Second Professional Development Scholarship Program application period now closed
The second application period for the Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is now closed as of June 4. Awardees for this period will be notified via email no later than July 21, 2023.
The scholarship is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist employees represented by a union in the Coalition of Unions with their professional development by providing up to $3,000 in financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications.
For more information go to the Professional Development Scholarship website or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov.
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Local Services welcomes Sara Estiri to lead Community Needs List program
The Department of Local Services welcomes its newest Project Manager – Sara Estiri!
Sara will lead the Community Needs List program, which is a way for residents to share what their communities need in terms of improvement from a planning standpoint. Read more.
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Gender Inclusion in the Workplace Team receives 2022 Innovation Award for People
The Department of Human Resources (DHR) and Gender Inclusion in the Workplace Team has been honored with the Innovation Award for People. This award, part of King County Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards, is one of the of five Innovation Awards highlighting department teams whose projects, improvements, and ingenuity deliver exceptional, measurable results. “We solve problems” and “We drive for results” are core values at King County, and these award recipients met challenges in creative and impactful ways.
King County employee engagement surveys found that gender diverse employees felt less engaged, less safe, less well-being, and less belonging compared to all employees. Watch the video to learn how DHR led a multi-pronged approach to bring about changes in policy, training, processes, and facilities to create a more respectful, supportive, and welcoming environment for gender expansive people. View the award announcement and watch the video here.
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Enjoy King County parks this summer
Summertime in the Pacific Northwest is always exciting! We’ve weathered months of rainy, dark days and can finally can enjoy the lush green and sun we’ve been waiting for. Enjoying nature is an important act of self-care; fresh air and sun can boost your mood and relieve stress.
The huge amount of green space in the King County parks system makes nature accessible to everyone. And Trailhead Direct is an easy way to use public transportation to take you directly to hiking trails. Explore the King County Parks and find one near you using the ParkFinder website.
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Printable safety resources one-pager now available
Our top priority is your safety and security at work, and we are continuing to partner with law enforcement, community, and other governments to ensure a safer, more welcoming environment in and around our facilities.
We have put together a one-page document with several contacts and resources to help every King County employee feel safe and secure in and around our facilities. It contains phone numbers for emergency and non-emergency services as well as information on safety programs and resources available to county employees. Download it here.
For more information on employee safety programs and resources, see the Future of Work Personal Safety at Work intranet page (employees only) and the Safety at Work page.
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Non-profit engagement survey deadline June 15
Do you partner with nonprofits based in or serving King County? There is one week left in the 2023 King County Nonprofit Employee Engagement Survey and nonprofits in the region are being asked to participate.
Nonprofit employees are invited to share their candid thoughts on job satisfaction, workplace environment, supervisory relationships, pay/benefits, and other factors that lead to high staff retention. The survey, which is funded by the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy, seeks to provide nonprofits with data that can help improve retention of talented employees and ensure a strong delivery of services.
The survey is open to all part-time and full-time nonprofit employees who work at organizations based in or serving King County, including organizations that do not receive King County funding.
The deadline is June 15. Please share the survey with your nonprofit partners. The survey can be found here.
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Balanced You Mindfulness Schedule Summer 2023
A new mindfulness schedule has been released! In partnership with Mindfulness Northwest, Balanced You offers free, virtual mindfulness workshops to King County employees. Mindfulness is a practice that can help you reduce stress and bring a calm awareness to your relationships, leadership, inner thoughts and more. This summer, try a new class or revisit a class you have taken before. See full mindfulness schedule on the Balanced You blog.
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Cybersecurity Training will go live June 28
On Wednesday, June 28, employees will receive an email from King County’s partner “KnowBe4” (do-not-reply@knowbe4.com) with a personalized link to their assigned Cybersecurity Training. The training includes several short learning modules, totaling about 90 minutes of instruction. All employees and vendors with access to King County systems must complete the annual Cybersecurity Training by Dec. 31, 2023. Read more.
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KCSO highlights Woodinville officers in police contract community series
From the King County Sheriff’s newsletter
The King County Sheriff’s Office has begun a video series featuring officers who work in communities that contract with KCSO for police services. The first in the series takes us to the City of Woodinville, which has partnered with the King County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years. Woodinville PD serves its residents with passion, dignity, and grace. They work to reduce crime through proactive policing, crime prevention, and other community services. Woddinville Police Chief BJ Myers and Detective Deanna Torres shared why they love working for the City of Woodinville. Watch the video here and below.
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Legislative Branch recognizes Pasifika community for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month
The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Affinity Group of the Legislative Branch and KCTV recently created a video to celebrate and honor the local contributions of the Pasifka Community in King County.
The presentation is hosted by and features the Honorable District Court Judge Fa’amomoi Masaniai, as well as segments on the Voice of the South Pacific, the United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance (UTOPIA), the Pacific Islanders Community Association of Washington (PICA) Wellness Navigator program, and the White Center Community Development Association celebrating Cambodian New Year.
View the presentation here. A special thanks to Multimedia Producer/Reporter Eric Keto for his work.
Employee News 