Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC Can you open your heart and home to Anubis, our Pet of the Week? This five-year-old gray tabby was brought in by a good Samaritan in early January. His personality color is “Rambunctious Red,” meaning he’s a spirited cat with a fun-loving personality. Anubis loves to be around people and he always wants to get your attention! He loves petting, and if you stop he will nudge your hand for more! He also loves to rub on people and knead their clothes. Though he likes petting, Anubis… Read More
Crossposted from KCWeeds King County’s noxious weed specialists have their hands full this month and it isn’t going to get easier anytime soon. Top priority noxious weeds they are focusing on this month include garlic mustard, European coltsfoot, giant hogweed and shiny geranium. Other regulated noxious weeds that are following close behind are spotted knapweed, wild chervil and sulfur cinquefoil. And that’s just the short list of priority species that are regulated under Washington’s state noxious weed law. Garlic mustard is probably the most challenging species we are chasing this month. It… Read More
Here’s what to look for when you receive an email you aren’t sure about: King County and KCIT use the King County logo and/or the “Service Alert” visual in all communication. Do not ever click on a link inside a suspicious email. If you need to change your password in any system, go directly to the website or system instead of clicking on a link in an Email. If the email seems odd, look for spelling errors and sentences that just don’t sound right. Hover over a link in your browser to… Read More
Regional Animal Services of King County – which has dramatically increased the pet-save rate in recent years – set a new record for adoptions last year, delivering on Executive Constantine’s commitment to transform humane animal care. Executive Dow Constantine thanked the staff and volunteers at King County’s animal services division for increasing the pet adoption rate by a record 20 percent in a single year, building on the successful transformation of regional animal services. The latest milestone is the result of several strategies, including partnering with cafes and pet stores to make… Read More
Each of the past three years, King County has met its goal of hiring 16 veteran fellows as part of the Vets 4 HIRE program. Funding is available to hire 16 more this year, but we need the help of hiring managers. What began as King County’s Heroes Employment Reintegration Opportunity (HERO) Program five years ago has developed into the Vets 4 HIRE (Heroes in Reintegration Experiences) Program, a paid fellowship/internship for qualified veterans funded in part by the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy. While the success of any program of… Read More
by Kirk Larson, Social Security Washington Public Affairs Specialist National Social Security Month is celebrated in April and is dedicated to educating you about Social Security programs and services. From programs that help support you through life’s journey, to services that help put you in control, to systems that help protect what’s important to you, Social Security is committed to helping secure today and tomorrow for you and your family. During National Social Security Month, we encourage people to take control of their future with my Social Security at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Create a… Read More
Career Support Services and the Administrative Professionals Advisory Committee are pleased to host King County’s 3rd Annual Administrative Professionals Recognition Day event on Wednesday, April 25. This year, approximately 100 outstanding administrative professionals were nominated for recognition. Join us as we recognize and celebrate the valuable contributions administrative professionals throughout King County government are making. The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Bertha Knight Landes Room at City Hall, 600 4th Avenue, Seattle. Space is limited! Register at Eventbrite, and email the committee with any questions… Read More
This article is by Corinne Easter, Administrative Specialist with the King County Office of Risk Management Services What is risk management? This is a common question posed to The Office of Risk Management Services. Very much like the title implies, the office manages risk. But, what is risk? Director Jennifer Hills describes risk as, “unplanned events that have the potential to prevent an organization from meeting their objectives.” That’s the traditional way of describing it. Hills went on to explain how King County has changed its adverse view of risk to a more progressive view:… Read More
Your favorite nonprofit organizations have until April 25 to apply to be in the King County Employee Giving Program (EGP) for the upcoming year, which will allow you to support them during the Annual Giving Drive and other EGP opportunities. Now is the time to make sure they get into the Employee Giving Program! Once they are in, there are so many ways you can help them during the Annual Giving Drive, including: Giving through payroll, time, check or credit card. Sharing your story. Inviting them in to speak. Hosting a special… Read More
Crossposted from WTD’s Clean Water Stories Half of King County Wastewater Treatment Division’s valued employees are expected to retire in five years and one of the biggest questions we face is: How will those spots be filled? How can we reach out to the next generation? We want high school students to be aware of these career opportunities. We host two high school career events in the spring every year and hire 10 high school interns for a summer, and they do some amazing work for us, even if they choose a different… Read More
At the recent State Injury Prevention Summit, Safe Kids of Washington State presented Tony Gomez, Manager of Violence and Injury Prevention, with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Child Injury Prevention. Tony has shaped programs and policies in King County, Washington State, and nationally. His work has led to important reductions in child injuries and deaths. Tony is not just doing the work, he’s preparing the next generation of Public Health professionals by teaching, mentoring and consulting on capstones and thesis with university students.
A popular public-private partnership that provides direct transit service to hiking destinations Issaquah Alps will return April 21 with expanded service from Seattle to more trailheads. On May 19, a second transit service to Mount Si and Mount Teneriffe near North Bend will start at Sound Transit’s Capitol Hill Link light rail station. Trailhead Direct – a successful pilot project that provides transit service to trailheads along the Interstate 90 corridor – returns April 21 with expanded service in Seattle to more hiking destinations. The public-private partnership between King County Metro Transit,… Read More
Are your communication skills holding you back or helping you soar? Solid communication skills can be the difference between successful experiences and painful, unproductive encounters in the workplace. When you’re looking to serve customers, solve problems, and make an impact, being able to listen effectively, clearly express yourself, and adeptly handle conflict and defensive behaviors is key. The Human Resources Learning and Development group is hosting noted trainer, Lenny Borer, on April 26 to help attendees develop deeper communication and problem solving skills. Sign up now. Thursday, April 26 from 8:30 a.m…. Read More
Crossposted from The Downstream Blog The Point Williams Buoy On March 29, the crew of SoundGuardian, King County’s marine research vessel, re-deployed a water quality buoy that got loose earlier in the month at Point Williams, off Lincoln Park in West Seattle. In this video, watch Jim Devereaux, Bob Kruger, Houston Flores, and Christopher Barnes from the King County Environmental Laboratory re-anchor the buoy. The Point Williams buoy is one of four automated, high-frequency data collection systems used by King County in marine waters and is the only floating platform — with… Read More
Salary: $16.60 Hourly Location: Seattle, WA Job Type: Intern Department: Department of Transportation – Airport Division Job Number: 2018MD07974 Closing: 4/20/2018 11:59 PM Pacific Description: Seeking a highly motivated Engineering Intern to support project work across all Airport business units. This internship provides opportunity for an Engineering student to obtain experience that will further his/her education and/or career interests. The successful candidate must be a college Junior or Senior, working toward a degree in Civil Engineering. Working knowledge of AutoCAD is a must. Contact: For more information, contact Melinda Dickie at 206-477-3608 or… Read More
The Department of Natural Resources and Parks blog provides tips on wasting less, enjoying the outdoors, supporting local food and other everyday doable actions to positively impact climate change. The blog also showcases fun news, facts and stories about King County’s natural resources and environmental stewardship. It’s written by members of Public Affairs at King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, with contributions from many of the programs throughout the department’s four divisions. Follow the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks blog today. Click here to view all King… Read More
Crossposted from kchealthyincentives King County offers a variety of health and well-being options to support employees so you can feel good, get the most out of life, and do your best work for the people of King County. Regular physical activity improves your overall health and fitness, and reduces your risk for many chronic diseases. Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule may seem difficult at first, but King County provides several options to support your fitness goals at work. Employee Health & Well-Being maintains Activity Centers in over 15 King County… Read More
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC Introducing Bindi, our Pet of the Week! This eight-year-old Boston Terrier mix came to us because her previous family could no longer care for her. Bindi is a very smart girl, and already knows sit, stay, and come. She becomes very attached to and protective of her family, and would do best in a low-traffic home with no children. Bindi loves to go on walks, but does have some leash aggression. She gets along with other small dogs and cats, but would still do best with a… Read More
KCIT and Amazon Web Services are joining forces for another Government Hackfest April 23-24 at Amazon. Our January Hackfest with Microsoft brought us cool ideas including a chatbot for King County webpages. Check out KCTV’s story here. The chatbot is under construction right now. If you have an idea, a problem, or a use case that you’d like us to tackle in this 48-hour hackathon, please contact Jamie Holter at KCIT and we’ll get you connected with some of the best minds in the business! It’s open to all local governments.
After a nationwide search, Executive Constantine selected a former senior Amazon manager to lead King County’s Department of Information Technology, recognized last year as the Best IT County in the Nation. Tanya Hannah will lead the 450-person team that was selected as Best IT County in the Nation last year by the National Association of Counties. Hannah, who joined King County IT in June 2017 as Deputy Director, was selected after an extensive nationwide search in which more than 300 candidates applied. “Our award-winning team of IT professionals has established King County… Read More