Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
Cross-posted from Keeping King County Green This past Mother’s Day, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) families and supporters raised funds for their schools and Hmong flower farming families. Seattle moms enjoyed locally grown floral bouquets expertly grown and handcrafted by Hmong farmers, who have been an iconic part of King County’s agriculture scene for over three decades. Friendly Hmong Farms (FHF) organized the SPS Mother’s Day Weekend Fundraiser, bringing together Hmong farmers and volunteers to sell over 400 bouquets. Over $10,000 in flower sales were made by local farmers and an additional $8,000 was… Read More
Cross-posted from Metro Matters Pride Month is a celebration of who you are, who you love, and being able to show up as your authentic self. King County Metro celebrates our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) and Two-Spirit family, friends, and colleagues. Metro celebrates their courage and commitment in advancing civil rights and equity. We celebrate with bright colors and joy, recognizing these communities have long been forcibly erased from history and pressured to hide in society. Read more.
After a brief hiatus, Balanced You and their partner Vivecorp are excited to bring back the Core Conditioning and Yoga classes! No matter if you want to tone up, get in shape, or learn techniques to relax, these classes taught by certified trainers will help you toward your goals. Classes are free to King County employees. Registration is required. Visit this site to find out more and register.
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider In honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day this Friday, June 2, Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Regional Gun Violence program is partnering with community organizations to host gun lockbox giveaway events throughout the county and promote Wear Orange Weekend. The shared goal is to promote gun safety and raise awareness of community organizations working to address gun violence in the region. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and teens in the US. Over the past three years, we have seen an uptick in the… Read More
King County government will observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday and most King County offices be closed on Monday, June 19. King County officially began observing Juneteenth (June 19) as a paid holiday in 2022 for King County employees who are eligible for comprehensive leave benefits. Due to the nature of county work, some services will continue as normal while others will operate on a reduced schedule. Metro will remain on regular weekday service. The establishment of Juneteenth as a holiday – in addition to Indigenous Peoples’ Day (second Monday in October) – reflects our… Read More
Following the success with a King County team in the annual Ragnar Northwest Passage Relay from Blaine to Langley, the team wants to gauge interest in adding a second King County team of runners this year. The race is July 14-15; a team is 12 runners in two vans, each taking on three legs. There is still time to register another team by the June 9 deadline. If you’re interested joining, email Seth Watson.
While the COVID-19 emergency order has ended, the sense of burnout has not. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Balanced You has led live trainings to teams across the county about burnout and resiliency. Now King County employees and teams can take the Burnout and Resiliency training online and on-demand through NEOGOV Learn at a time that works best for them. People managers can also take an add-on to the course to learn how to support their team in preventing burnout. Burnout and compassion fatigue are conditions that can lead to long-term… Read More
As Mental Health Month comes to a close, we wanted to recap some of the key resources we shared this month. Bookmark these pages below to return back to in times of need. How to find a mental health care provider: Whether your insurance provider is Kaiser or Regence, there are robust tools at your fingertips to connect you with a mental health care provider. Mental Health resources for children and teens: We are seeing a growing concern around children and teen mental health. Washington state has a free referral service that helps families… Read More
The Department of Local Services (DLS) Participatory Budgeting Project Team has been honored with the Innovation Award for Equity and Social Justice. 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. Read more and watch the video here.
Acknowledging that King County is a leader in advancing equitable policies and practices based on sexual orientation and gender identity, King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed June 2023 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month. “I urge everyone to honor the fight against discrimination and the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people to our County and our society,” the Executive said in his proclamation. Read the full proclamation below.
Part I explored the evolution of the King County Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT). Part II told the story of how a mental health professional became an official part of the team after years of volunteering. The final segment illustrates how they put it all together. An incredible partnership Over the last several years, there have been many improvements implemented in the partnership between TAC 30 and the Crisis Negotiation Team that have made KCSO into a leader in the crisis field. “We’re ahead of our peers in having a mental… Read More
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express The Fleet Services team is working to update technology that will allow motor pool dispatch users to reserve and access the vehicles using their mobile phone, making access to vehicles more efficient than the current system using lock boxes in our King County garages. The next phase of the project is to pilot this new technology with customers. Fleet Services is looking for frequent users in King Street Center and Goat Hill Garage to test out the new process and provide feedback. Read more.
The IT Helpdesk homepage (Cherwell) now offers a “Known Issues” section that lists non-urgent issues impacting employees. The next time you experience a tech issue, quickly scan the Known Issues list to see if the problem has already been reported. If so, you can click the “View Knowledge Article” link to learn more about any available workarounds. A handy “This Affects Me Too” button automatically generates a pre-filled Helpdesk ticket that quickly routes your ticket directly to the technicians working on the issue. This new feature is designed to streamline your ticket submissions, and… Read More
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express The county’s newest Health Through Housing property is likely to be ready to house queer, transgender, Two-spirit, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (QT2BIPOC) residents this fall. Securing the Capitol Hill property took more than a year of behind the scenes work and negotiation by the Department of Executive Services’ Facilities Management Division’s Real Estate Services (RES) section. To date, RES has found and bought 11 properties for the County’s Health Through Housing Program. Read more.
King County broke ground on a state-of-the-art station in South King County that will offer enhanced waste disposal and recycling services, contributing to the Re+ initiative that will cut greenhouse gas emissions by reinventing the region’s waste system. The new South County Recycling and Transfer Station in Algona – south of Auburn – will make it safer and easier to recycle appliances, glass, metals, plastics, wood, and paper, compost yard waste, and dispose hazardous materials. The green design includes a solar array that will provide nearly half of the energy needed to operate the… Read More
Cross-posted from Cultivating Connections In recognition of the contributions of older residents in our local communities, King County Excecutive Dow Constantine has proclaimed May 2023 as Older Americans Month. Executive Constantine encourages all residents to honor the important contributions that older adults of every race, class, and ethnic background make to the progress of our County and nation. Learn more and read the full proclamation here.
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider Con Confianza was envisioned as a community-led space where community members, community leaders and organizations could receive direct and accurate information about the COVID-19 virus. Since misinformation was directed at Latinos, Con Confianza y En Comunidad was the place to receive the latest data on the virus and resources such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and communication and technical support from the County. Read more about this effort and watch the video.
While we work to ensure that King County employees have the resources they need to take care of their mental health, it is important to note that 50% of all mental health conditions begin before age 14 and 75% before age 24. Current reports indicate that the rates of anxiety and depression among children and teens are increasing. If you find that your child needs mental health care, Washington state has a free resource to connect families with mental health providers for children and teens 17 or younger. The referral service helps families… Read More
The Chinook Wind Project and Mitigation Reserve Program, within the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Water and Land Resources Division, has been honored with the Innovation Award for Climate and Environmental Stewardship (Sustainability). This award, part of King County Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards, is one of the 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. The Team includes Megan… Read More
From the King County Superior Courts The King County Council and the King County Executive have proclaimed May Treatment Court Month. This proclamation recognizes and celebrates the success of program participants. It also affirms the important role courts play in addressing problems at the intersection of public safety and public health. For three decades, King County’s treatment courts have helped people whose legal system involvement stems from substance use disorders and/or mental health disorders to transform their lives. Read more.