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Celebrating you and your work during Public Service Recognition Week
May is Mental Health Month
How the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency impacts your employee medical and pharmacy benefits
Reminder: WA Cares Fund payroll deductions begin in July
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Read Latest Retirement Outlook Newsletter Online
To read the most recent issue of Retirement Outlook with the latest news from the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS), go online to http://www.drs.wa.gov/outlook/active. There, you can also read past issues of the Retirement Outlook newsletter. If you have questions, contact King County Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556 or kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov.
Kudos! Solid Waste Division’s Spanish Language Recycling Education Program wins Awards
Solid Waste Division’s outreach to the Spanish-speaking community received two awards from the Puget Sound chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at its annual Totem Awards Celebration February 6. The Recicla más. ¡Es facilísimo! Spanish language curbside recycling program received two certificates of excellence this year. One certificate is for radio advertising, multicultural communication category, in which the radio ad was recognized for its research into the audience needs and identification of cultural elements which would resonate with the audience, making the radio ad groundbreaking in its approach. The… Read More
Apply for King County Internal Bridge Fellowship
Starting March 10, employees can apply for one of 10 internal Bridge Fellowships that will help them develop their careers, grow their organizational knowledge, and enhance their leadership skills at King County. The Internal Bridge Fellowship Program is a one-year, formal development program that is open to all regular (full-time) and TLT employees. Ten fellows will be selected for the first cohort. Candidates can be individual contributors, supervisors or managers. Each candidate must have leadership potential (demonstrated at work, at home, or in the community) and a desire to advance across the… Read More
PRSA Totem Award for Children and Family Justice Center Project
The Children and Family Justice Center (CFJC) communications and outreach effort also won a Certificate of Excellence from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Puget Sound Chapter. The award was given in the Community Relations Program category for the communications planning and work that culminated in the successful Public Open House in March 2013. Congratulations to the CFJC communications team on this prestigious honor.
Featured Job: Business Analyst
Application deadline: First screen date will be 3/18/14 Salary: $75,400.00 – $95,576.00 Annually Department: Department of Natural Resources & Parks – Director’s Office Description: This position will report to Department of Natural Resources and Park’s Chief Financial Officer as part of a team (including an existing Project/Program Manager IV and a Strategic Development Analyst, with administrative support from an Administrator II) which provides technical guidance and leadership to multi-agency and multi-disciplinary teams within DNRP’s four diverse operating divisions. This team supports the DNRP divisions across a range of functions, including business planning, financial… Read More
Kudos! Felicia Collins, Metro Transit Operator
“This morning started out really rough for me. My car broke down so my only way of getting to school was the bus. As I started towards the bus stop I noticed the 106 coming so I started running, still more than a half block from the stop the bus pulls over and waits for me. I was so thankful for this act of kindness ‘cause she made it possible for me to get to the connecting 71 and arrive at school with time to spare. I don’t ride the bus that… Read More
Kudos! Ralph J. Brooks, Metro Transit Operator
“I just got off the route 14 to Mt Baker station and had a Wonderful experience with my driver. He was thoughtful, encouraging, kind, and caring. I could tell he really took the time to get to know his riders and make them feel comfortable. :)” – Kirra M. On hearing of the customer’s comments, Operator Brooks said getting this commendation was the best part of his morning, and he was very thankful to hear it.
Featured Job: Electronic Communications Specialist
Application deadline: Tuesday 02/25/14, 4:30 p.m. Salary: $32.19 – $40.81 Hourly / $66,955.20 – $84,884.80 Annually Department: King County Department of Information Technology Description: King County is in search of two Electronics Communications Specialists (ECS) who will perform highly skilled technical work as an expert in land mobile radio systems and other electronic equipment, including the 800 MHz Regional Public Safety Communications System, digital microwave networks and supporting computer systems and networks. One position is Career Service and the other position is a Term-limited Temporary position with an anticipated end date of… Read More
Healthy Incentives 2014 Now Underway
The 2014 Healthy Incentives program started on February 14, and if you want lower out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, here’s what you can do: Start when you’re ready. Take your wellness assessment and finish an individual action plan any time between February 14 and July 31, 2014. No more separate deadline for the wellness assessment. More ways to earn silver. Complete either the wellness assessment or an individual action plan to earn silver. Enter activity any time online. Once you register for the new StayWell online individual action plan, you can enter activity when… Read More
DCHS Employees Participate in One Night Count
In the early morning hours of Friday, Jan. 24, hundreds of King County residents gathered at dozens of meeting points throughout the County to walk their carefully assigned areas and count the people they saw on the streets, sleeping on benches, huddled in makeshift shelters or camping in cars. It was the annual One Night Count of homeless persons, coordinated by the Seattle-King County Coalition on Homelessness, with funding support from the Committee to End Homelessness (CEH). On that night, a total of 3,113 people were counted outdoors without safe and secure… Read More
State of the County 2014: Building Equity, Confronting Climate Change
King County Executive Dow Constantine outlined an agenda for addressing what many consider to be the generational challenges of our time in the first State of the County address ever delivered from an unincorporated area of King County. At a special meeting of the Metropolitan King County Council on February 10 at White Center Heights Elementary School, Executive Constantine framed his policy agenda for meeting two of the “greatest generational challenges” of our time: building equity and opportunity, and confronting climate change – Building equity will mean creating access to opportunity – access… Read More
Metro Transit Operator helps Return Stolen Bike
After Beth Gunn’s bicycle was stolen, she was astonished to see it heading toward her on the street—in the bike rack on the front of a D-Line bus. She stopped the bus and told the driver that her stolen bike was in his rack. That driver was Matt Leber (AKA VeloBusDriver), a fellow bike commuter and bike-transit blogger. While they spoke, a couple of passengers left the bus through the rear doors. When Leber asked the remaining passengers who owned the bike on the front of the bus, no one answered. After… Read More
Wastewater Treatment Division’s Mr. Fix-it
When Stanley Caberto (left) gets a work order to fix equipment, the first question he asks is “What’s causing this equipment to break down?” – because he knows from experience that he can do more than just replace a part – he can find a permanent fix. While it’s the treatment plants that often get the most attention, Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) has dozens of offsite facilities that need the same operations and maintenance that the plants do – including 25 regulator stations, 47 pump stations, and over 40 combined sewer outfalls and… Read More
Five Questions with Adrienne Quinn, Director, Department of Community and Human Services
1. What are your main responsibilities as Director of DCHS?As director, I lead our strategic planning and program development, an effort that engages and involves not just our talented King County staff, but partners at the federal, state, county and local levels as well as social service agencies, philanthropy, business, advocates and more. I oversee a budget of about $350 million and 295 employees. As a department, we work with regional partners to plan, fund, contract for or directly provide a wide range of services. These include alcohol and drug prevention and… Read More
Employees Help Executive raise 12th Man Flag
More than 100 employees joined Executive Constantine for a ceremony to raise the 12th Man Flag at the Administration Building plaza last Thursday, Jan. 17, and guess what? It worked – again! Executive Constantine led employees in a spirited Seahawks cheer as he as he hoisted the 12th Man Flag at precisely 12:12 p.m. Three days later, the Seahawks were headed to Super Bowl XLVIII. Go ‘Hawks!
Five Questions with Corinna Harn, Chief Presiding Judge, King County District Court
1. When were you first elected to King County District Court and when did you become Chief Presiding Judge? I began serving as a Pro Tem Judge for the King County District Court in 1991. I was elected to the District Court in 1998 for the term beginning in January 1999. I have been elected by my judicial colleagues as the Chief Presiding Judge four times, most recently in 2012 for a two-year term beginning in 2013. 2. What legal matters is District Court responsible for? King County District Court is the… Read More
Employees Star in Video to Welcome New Employees
New employees at King County will soon get a special welcome and introduction to our core values when a new video starring employees from across the County is launched. Employees in the video talk about what it means to them to be a King County employee, and focus on five core values: Equity and Social Justice Customer Service Teamwork and Collaboration Continuous Improvement Healthy Employees Several departments and agencies have participated in the video, including the Department of Judicial Administration, Department of Executive Services, King County Sheriff’s Office, King County Elections, Public… Read More
Five Questions: Karleen Sakumoto, Manager, Employee Health and Well-Being
1. How long have you been at King County and what was your first role? I have been at the County for over 30 years, but I have worked in several different departments during this time. My first job was as a Program Analyst in what is now the Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget (PSB). 2. What are the main responsibilities of your job? I am responsible for the County’s Healthy Incentives program. My job involves a wide range of activities to make Healthy Incentives a success. This includes talking with labor leaders about… Read More
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