are brought to you by King County Balanced You in partnership with Mindfulness Northwest. During these live, interactive sessions, participants will review what reactivity and burnout are, the various aspects of mindfulness practice, and the ways mindfulness can help reduce stress and lead to greater resiliency…. Read More
The King County website is currently down or experiencing lengthy delays when attempting to access information. KCIT is working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience, and will let you know when the website is functioning properly again.
“I’ll never forget the day the phone rang. I felt powerless, I felt stuck. I wanted to help but I didn’t know how, who to call, or what to do. I wanted to solve the problem, but I didn’t know the first place to start.” Being on the receiving end of a phone call or text when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis is difficult. When a loved one is struggling, you want to do everything you can to help them. And sometimes, you don’t know what that is. As a… Read More
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections Do you need help with child care costs? You may qualify for financial assistance to pay for child care if you live or work in King County, fall within income guidelines and your income, work schedule, or access to child care has been negatively impacted by COVID-19 or you are an essential worker. Program eligibility Must be under 400% FPL Must live or work in King County Must be an essential worker or have been impacted by COVID-19 For children aged 0-12 at licensed child care sites To apply Call or… Read More
Employees from departments across King County have been involved in the COVID-19 response for many months now. While emergency response work is rewarding, the long hours, breadth of demands, and exposure to human suffering can adversely affect the most seasoned responder. As we transition our pandemic response into the autumn and prepare to add in both the seasonal flu and the mental health crisis that experts are warning is ahead, there is a likeliness this already difficult work will become more so. Studies of emergency responders from 9/11 show that those involved in… Read More
Dear fellow King County employee, Each October, we celebrate Disability Awareness Month in King County and the many contributions that people with disabilities make to our community. Every person deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential, share their unique abilities, and fully participate in everything that our region has to offer. Disability Awareness Month reminds us that we must continue to break down barriers to promote inclusion and expand opportunity for all people with disabilities. The global COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the urgency of this work. COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact… Read More
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Executive Dow Constantine transmitted Metro’s proposed two-year budget to the King County Council on Sept. 22, starting the formal process for funding the operations of the region’s largest public transportation network. The budget outlines our ongoing commitment to providing reliable bus, water taxi, Access paratransit, and vanpool service – especially to serve riders where needs are greatest. It shows how Metro plans to continue to respond and adapt to the continued challenges of reduced revenue projections and lower ridership as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read… Read More
The 10th annual King County Executive Award for Community Resilience was presented today to all the residents and workers of King County for their dedication to the community. As King County deals with the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice, residents and workers have stepped up to show what true resilience really looks like. From first responders, to healthcare workers, to teachers and daycare workers, to all the King County government employees, individuals have made tremendous sacrifice to keep others safe. Past recipients have included the Somali Health Board, King County… Read More
Fall classes through North Seattle College, online opportunities – Accounting and QuickBooks; Accounting for Small Business; Understanding Trauma; Leadership and Management series; AWS Academy Cloud Foundations; and more! View all opportunities and register here. Facilitating Effective Meetings, 2-day online training – Facilitated by Lenny Borer, this two-day training is $65 and takes place from 8:30am to 12:00pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 6 and 7. Register here. More opportunities are available on our King County Eventbrite page. For more information, contact the Learning and Development Team at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov or visit Learning and Development at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.