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Holiday travel? Metro will help you get there
Emergency exercise tests communications ahead of World Cup
King County Wins 2025 Geospatial Professional Network Award for Innovative AI-GIS System
Recognizing the service of Metro veterans
News
Learning & Development: 2023 accomplishments and what’s new for 2024
This past year the Learning & Development (L&D) team in the Department of Human Resources worked hard to continue building out the portfolio of educational opportunities to serve the different needs, interests, and goals of the King County workforce. Over the course of 2023 the L&D team hosted 53 workshops with a total of 1,864 attendees. In addition to spending a large portion of the year facilitating workshops, two new workshops were launched (Leading for Well-being, Building High Trust Cultures), as well as a beta of the new Leader Learning Labs, and… Read More
Shared learning towards a racially just King County
In 2023, more than 70% of King County employees took the We Are Racially Just training, a wonderful achievement for a course that was only launched in August. At King County, we aim to reach our True North – to create a welcoming community where every person can thrive. To achieve this, we must be racially just and actively work toward dismantling racist systems, practices, and approaches. The training is one of the ways King County has worked toward this goal. We are racially just is a core value of King County… Read More
Make your nominations for Executive’s Best-Run Government Awards
The nomination period for the Executive’s Best-Run Government Awards is now open through Feb. 16. The annual awards, formerly known as the Performance Excellence Awards, honor Executive Branch employees and teams for their exceptional contributions in leadership, innovation, and Lean maturity. There are three award categories: Any King County employee can nominate a team or individual for an Innovation or Leadership Excellence Award. You may review the nomination criteria here. We look forward to seeing your nominations and celebrating the many great achievements from 2023.
Stay informed in inclement weather
Getting timely, accurate information in an emergency or inclement weather event is critical. Make sure you’re getting the latest King County information on how you are affected, at work and at home: Power outages: If you are teleworking and experience a power outage that affects your ability to effectively work remotely, please contact your supervisor to discuss other options for completing work tasks. These may include taking leave or working from your regular King County worksite. HR Policies: When an agency remains open, but conditions prevent you from reporting to work or from… Read More
Get to know the Walking Bus program
King County’s employee “Walking Bus” pilot program now offers five afternoon departures times. In this pilot phase, employees can join their colleagues and a Facilities Management Division (FMD) Security Escort each weekday evening walking from the Third Avenue entrance of the King County Courthouse to the King Street Station and Colman Dock via a stop at the Pioneer Square light rail station entrance at Jefferson Street and Yesler Way. The meeting location for both routes is the Information Desk in the First Floor lobby of the courthouse. Get more information on routes and departure times. View… Read More
Stories and information for King County employees: DHR’s top stories and videos of 2023
Storytelling is a powerful way to share knowledge, transcend differences, and connect people. The Department of Human Resources (DHR) county-wide Employee Newsletter is bursting with content about employee benefits and accomplishments, learning and advancement opportunities, public health and community services, and other important news that helps employees stay informed. In 2023, in addition to sharing important internal announcements and news, we also told stories about what makes up King County – you. These stories included how the Employee Giving Program allows us to support multiple causes and be better together, how County… Read More
Preparing for extreme weather with the Roads Maintenance crew
Snow and ice are common in Western Washington during the winter months and the King County Roads Maintenance Section of Local Services has been busily getting ready and preparing for the extreme winter weather season. This fall, the Roads Maintenance Section conducted its annual Snow and Ice Day. Maintenance employees in work units located across the county gathered for a day of training, equipment testing, and team building. The day consisted of training sessions on the proper techniques for attaching and operating plows, guidance on selecting chains and effective installation, proper anti-icer… Read More
Save 100% on specialty medications with PrudentRx
As announced during Open Enrollment, beginning Jan. 1, 2024, CVS Caremark will offer the PrudentRx specialty drug copay program to employees and their covered family members enrolled in a Regence BlueShield medical plan (King Care PPO or KingCare Select). PrudentRx participants pay nothing out-of-pocket for their eligible specialty drugs. Employees and covered family members who use a specialty medication that’s covered under the program should have received a letter through the U.S. mail from PrudentRx in early December. The letter contains information about the program and provides instructions to help you enroll. Please be… Read More
Facility tour looks at ways to enhance safety and security
Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams joined a group of employees and labor representatives on a tour of the King County Courthouse and its surroundings to review ideas for improving access to the courthouse while maintaining security at the building. The tour, led by Facilities Management Division Deputy Director of Operations Drew Zimmerman, was part of efforts to create safe, more welcoming environments around King County facilities in downtown Seattle and across the county. The group discussed options for improving access to the Courthouse after hours, especially in the darker, winter months, improving… Read More
Deputies’ actions come to the aid of a mother and children in need
The work at King County is guided by our True North and values. We do this to make King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. Our values define the way we act, what’s important to us, and our expectations for ourselves and one another. King county employees not only embody these values in their day-to-day work but when their efforts directly create a positive impact on community members, it merits acknowledgment. On the night of November 3rd, Deputy Clark “Trey” Matthews, Deputy Seth Grant, and Sergeant Hiram Grijalva responded… Read More
King County’s Nondiscrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Inappropriate Conduct Policy
By Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer At King County our work is guided by our True North – Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive – and our values. Our True North and values represent what is important to us as an organization, what we stand for, and the way we act. The way we treat one another and the way we expect to be treated are critical in building a workplace culture based on respect, belonging, and inclusivity. There is no room for any type of harassment or discrimination… Read More
2024 MLK calendars available to order
The 2024 MLK Jr. calendar, designed by artist Rey Daoed, is now available for King County employees to order. We have developed a more streamlined process for the distribution of the annual calendars. All orders will need to be submitted via the order form by Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. Listed below are the guidelines for submitting orders: Artist Bio: Rey Daoed is diagnosed with autism and apraxia of speech. Typing, handwriting, and text-to-speech apps are his preferred method of communication. Rey began painting in 2015, and the medium soon became an important… Read More
RSVP now: 2024 Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration
Updated Dec. 28, 2023, with RSVP information. King County employees are invited to join in honoring human rights leader and King County’s namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual celebration on Thursday, January 11, 2024. The theme for the celebration is “Passing the torch and continuing the journey,” along with the guiding quote “The task is not done. The journey is not complete. We can and we must do more.” – Martin Luther King III. There will be artistic performances from Jeffrey Lewis, Jamaar Smiley, Brohamm, and Massive Monkees. The keynote… Read More
Congratulations Hazardous Waste
Cross-posted from WLRD News Congratulations to the Hazardous Waste Program for being named an EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year for the seventh consecutive year. This national award recognizes individuals, businesses, and other entities that identify cleaning and chemical products to be healthier for people and the environment. The Program advocates for upstream strategies to eliminate harmful chemicals at their source, rather than requiring homeowners and the public sector to dispose and/or treat them. Two examples: the presence of “forever” chemicals (for example, PFAS), in everyday products used in packaging, cosmetics,… Read More
30 years at King County: A love story
By Katie Hayhurst In 1993, Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) employees Greg Rabourn and Mary Rabourn (née Pehl) began working as Special Waste Technicians in the Solid Waste Division. Little did they know it was also the start of a beautiful relationship. This couple’s “meet-cute” involved 900 acres of squishy garbage at the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill. Greg started working one month before Mary was hired and agreed to take the new person out for a tour of the landfill. Mary recalled the scene as semi-trailers slowly shuffling 40 yards… Read More
Kudos! Who says we’re siloed?
Cross-posted from WRLD News During a recent site visit on Bear Creek, Senior Ecologist Jen Vanderhoof was thrilled to see dozens of big, beautiful Chinook salmon in the creek near the reach known as Little Bit/Klapp. But as quickly as her heart soared it sank when she saw many of the salmon getting trapped and dying in a thicket of reed canary grass surrounding a beaver dam. Jen immediately did what she could to help the salmon on site and then emailed several colleagues King County’s Water and Land Resources Division (WRLD)… Read More
Spend your remaining 2023 FSA funds
Do you have money left in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? To check the balance of your Health Care or Day Care FSA, go to Navia Benefits and sign in to your account. Expenses must be incurred by Dec. 31, 2023, and submitted for reimbursement by March 31, 2024. Please see details below. Health Care FSAs Day Care FSAs If you have questions about your FSA benefits, contact Navia at 425-452-3500 or Navia Benefits.
King County Security Tips: How secure is your mobile device?
Most of us have a smartphone, but how many of us really think about the security threats faced by these mobile devices? Mobile devices are vulnerable to many different types of threats. The bad players are increasing attacks on mobile devices and targeting your phone using malicious applications. Using these methods, they can steal personal and business information without you having any idea what’s going on. Even if you’ve downloaded a security or antivirus application, securing your smartphone goes beyond these services. Improving your mobile security practices is your best defense against… Read More
Five questions with Tim Hams, Employee Transportation Program Manager
Whether it’s by bike, bus, or boat, the King County Employee Transportation Program (ETP) helps get you to and from work with a variety of resources while saving you money with your employee ID/ORCA card. KCEmployees.com recently spoke to Tim Hams, the new ETP Manager and asked five questions to get to know him a little better. What is your role at King County and when did you start? Employee Transportation Program (ETP) Manager, effective September 30, 2023. I supported ETP for a couple years with the prior ETP Manager before his… Read More
Thanking our local veterans for their service
Dear fellow King County employee, For more than a century, our nation has dedicated November 11 as the day to recognize the brave members of our country’s armed forces, past and present. They placed their own lives at risk to defend freedom here at home and around the world. Veterans Day is our opportunity to honor and thank them for their service. King County is home to some 115,000 veterans of all ages. Almost 1,200 of our King County colleagues are veterans, working alongside us in every department and every branch of… Read More
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a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
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