Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
The 2020 Worksite Fund application period has been temporarily paused while King County focuses its efforts on stopping the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Balanced You team will work with leadership to determine a new deadline that allows adequate time for teams to complete applications. The updated timeline will be announced at a later date. Employees are invited to continue brainstorming Worksite Fund projects during this period. Please reach out to balancedyou@kingcounty.gov with questions or comments. Balanced You supports you in rethinking self-care as you respond professionally and personally to coronavirus. Tips for telecommuters can… Read More
During this difficult period, let us pause and remember the contributions by intelligent, passionate women toward helping and healing our world. From NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson and world renowned geneticist Barbara McClintock to computer programmer Grace Hopper and marine biologist Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi, women have been responsible for leaps and bounds in science, math, medicine, the arts, and many other fields. We take this month to honor their contributions and appreciate the impact women have in our lives. Join us in thanking and showing gratitude to women who have made a difference in your life. … Read More
As COVID-19 related events unfold, we find ourselves in uncertain terrain as impacts move closer to home. It’s common during these times to experience heightened anxiety or fear. While we cannot control external events, we can establish practices and enlist tools to support our resilience and well-being. Instead of suffering with anxiety, we have the ability to administer care to ourselves, our families, our work colleagues, and our communities. Join in on a free webinar to learn how to navigate these uncertain times with resilience. Wednesday, March 18, 2020 from noon to… Read More
Crossposted from Metro Matters Every day, thousands of King County Metro transit, rail, and paratransit operators are responsible for delivering passengers to work, school, and appointments, and back home again. They wake before the sun comes up and work through the night. During these challenging times, it’s more important than ever that we honor our public servants who are essential to keeping our community moving. On March 18, 2020, we’re again celebrating International Transit Driver Appreciation Day. Read more from Metro Matters
Salary: $2,993.87 – $3,794.90 Biweekly Location: Seattle, WA Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week Department: DOA – Assessor’s Office Job Number: 2020-11414 Division: Accounting Operations Closing: 3/27/2020 3:00 PM Pacific Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
When markets go on a wild ride, it’s understandable to feel uneasy and maybe even begin to question your investments and savings plans. Ironically though, one certainty is that market uncertainty is a constant. Market downturns happen frequently and are typically followed by recoveries. Presented by My Secure Advantage (MSA), this training session will cover key considerations and best practices in times of heightened volatility, as well as actionable next steps that you can take now and in the longer term. The training will be held Friday, March 20, 2020 at 9… Read More
Due to the COVID-19 emergency, many King County employees are working remotely. Basic self-service functions in PeopleSoft, such as entering time and manager timesheet approvals, are available outside of the King County firewall and can be done remotely without using the King County VPN. Timesheet entry and manager approval (self-service functions) are available in PeopleSoft using the Login from Home link on the BRC SharePoint intranet site or by typing ess.kingcounty.gov in the address bar of your browser. Log into PeopleSoft as you normally would; you will have access to only self-service functions. (Timekeeper, Human Resource,… Read More
King County employees are continuing to deliver essential services, but several buildings will close to public walk-in access until further notice due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Employees who are not telecommuting or on leave via a prior arrangement are expected to report for work as normal. Healthy first responders and medical personnel should continue to report to work. Supervisors, managers, and leaders will provide additional information to their employees as needed. The affected facilities are: King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave., Seattle King County Sheriff’s Office registry on second floor will… Read More
Approval to take IT peripheral equipment home while telecommuting With many employees telecommuting at this time in line with the County’s guidance, employees are permitted to take home laptop peripheral equipment, including monitors, to help them continue to be productive during the COVID-19 outbreak. Employees must receive supervisor approval prior to taking peripheral equipment home, such as a monitor, mouse, or other devices. Supervisors should keep a record of any equipment that is being taken home. Departments are responsible for keeping an inventory of equipment taken home. (Note: this applies to Executive… Read More
You can tune in to this livestream at 11 a.m. today where King County Executive Dow Constantine, Governor Jay Inslee, and public health leaders will provide new guidance on efforts to contain novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Watch the livestream here (starts at 11 a.m.). Please refer to the Public Health – Seattle & King County website at www.kingcounty.gov/covid and the Public Health Insider blog for the latest information, and see our list of answers to common questions for King County employees. You can also sign up for free email alerts from Public Health. When the livestream is over, a recording of the… Read More
To slow the spread of COVID-19, King County will close many face-to-face customer service operations from Monday, March 16, through at least Friday, March 27. Please see the affected services at kingcounty.gov/ServiceChanges. Employees are expected to report to work as normal unless they have a prior arrangement to telecommute or take leave. Employees will continue to provide services by phone, online, and by email wherever possible. Supervisors, managers, and leaders will provide additional information to their employees as needed. Telecommuting: Per prior guidance, employees who can telecommute are expected to telecommute where… Read More
As part of efforts to reduce exposure and slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Payroll Operations is changing the process for printing and distributing paper paychecks and direct deposit pay stubs. The following changes begin March 19: If you currently receive a paper paycheck: Beginning March 19, all paper paychecks will be mailed via the U.S. Postal Service to the address printed on your last check. If the address on your last paycheck is not accurate, go to PeopleSoft to make changes. Now is a great time to Set Up Your Payroll Direct Deposit, if… Read More
During this COVID-19 outbreak, please be extra careful when accessing external sources of information. Fake coronavirus website and emails have been identified, and can compromise our network security if accessed. Please do not share links that have not been approved by county leadership. King County will share the latest information with employees from Public Health via its website www.kingcounty.gov/COVID and blog www.publichealthinsider.com, and our official communications channels.
Crossposted from Public Health Insider In addition to Governor Jay Inslee’s Proclamation that prohibits large gatherings of more than 250 people, Public Health—Seattle & King County is also issuing a Health Officer order to minimize the health impacts of COVID-19. Under an order from Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin, Public Health prohibits large gatherings of more than 250 people. Read more from Public Health Insider
Crossposted from Balanced You As King County responds to the coronavirus (COVID-19), many employees have been asked to telecommute as a form of “social distancing” to reduce the community risk of coronavirus transmission. Furthermore, the CDC has recently issued guidance that everyone minimize time spent in large groups, and that immune-compromised, chronically ill, and older adults stay home as much as possible. While these strategies have many benefits, the sudden switch can throw off your routine. Balanced You wants to support you in rethinking self-care during this time. Up-to-date information on how to protect yourself… Read More
Dear King County employee, Governor Jay Inslee, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and other regional leaders jointly announced new strategies to minimize the spread of COVID-19 at a press conference at King Street Center this morning. The new health order includes: All events of more than 250 people are prohibited, including large conventions or conferences, sporting events, concerts, fundraisers, or other recreational events In addition, events with fewer than 250 attendees are prohibited unless event organizers take prescribed steps to minimize risk. In line with today’s announcement, King County is providing the… Read More
Your King County employee benefits package includes a wealth of valuable resources you can rely on to help you stay healthy or recover from illnesses such as the new coronavirus known as COVID-19. Some benefits to keep in mind are summarized below. SmartCare (Kaiser Permanente) medical plan resources Kaiser Customer Service 888-901-4636 Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., 7 days per week Call for information, provider assistance, pharmacy questions, appointments, and advice. Ways to access care and advice: Telehealth visits: Kaiser offers care and advice without an in-person visit—including phone, email, and… Read More
You can tune in to this livestream at 10:15 a.m. today where King County Executive Dow Constantine, Governor Jay Inslee, and regional leaders will announce new community strategies to contain novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The speakers include: Governor Jay Inslee Dow Constantine, King County Executive Bruce Dammeier, Pierce County Executive Dave Sommers, Snohomish County Executive Jenny Durkan, Mayor of Seattle Cassie Franklin, Mayor of Everett Victoria Woodards, Mayor of Tacoma Watch the livestream here (starts at 10:15 a.m.). Please refer to the Public Health – Seattle & King County website at www.kingcounty.gov/covid and the Public Health Insider… Read More
Last week, we advised that a person with a confirmed case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was in multiple King County buildings in downtown Seattle. Public Health – Seattle & King County worked to identify where there may have been exposure, and workspaces that might benefit from additional cleaning received additional cleaning, as have workspaces across the county. Importantly, employees should not assume that any public spaces are without risk. It is essential that we protect people’s identities in a public health emergency for a number of reasons. Experts in public health and bioethics… Read More
KCIT is committed to ensuring all eligible employees can efficiently telecommute. That means using Skype to make calls and conduct your meetings virtually on County-owned devices like laptops and tablets. Many are already using this valuable tool daily, while it may be new to others. Here’s what you need to know to get started: If you use Microsoft Office 365 on your King County device (laptop, tablet, etc.) you are good to go to conduct Skype calls/meetings. You do not need VPN access and no further permissions are needed. If you haven’t used Skype… Read More