Due to heavy snow in the forecast, non-mission critical functions for the Executive branch will close at 2 p.m. today, Friday, Feb. 8. Please be extra safe in your commute and check for any impacts or delays before leaving.

Priority and mission-critical services will continue to be provided in accordance with department emergency planning. First responders and other mission critical staff are expected to report to or remain at their work location at the usual time. This includes, but is not limited to, corrections officers, 9-1-1 call center operators, emergency personnel, security staff, and certain senior managers. If you are not sure of your designation, please contact your supervisor. As always, directors can use their discretion to keep operations to open later than 2 p.m. where appropriate.

All regular, provisional, probationary, and term-limited temporary employees who were scheduled to work today and are working today will receive regular pay for the remaining hours they are scheduled to work today. This applies for hourly and exempt employees. Temporary (other than appointed, provisional, probationary and TLT), administrative interns, and non-regular part-time employees will only be paid for hours actually worked during a facility closure. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather for more information.

If you feel you need to leave before 2 p.m. to get home safely, please discuss this with your supervisor.

Other agencies and branches:

• Department of Assessments: Closing at 1 p.m.
• District Court: Closing at 2 p.m. Jail calendars will be held at Seattle and MRJC this afternoon.
• Superior Court: Closing at 2 p.m.
• Department of Judicial Administration / Superior Court Clerk’s Office: Closing at 2:30 p.m.
• Prosecuting Attorney’s Office: Closing 2 p.m.
• King County Elections: Closing 2 p.m.
• King County Council: Closing noon.

Please be extra safe in your commute and check your bus schedule before departing to find out if it is operating on a regular or reduced schedule, or snow route. Check for information on your route on Metro’s Snow, Ice and Flood Alerts webpage, Metro’s adverse weather page, or sign up for Metro Transit Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcmetrobus, see RSS feed via desktop or mobile RSS reader).

Another winter storm is heading our way tomorrow, and will likely bring more snow and ice to the region, particularly Friday afternoon and evening.

If the roads are snowy and icy, expect delays to your commute and be prepared for very cold weather. Please have a commute plan with several fall back options, dress warmly, and as always, let safety guide your commute decisions.

If you haven’t already, talk to your supervisor about your role in an emergency, and know how to contact them.

Metro buses may have to move to snow routes at any time, so please check for information on changes to your bus route on Metro’s Snow, Ice and Flood Alerts webpage, Metro’s adverse weather page, or sign up for Metro Transit Alerts (text, email, tweets via @kcmetrobus, see RSS feed via desktop or mobile RSS reader), and have a backup plan.

Consider canceling or postponing non-essential meetings tomorrow and early next week, or move them onto Skype for Business.

If telecommuting is an option for your job, make sure you submit a Telecommuting Agreement in advance for approval. KCIT has created a telework resources site that answers many questions. You may also consider adjusting your work schedule, working at an alternative location, or taking vacation if these are options. Please discuss beforehand with your supervisor and make sure you have approval.

Some school districts have already announced early closures Friday, so make a plan to take care of your kids. When schools are closed and King County operations remain open, employees are expected to report to work as usual, or follow applicable personnel policies.

HR Policies: When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work on time, notify your supervisor as soon as possible. You may request leave, subject to approval by your supervisor. If you have no leave accrued, your supervisor may approve leave without pay to cover absences. Sick leave may not be used. Please refer to HR Bulletin 2011-0009 County Operations During Emergency Situations and Inclement Weather to learn more.

Stay informed: Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information at work and at home in the event of snow:

• Call the Employee Hotline—206-205-8600 (save it to your phone now!).
• Check your King County email for specific directives and updates. Log on at outlook.kingcounty.gov.
• Contact your supervisor for instructions.
• Follow King County on Twitter—@KingCountyWA, @kcmetrobus, @kcroads, and @kcemployees
• Check your agency website or Intranet (if applicable), and monitor local media channels.
• Visit the Emergency News page at kcemergency.com for regional impacts. 

KCInform: Make sure you can be reached in a major emergency. If you haven’t yet registered your personal contact or work cell information in KCInform, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.gov anytime or 206-296-3830 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit our website.

The snowy weather is a perfect reminder for employees to sign up for KCInform, the King County employee emergency alert system. This system, powered by CodeRED, allows us to reach you by phone, text, and email with timely information in an emergency or natural disaster.

Your safety is our priority, whether you are at work or home, so having updated personal contact information (work cell phone and home phone, email, and/or cell phone) is critical for reaching you wherever you are.

Many employees previously registered to receive alerts through this system, but if you have not registered your personal contact or work cell information yet, please contact kcinform@kingcounty.gov or 206-296-3830 (between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday) to request your unique registration link. Watch this short video to learn more or visit the KCInform website.