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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
WA Cares Fund paycheck deductions begin July 6
Beginning July 6, you will see a mandatory payroll deduction on your paystub for the state’s new WA Cares Fund long-term care insurance program. Here’s how the deduction will appear on your paystub: The premium is 0.58% of gross wages (58 cents per $100). The initial maximum value of the benefit will be $36,500 (adjusted annually for inflation). Submit WA Cares Fund exemption letters to King County by June 26 Some employees may be eligible for a permanent or conditional exemption from the WA Cares Fund. To learn more, go to Exemptions…. Read More
Providing support and care for people with substance use disorder: Treatment access in King County
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections In recent years, the pandemic has had a profound effect on mental health and substance use, with increasing numbers of people experiencing anxiety, depression, and loneliness. In 2021, there were over 106,600 deaths due to drug overdose in the U.S. — the highest on record. This reality is felt across the country, including here in King County, where we’ve seen a rise in substance use and overdose deaths. In the face of these tragic impacts, it is important to know where to get help and how to support someone in your community…. Read More
Recognizing Metro’s Operators of the Month for March and April 2023
They are our “rolling ambassadors,” the kind, courteous and helpful smile that greets you every day when you ride with us. Outside of work, they enjoy listening to live music, traveling, astronomy, motorcycle drag racing, and remote-control car racing! They represent more than two centuries of experience behind the wheel. The operators who drive your bus are as unique as you, and all of them love driving and giving back to their community. Meet your Metro Operators of the Month for March and April here.
Three short walks
Cross-posted from King County Parks As the spring weather finally warms up, King County Parks offers some great options to explore hiking in scenic, shaded landscapes. Whether making a short daytrip to Vashon Island or birdwatching in Marymoor Park, these short walks will get you immersed back in touch with nature in no time. To be specific by what we mean by “short,” all the walks on this list clock in at around 1.5 miles or less. Read more.
Regional solutions to reduce stormwater pollution
From the Department of Natural Resources and Parks King County Executive Dow Constantine recently hosted a regional summit with Tribal leaders, state and federal agency leaders, water quality experts, university researchers, and cities and counties throughout Central Puget Sound to pursue regional solutions to stormwater pollution, one of the greatest threats to water quality in the Puget Sound watershed. “Reducing the stormwater pollution that threatens the health of people, wildlife and Puget Sound requires collaboration, creativity, and commitment throughout the entire watershed,” said Executive Constantine. Read more here and watch the video below.
Executive Constantine announces winners of the 2023 Green Globe Award
The Green Globe Award is King County’s highest honor for environmental stewardship. Eleven individuals and organizations from across King County were recently honored by Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks with a 2023 Green Globe Award for outstanding work to protect and restore the environment, and contributing to a more resilient, sustainable, more equitable King County. Read more here and and watch the video below.
King County Executive and County Council proclaim June 19, 2023 as Juneteenth
In recognition that Juneteenth commemorates the traditional observance of the end of slavery in the United States and that the King County Council adopted Ordinance 19209 on November 17, 2020, making Juneteenth an official holiday for King County employees, Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council have declared June 19, 2023 as Juneteenth. Read the full proclamation below.
DES Director Caroline Whalen announces retirement after 29-year career
Caroline Whalen, Director of the Department of Executive Services (DES), has announced that she will retire from King County in early September 2023. “I appointed Caroline our DES Director back in 2010 and she has proved time and again to be one of King County’s most effective and respected leaders, one who leads by example with both words and actions,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said. “As sad as I am to see Caroline go after a stellar 29-year King County career, I am incredibly grateful for her many years of service… Read More
State retirement plan contributions change July 1, 2023
Employer contribution rates for some of the following retirement plans will change on July 1, 2023, as approved by the State Legislature. The state Pension Funding Council adjusts contribution rates, as needed, to fund the retirement benefits earned by members. The PERS employer rate will change to 9.39% for all PERS plans. There were no changes to the LEOFF plans. The PSERS employer rate will be 9.63%. You will see the new employer contribution amounts under employer-paid benefits on your paystub beginning July 20, 2023. More information is available on the Washington… Read More
City Hall Park reopens today
The City of Seattle reopened City Hall Park, adjacent to the King County Courthouse, to the public today, Tuesday, June 13. The park will remain open between 6 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., seven days a week. Two full-time Park Rangers will be onsite in the park during these hours to engage with guests, answer questions, give directions, maintain the peace of the park, and help establish acceptable norms of behavior. In addition, two Park Concierges will operate from a portable kiosk during weekdays and be extra resources for park guests. A contracted… Read More
Second Professional Development Scholarship Program application period now closed
The second application period for the Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is now closed as of June 4. Awardees for this period will be notified via email no later than July 21, 2023. The scholarship is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist employees represented by a union in the Coalition of Unions with their professional development by providing up to $3,000 in financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications. For more information go to the Professional Development Scholarship website or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov.
Local Services welcomes Sara Estiri to lead Community Needs List program
The Department of Local Services welcomes its newest Project Manager – Sara Estiri! Sara will lead the Community Needs List program, which is a way for residents to share what their communities need in terms of improvement from a planning standpoint. Read more.
Gender Inclusion in the Workplace Team receives 2022 Innovation Award for People
The Department of Human Resources (DHR) and Gender Inclusion in the Workplace Team has been honored with the Innovation Award for People. This award, part of King County Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards, is one of the of five Innovation Awards highlighting department teams whose projects, improvements, and ingenuity deliver exceptional, measurable results. “We solve problems” and “We drive for results” are core values at King County, and these award recipients met challenges in creative and impactful ways. King County employee engagement surveys found that gender diverse employees felt less engaged, less safe,… Read More
Enjoy King County parks this summer
Summertime in the Pacific Northwest is always exciting! We’ve weathered months of rainy, dark days and can finally can enjoy the lush green and sun we’ve been waiting for. Enjoying nature is an important act of self-care; fresh air and sun can boost your mood and relieve stress. The huge amount of green space in the King County parks system makes nature accessible to everyone. And Trailhead Direct is an easy way to use public transportation to take you directly to hiking trails. Explore the King County Parks and find one near you using the ParkFinder website.
Printable safety resources one-pager now available
Our top priority is your safety and security at work, and we are continuing to partner with law enforcement, community, and other governments to ensure a safer, more welcoming environment in and around our facilities. We have put together a one-page document with several contacts and resources to help every King County employee feel safe and secure in and around our facilities. It contains phone numbers for emergency and non-emergency services as well as information on safety programs and resources available to county employees. Download it here. For more information on employee safety… Read More
Non-profit engagement survey deadline June 15
Do you partner with nonprofits based in or serving King County? There is one week left in the 2023 King County Nonprofit Employee Engagement Survey and nonprofits in the region are being asked to participate. Nonprofit employees are invited to share their candid thoughts on job satisfaction, workplace environment, supervisory relationships, pay/benefits, and other factors that lead to high staff retention. The survey, which is funded by the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy, seeks to provide nonprofits with data that can help improve retention of talented employees and ensure a strong delivery of services…. Read More
Balanced You Mindfulness Schedule Summer 2023
A new mindfulness schedule has been released! In partnership with Mindfulness Northwest, Balanced You offers free, virtual mindfulness workshops to King County employees. Mindfulness is a practice that can help you reduce stress and bring a calm awareness to your relationships, leadership, inner thoughts and more. This summer, try a new class or revisit a class you have taken before. See full mindfulness schedule on the Balanced You blog.
Cybersecurity Training will go live June 28
On Wednesday, June 28, employees will receive an email from King County’s partner “KnowBe4” (do-not-reply@knowbe4.com) with a personalized link to their assigned Cybersecurity Training. The training includes several short learning modules, totaling about 90 minutes of instruction. All employees and vendors with access to King County systems must complete the annual Cybersecurity Training by Dec. 31, 2023. Read more.
KCSO highlights Woodinville officers in police contract community series
From the King County Sheriff’s newsletter The King County Sheriff’s Office has begun a video series featuring officers who work in communities that contract with KCSO for police services. The first in the series takes us to the City of Woodinville, which has partnered with the King County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years. Woodinville PD serves its residents with passion, dignity, and grace. They work to reduce crime through proactive policing, crime prevention, and other community services. Woddinville Police Chief BJ Myers and Detective Deanna Torres shared why they love working for… Read More
Legislative Branch recognizes Pasifika community for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month
The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Affinity Group of the Legislative Branch and KCTV recently created a video to celebrate and honor the local contributions of the Pasifka Community in King County. The presentation is hosted by and features the Honorable District Court Judge Fa’amomoi Masaniai, as well as segments on the Voice of the South Pacific, the United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance (UTOPIA), the Pacific Islanders Community Association of Washington (PICA) Wellness Navigator program, and the White Center Community Development Association celebrating Cambodian New Year. View the presentation here. A special… Read More
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