Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
Shared by the Employee Transportation Program In observance of Ride Transit Month in King County, the Employee Transportation Program is talking with four Metro managers about their transit commutes, and sharing any advice they’d like to pass along to new riders. King County Metro Power and Facilities Director Alina Tanzer is the second manager ETP chatted with. She lives in West Seattle, near the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock. After 37 years with Metro, Alina knows a thing or two about her commute options. Her choice on any given day? She said, “Depends on… Read More
In support of Investing in YOU, Employee News is rolling out a Training Spotlight, and we’re kicking it off with Building Change Management and Effectiveness! Building Change Management and Effectiveness is a one-day training being offered July 27 and Sept. 7 in room 560 of the King County Administration Building. Craig Fleck will join King County’s own Debra Baker in delivering the session. Helping your team, department or organization navigate the challenges of constant change is a critical part of any leader’s or manager’s work. Dealing with change effectively can reduce anxiety,… Read More
When engagement survey data revealed the importance of career growth and development to employees of the Department of Transportation’s Road Services Division, leadership reached out to Human Resource Division’s Career Support Services section to explore a partnership, and the Roads Career Development Academy was born. The program was designed to help employees identify their professional goals and take charge of their careers. Employee engagement scores at Roads are slightly higher than the countywide average, as are Roads employees’ feelings about opportunities for growth and development. Still, division leadership saw that the growth… Read More
The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games will be held in Seattle and King County during the first week of July, and – in addition to being a public partner of the games – King County is proud to have employees participating! Jonathan Leckband, Office Assistant with the Department of Transportation, is one of the employees who will be competing in the games. He is a soccer player who will be representing the State of Washington during the Seattle- and King County-hosted games. More than 4,000 athletes and coaches representing each state and… Read More
Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams has launched King County’s new Nondiscrimination, Anti-Harassment and Inappropriate Conduct Policy, effective July 1, 2018, which applies to employees in Executive Branch departments, Elections, Assessments and the Sheriff’s Office. “Through our Investing in YOU initiative, we are building a workplace culture that is respectful and supportive of all employees and the unique skills, experiences and perspectives that each of us brings to King County.,” Abrams said in an email to employees. “There is no place for any type of harassment or discrimination in this culture, and our… Read More
Hiring managers have the opportunity to support veterans in their transition to civilian employment by creating a Vets 4 HIRE fellowship within your organization. The Vets 4 HIRE learning experience should last a minimum of six months and can be either full- or part-time. The goal of the fellowship program is to provide veterans with training and practical, hands-on experience to increase their skills for future opportunities at King County and other civilian employment. You can be reimbursed up to 50 percent of the first six months of the veteran’s wages, up… Read More
King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks has made it easy for educators and students to find guidance on habitat, invasive plants, clean water projects and more in curricula that meet state and federal education requirements, that is customized for our Pacific Northwest environment, and that offers students ideas for future careers. The guides provided list resources that include curricula, transportation, in-class trainers, workshops, costs, presentations, camps, and grant and professional development opportunities. The Stormwater Runoff Education Resource Guides, the Green Schools Program, internships and more are in the Environmental Education… Read More
Donna Wright sent a great, public Thank You tweet to Deputy Lanich of the King County Sheriff’s Office for his assistance Friday in helping an incapacitated driver who had driven the wrong way onto a freeway ramp. “…such an inspiring example of what a public servant should be … you restored my faith in humanity. Thank you for your professionalism and your service!” Thank you, Donna! Kudos, Deputy Lanich!
The King County Pride T-shirt orders have been placed, and the parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 24 at 4th Avenue and Union Street. Lasting about 2.5 hours, the parade will end near Seattle Center at 2nd Avenue and Denny Way. Viewers are encouraged to watch the parade from the sidewalks, leaving the street open for the parade. No parking will be permitted in any area along the parade route and all vehicles must be registered, must display an event pass and must have a driver in the vehicle at all… Read More
Crossposted from Noxious Weeds Blog If you’ve made it outside on a recent sunny day, you’ve probably noticed the abundance of flowers blooming in gardens, parks, forests, and throughout King County right now. Unfortunately, the noxious weeds are out there, too—many of them bolting, flowering, and even going to seed already. Below are some of the top regulated noxious weeds to keep an eye out for this month. Please let us know if you see one of these high-priority invasive plants, so we can make sure they’re controlled or eradicated in time!… Read More
Summer is just around the corner, and Your Big Backyard is ready! King County Parks – Your Big Backyard – enhances quality of life and communities by providing environmentally sound stewardship of regional and rural parks, trails, natural areas, and recreational facilities, supported by partnerships and entrepreneurial initiatives. Whether it’s the BBY5K, movies in the park, Chomp!, or any of the other countless opportunities Parks provides, you can connect with @iheartkcparks on Facebook and stay informed! Follow King County Parks on Facebook today.
Closing: 06/27/18 11:59 PM (GMT -8:00) Salary: $153,814.75 – $194,969.01 Annually Location: King County Courthouse, Seattle Job Type: Appointed Department: King County Council Job Number: 2018-08195 Description: The Metropolitan King County Council is seeking a dynamic leader to manage the King County Council’s policy staff team and ensure staffing and policy endeavors are consistent with the Council’s vision for Equity and Social Justice. The Director of Legislative Analysis will develop and administer analytical standards for staff, as well as assign staff to policy and budget topics. Policy staff support the Council in… Read More
Crossposted from Balanced You This summer, Balanced You is serving up programs, resources, and tools to keep you financially fit because you told us financial wellness is important to you. Over the next few months, we’ll shine the spotlight on financial wellness resources. We want to help you reduce financial worries and feel more confident about your financial future, so if there’s a specific topic you’d like us to feature, let us know. There’s a variety of information to help relieve some of your financial stress. Check out the many options and… Read More
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC This handsome gent is Smokey, our Pet of the Week! Smokey was brought in by his previous family due to allergies. They described him as shy and loving. He does well with other cats, and was initially brought in with his brother Pisely (who has already been adopted). Smokey has a gorgeous thick coat that could benefit with nice brushing! Smokey is more confident when he is surrounded by confident buddies. He has a “Bashful Blue” personality, meaning he is gentle and loving, and likes to take… Read More
ICYMI: join Metro General Manager Rob Gannon and Metro’s Safety team Saturday from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. to recognize the skills of our fantastic bus operators! There are three ways King County employees can participate in the Metroadeo: Bus operators can sign up now to compete. Employees can bring their antique, classic or special interest cars, trucks, motorcycles – or any other vehicle – to the 30th Annual Employee Car Show. Save the date and attend the event. Bring your family and friends! Visit the Metroadeo website for more information on… Read More
Crossposted from Best Starts for Kids During the month of June, we will be running a “community owned data” blog series. This is our kick off post! Every other year, Best Starts collects community data that helps guide our funding strategies. To ensure that we are truly partnering with communities and sharing data ownership, Best Starts partnered with specific communities to have conversations about the data and help us understand it. We learned a lot from this process and want to share our learnings with our larger community here. Best Starts for… Read More
In Lean thinking, “Going to Gemba” refers to the process of going where the actual work happens to observe and learn from those doing the work, and that’s exactly what three members of Executive Constantine’s Senior Leadership Team recently did at Marymoor Park in Redmond. Chief Performance Officer Gary Kurihara, Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams and Chief Operating Officer Casey Sixkiller met with employees from King County Parks’ North Utility Trail Crew in their maintenance shop to learn more about their pilot of a Lean Daily Management System. “We went with the… Read More
In case you missed it, King County Superior Court is observing Juneteenth by hosting a Juneteenth – A Day of Remembrance block party celebration Tuesday, June 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, Juneteenth today commemorates African-American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. The event is free and open to the King County work community. Join the Superior Court for exhibits, live entertainment and food on Spruce Street between… Read More
The Department of Natural Resources and Parks invites King County departments and agencies to participate in the County’s Cine en el Parque Movie at the Park event Saturday, Aug. 4 at Dick Thurnau Memorial Park in White Center. Cine en el Parque, featuring the screening of Coco in Spanish with English subtitles, is a terrific summertime outreach opportunity for County teams to reach our Latino community and connect residents with programs and agencies. Departments and agencies are invited to participate and promote their community programs and services, particularly if you have materials… Read More
Shared from Employee Transportation Program In observance of Ride Transit Month, the Employee Transportation Program is chatting with four Metro managers about their transit commutes, and sharing any advice they’d like to pass along to new riders. First up is Diane Carlson, who became Metro’s Director of Capital Projects in February. Carlson lives along the SR-520 corridor, about three quarters of a mile from the Yarrow Point freeway bus stop. “I’m lucky,” says Carlson. “I can get on any bus. I can catch a bus to the train at the University of… Read More