Featured Headlines
DCHS-led Health Through Housing initiative hits major milestone
In the field with Executive Zahilay: Listening to staff and empowering solutions
Tap to pay: Puget Sound region transit systems to accept credit and debit cards, and digital wallets as fare payment
Major ‘Revive I-5’ repairs continue for Ship Canal Bridge
News
Did you know you had this benefit? King County offers medical coverage options for employees who are retiring
If you retire before age 65, King County offers two types of coverage, COBRA and Retiree Medical. Learn more here.
Achieving net-zero at King County Parks North Utilities Crew Shop
Crossposted from Keeping King County Green How do you solve a problem like achieving net-zero energy use? If you’re the King County Parks team working at the North Utilities Trails Crew Shop near Marymoor Park, you do it through solar panels, new lights and efficient heat pumps and air conditioners. By utilizing these tools they were able to solve the design and financial puzzle of achieving net-zero energy on two buildings with limited roof space available for solar power. For their efforts the Parks team was awarded the inaugural King County Executive Performance Excellence… Read More
Solid waste management equipment highlighted for Star Wars resemblance
My Northwest recently ran a story that highlighted “The Mole,” which was a piece of equipment used by the Solid Waste Division back in the 1960s. The Mole bears a striking resemblance to a prop used in Star Wars, and the article sought to get to the truth. Read the full story here. Learn more about how the trash-eating monster was once used to clean up King County in the video below.
Go Public with Hannah
This week our ongoing series featuring employees talking about why they chose a King County career and how they are making a difference in our community features Hannah Johnson, a Communications Specialist with the Best Starts for Kids Program in the Department of Community and Human Services. Learn more about our careers at www.KingCounty.gov/jobs.
Public Health Actually: What we love about 2018
Crossposed from Public Health Insider Love is all around us–at least love for public health, that is! We’re nearing the end of 2018, and that means it’s time to look back at our department’s hard work with partners throughout the year for a healthier community. Peruse our (not exhaustive) list of achievements, but before you do, take a few moments to watch a video inspired by the 2003 holiday-themed romantic comedy, Love Actually, that celebrates our staff and our mission – and has a little fun along the way. Read more at Public Health Insider
Celebrating the successes and challenges of working women
The recently held Washington Women in Trades “Dream Big Dinner” honored the legacy of “Rosies” – a nickname for “Rosie the Riveter” – women who worked in factories during World War II. The award ceremony recognized the successes and challenges of working women, as well as students, advocates, and workplace leaders. The event was attended on behalf of King County by Joe Baca, a Community Workforce Agreement Administrator in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks’ Wastewater Treatment Division, and Samantha Kealoha, Labor Equity Program Manager with the Department of Executive Services Finance and Business Operations Division. The two were… Read More
Thank you to you, our readers
Our top stories, videos, and social media posts for 2018 Throughout 2018, the Employee Communications Team highlighted the professional accomplishments, County opportunities and important events, challenges and successes of our employees, sharing these in our weekly Employee News e-newsletter, the KC Employee News blog, our Twitter account, LinkedIn account, and YouTube channel. Thank you to all our readers for engaging with our content, sharing it with others, and continuing to show us how we can provide you the information you need to succeed in your career, live a healthy life, and do great work for our… Read More
Pet of the Week: Kermit
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC He’s a dog, not a frog – meet Kermit, our Pet of the Week! This handsome young pittie mix is very sweet and snuggly! Kermit also loves to play and have fun. He can be a bit shy when meeting new people or being in new environments, but once he warms up he is a big ol’ sweetie who loves to do zoomies all over the yard! Read more at Tails from RASKC
Happy Holidays, we appreciate you!
Happy Holidays all our King County employees! Enjoy this time with loved ones and please stay warm and safe. Know that we appreciate you and everything you do in your work at King County. Thank you for your commitment, time and passion.
Training Spotlight: Lean Problem-Solving Basics, Communication and Problem Solving Skills, King County GIS training
Lean Problem-Solving Basics, Feb. 5: Do you feel like you tackle the same problems over and over again? In order to effectively solve problems once and for all, they must be solved at the root! Read more and register. Communication and Problem Solving Skills, Feb. 7: This one day training will address communication and problem solving skills with the public and with co-workers. This class covers skills for effective listening, speaking, dealing with conflicts and with defensive behavior. Read more and register. King County GIS training, multiple dates: KC GIS is now offering its schedule of face-to-face GIS… Read More
Did you know you had this benefit? Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) can help you save an average of 30% on certain medical care and dependent care expenses by using pre-tax dollars. Learn more here.
Employee discounts to Monster Jam and Monster Energy AMA Supercross
Employees can now access discounted tickets to Monster Jam and Monster Energy AMA Supercross at CenturyLink Field in Seattle during March 2019. Monster Jam is Saturday, March 15, 2019 at 7 p.m. Click here for instructions for the discount. Monster Energy AMA Supercross is Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. Click here for instructions for the discount. See all available discounts on the Employee Discount page.
Your Big Backyard is getting bigger
Crossposted from King County Parks Plog King County Parks had a busy year making good on the levy promise to bring 2,700 acres into the King County system by 2020. By the time 2019 rolls around, Parks will be on the lookout for a mere 500 more acres to reach the goal. As an added bonus, scooping up lands happens to be in line with King County’s Land Conservation Initiativeto protect the livability, health, and ecological integrity of our region by preserving 65,000 acres of land within the next 30 years. Read more at King County Parks Plog
Volunteer registration now open for Count Us In 2019
All Home is now seeking volunteers for Count Us In 2019, the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count of people experiencing homelessness. The count will take place in the early hours of the morning of January 25, 2019 from 2 a.m.-6 a.m. The core purpose of the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count is to collect data on the needs of people experiencing homelessness in our community. The count also provides an excellent opportunity to increase awareness of homelessness and to spark action. A successful and accurate PIT Count is an essential… Read More
Employee experience: Housing affordability in King County
At King County we are a 15,000 strong workforce of people committed to serving our 2.2 million residents, but like many in our community, some employees are facing an unprecedented challenge in finding and keeping a home they can afford in the county in which they work. As we continue to identify strategies to tackle the shortage of affordable housing in our communities, we want to hear from employees: What is your experience as a King County employee trying to buy or keep a home close to your work? What challenges do… Read More
“Keeping things simple” with the new Deputy Director of Local Services
Crossposted from Inside Transportation The newly appointed Deputy Director of the Department of Local Services adheres to a fundamental rule when working to solve problems. Don’t complicate things. “I like to keep things simple,” Danielle de Clercq says. “Break it down to the basics. The simpler we can define the problem, the easier it is to solve.” De Clercq’s approach has helped the Dutch-speaking, outdoor enthusiast empower people throughout her 30-year career. Whether she was shepherding the exponential growth of a solid waste startup, administering health education grant applications worth millions of dollars, or… Read More
John Taylor Confirmed as Department of Local Services Director
Crossposted from Inside Transportation The Metropolitan King County Council on Monday gave its unanimous approval to the appointment of John Taylor to lead the newly formed Department of Local Services that is set to begin operations at the beginning of the year. Taylor, appointed by County Executive Dow Constantine in October, now formally serves as the director of the department that will better coordinate and deliver direct services to the nearly 250,000 people who live in unincorporated King County. “John has worked in the unincorporated area and has already established wonderful working… Read More
More tips for getting around SR 99 closure
Matching commuters with carpool apps As the region prepares to face regional congestion starting after the evening commute January 11, 2019, with the closure of SR 99 through downtown and the permanent closure of the SR 99 Viaduct, King County Metro is partnering with carpooling apps Scoop and Waze Carpool to help match commuters and provide more mobility options to area employees! For a limited time, riders earn discounts and drivers earn bonuses by following these four easy steps: Download a free carpool app (Scoop or Waze Carpool). Enter your trip locations… Read More
King County wins award for using Microsoft HoloLens to train staff at West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant
King County Information Technology (KCIT) has been recognized for using Microsoft’s HoloLens mixed reality device to train operators at a wastewater treatment plant. Partnering with Microsoft and local tech startup Taqtile earlier this year, KCIT launched a project that provides training to employees working at the West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, ultimately winning a Digital Edge 50 Award for Digital Transformation. The County will be honored at the AGENDA 19 Conference hosted by CIO.com in March. “We’re thrilled by this national recognition,” said King County CIO Tanya Hannah. “Our fantastic partnership with the King County Department of Natural Resources… Read More
Taniguchi: The end of an era means new beginnings
Crossposted from Inside Transportation (Note: Below is an email that Director Harold Taniguchi sent to all Department of Transportation employees.) Dear colleagues, At the end of this month, the nearly quarter-century history of our King County Department of Transportation will come full circle. The department was first created by Executive Gary Locke in 1996 to bring together the related functions of Transit and Roads in King County under one roof called Transportation. Other lines of business were added, and over time our staff strength grew to more than 5,000 today. It is… Read More
About
We tell stories that highlight the work we do to support our residents,
build strong communities, and make our region a great place to live and work.
Our 17,000+ employees work every day to make King County
a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
Share this:
King County, WA LinkedIn
Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date with all King County professional news.
Employee News 