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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
Helping King County’s older adults prepare for emergencies
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections Every September organizations and local governments across the country observe National Preparedness Month to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. This year, the nationwide theme “Take Control in 1, 2, 3” focuses on preparing older adults for disasters, specifically older adults from communities that are disproportionally impacted by hazardous events. To learn more about the Department of Community and Human Services’ (DCHS) work to prepare older adults for emergencies in King County, Taylor Gaston, the Veterans, Seniors and… Read More
35 years of giving and 35 reasons to give
The 2023 Employee Giving Program’s Annual Giving Drive is now underway, which runs from October 2 through November 17, 2023. This year is the 35th Anniversary of the Annual Giving Drive so we will be sharing 35 reasons to give throughout the drive. October includes National Substance Use Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Indigenous Peoples’ Day so we have shared organizations that are doing work in each of these areas. There are many reasons to give, so much more than 35, and we know there are myriad of causes that King County employees are passionate… Read More
Are you prepared?
In September, we recognized National Preparedness Month and highlighted some of the efforts to raise awareness of the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies. The Safety and Emergency Management Unit (SEMU) of the Solid Waste Division works to engage, equip, and educate their staff for the various disasters and emergencies that are possible in the Puget Sound region. Throughout September, SEMU organized both in-person and virtual activities that prepared leaders to protect the safety of employees and the security of Solid Waste Division programs; and educated employees on how to increase… Read More
2023 Salmon SEEson
The Salmon SEEson program shares the best stream and river locations in King County where people can see salmon as they return from the ocean in late summer and fall. Some locations are self-guided, while others feature volunteer naturalists to guide visitors in seeing salmon and learning about their lifecycle, efforts to protect them, and restoring habitat. Salmon are an important cultural, economic, and environmental resource for our region, especially to indigenous people. Local governments, Tribes and community groups around King County and Puget Sound are working to recover salmon populations by… Read More
Get ready for Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is just around the corner, from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15. Make sure your home mailing address is correct in PeopleSoft by Oct. 6. Open Enrollment and benefit changes information will be mailed to your home later this month. Here’s a few reminders to help you plan ahead: Benefit Access Fees: If you choose the KingCare PPO medical plan and you cover a spouse or state-registered domestic partner, a monthly Benefit Access Fee is automatically applied each year. If you qualify for an exemption, you must indicate this each year during… Read More
Metro leader recognized for excellence with national ‘TDM Champion Award’
Crossposted from Metro Matters At Metro, we aim for excellence, and we’re thrilled when the larger world recognizes this too. Carol Cooper, a Metro Managing Director for Market Innovation, was recently nationally recognized by the Association for Commuter Transportation for the excellence of her work in transportation demand management (TDM). The TDM Champion Award recognizes a member who has made significant contributions to the industry and profession and has demonstrated commitment and dedication through leadership on the local and/or national level. The TDM Champion Award is selected by the ACT National Board… Read More
It’s time for the Annual Giving Drive
The Employee Giving Program (EGP) is celebrating its 35th Anniversary and we are excited to have you join us in the fun! The Employee Giving Program’s Annual Giving Drive runs from Oct. 2 through Nov. 17, 2023. Throughout the drive, we will share stories about a variety of EGP participating nonprofit organizations and the various ways to give. We invite you to join the three-and-a-half decades of action in supporting a cause you care about through the program, here in King County and beyond. Councilmember Sarah Perry and Megan Clarke, King County… Read More
Celebrating employees who provide customer service
National Customer Service Week is Oct. 2-6 and an opportunity to recognize the hundreds of employees at King County who serve and support customers on a daily basis. “We focus on the customer” is one of the County’s core values. To standardize the customer service approach at King County, a new Customer Service Playbook offers guidance and tips for employees who support customers, both internal and external. Employees who want to further develop their customer service skills are encouraged to take the Customer Service Fundamentals training in NEOGOV. Providing exemplary customer service is what we aspire… Read More
Reminder: All employees must complete annual Cybersecurity Training
Did you know the number of cyberattacks against governments grew by 95% last year? Annual security training is an important activity that safeguards King County systems, and the number of employees who complete training each year impacts our insurance rates. That’s why all employees and vendors with access to King County systems must complete Cybersecurity Training by Dec. 31, 2023. Log in here to complete your assigned training with our education partner, KnowBe4. Training takes about 90 minutes. Thank you for doing your part to protect King County.
Administrative Professionals Program quarterly recognitions
Do you know administrative professional you’d like to recognize for the outstanding work they do? The Administrative Professionals Program holds quarterly recognitions for the County’s administrative employees who contribute to the success of every department every day. The upcoming recognitions will cover July through September 2023, and will be posted on the Administrative Professionals Program website in October. To recognize an administrative professional, please fill out the Recognition form here by Sept. 30, 2023.
How to prepare for a long and unpredictable flood season in King County
Crossposted from Keeping King County Green The most common natural disaster in King County is flooding. There have been 29 flood-related federal disaster declarations in the county since 1956, and the science is clear that climate change will increase flood risks to our region. Even minor flooding can cause big disruptions to our infrastructure, closing roads and requiring costly clean-up and repairs to property. In King County, flooding is most common from October through April. This year, experts predict an El Niño weather pattern. This typically means a warmer, drier winter in… Read More
Accessing naloxone (NARCAN®) nasal spray in King County
With dramatically increasing overdoses in our community, knowing how to access and administer naloxone—a lifesaving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose—is critical. King County employees are permitted to carry and administer naloxone, while on the job, if they so choose. Here’s your guide to finding naloxone in King County and Washington, and how to access overdose prevention training. For those who can, King County encourages accessing naloxone over the counter or through pharmacies with medical insurance, rather than using free sources. This helps ensure adequate availability for our community members who… Read More
A passion for making great food
It’s 5:30 a.m. and the kitchen staff at the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention’s (DAJD) Juvenile Division are hard at work preparing breakfast for the youth in detention. It will be a continental breakfast, with scrambled eggs, pastries, yogurt, and an assortment of other healthy food, served at 7:45 a.m. The cooks and bakers then start making lunch, which will be ready to go by 11:30 a.m. and may include burgers or variety of hot burritos and sandwiches. A dinner with a protein choice and vegetables comes at 5 p.m. with… Read More
Wounded motorcyclist aided by TFD painter
Early last month, Salvador (“Sal”) Garcia, was returning to South Facilities after finishing up his day painting comfort stations. On his way back, Sal came across a troubling scene—a man was lying on the ground next to three idling motorcycles. Sal knew something was amiss. He could see another man at the end of the block, also harmed, and clutching his shoulder. Sal was worried, so he courageously got out of the van to investigate the situation further. When Sal approached the man, he could tell he was in distress. Sal then called… Read More
Celebrating National Senior Center Month
Every September the National Council on Aging celebrates National Senior Center Month by shining a light on senior centers and showing the nation how vital they are to the health and well-being of a community. In King County, senior centers support a growing population of older adults by providing essential services such as food and nutrition, cultural and social activities, information and assistance, education opportunities, celebratory events, health and wellness programs, and connection for isolated seniors. The Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) funds senior centers to serve as recognized resource centers on… Read More
Don’t leave history behind: Celebrate Archives Month
October is Archives Month, and King County Archives wants to celebrate it with you. We’re offering county staff tours of our beautiful space, including the areas where we store and preserve historically significant county government records. What is Archives Month? Many people don’t realize that the historical county government records at King County Archives are publicly accessible. Archives Month is a reminder to explore and make use of them. Why should I sign up for a tour? Because you want to see the cool records that were created by other county employees: Oldest marriage… Read More
Security tip – Watch out for QR code phishing scams
Recently, several King County employees have received emails with instructions to re-authenticate their passwords by scanning a QR code. Do not scan the QR code. This is a new “phishing” tactic from cybercriminals. Although these sophisticated emails often look like genuine security alerts, please be aware that King County does not use QR codes to re-authenticate passwords. Only scan QR codes from trusted, expected sources. Please use the “Report Phishing” button in Outlook to report any suspicious emails. Thank you for helping keep King County safe from cybersecurity threats!
First 2024 Professional Development Scholarship application period ends Oct. 8
The first application period for the 2024 Coalition Labor Agreement’s Professional Development Scholarship Program ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. The Scholarship Program is a benefit offered as part of the 2022 – 2024 Coalition Labor Agreement and is only open to employees represented by one of the unions in the Coalition. Award recipients for this period will be notified between Nov. 20 – Dec. 1, 2023. Please check the scholarship website for important dates, information and the link to apply. The Scholarship Program is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist eligible… Read More
Possible Kaiser Permanente employee strike will not impact the Pacific Northwest region
The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions recently issued notice of a possible strike from Oct. 4––6. This does not include Kaiser employees in the Pacific Northwest region. At this time, the negotiations involve only a fraction of Kaiser Permanente workers and facilities in Washington—primarily in the southwest edge of the state. Other areas impacted are Colorado, Mid-Atlantic States, Northern California, Oregon, Southwest Washington, and Southern California. Kaiser Permanente and Coalition leaders will continue negotiating with hopes to reach an agreement before any work stoppage occurs. Kaiser has plans in place to ensure continued access to needed health care… Read More
A ‘New Energy’ arrives as Executive Constantine unveils new colors for Metro’s electric fleet
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County Executive Dow Constantine unveiled one of Metro’s next-generation battery-electric buses wrapped in the new colors of the fleet today at Metro’s South Base. Called “The New Energy,” the livery design is a mix of electric yellow and seafoam blue, is a visual representation of Metro’s commitment to helping combat climate change and will be outfitted on all the new vehicles joining the fleet. Along with Executive Constantine, Metro General Manager Michelle Allison, King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski, and Teague Livery Design Manager Katie Ryan, helped unveil… Read More
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