Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
These conditions can lead to long-term mental and physical health complications. Fortunately, steps can be taken to recover from compassion fatigue and burnout, and to develop resiliency to carry us through. Read more.
One way to feel more fulfilled in your life is to give your time to causes you care about. Volunteering can improve your mental health in many ways. To learn how you can use up to three sick days per year to volunteer, click here.
Research shows that people with a primary care provider (PCP) enjoy better health outcomes. Learn more about why a PCP is good for your health and how to find one for you and your benefits-covered family members.
Cross-posted from Metro Matters Metro Transit Police Chief Jose Marenco has provided exemplary service to the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) for 24 years and to the Snoqualmie Police Department for two years prior to that. Since October 2020, Jose has been King County Metro’s friend and partner as Chief of Metro Transit Police. Metro is tremendously grateful for his outstanding work on behalf of Metro’s employees, riders, and community members. In recognition, KCSO recently promoted Jose to Chief of the Patrol Operations Division. Read more.
Cross-posted from Keeping King County Green A fresh start to the new year signals the beginning of something new to try to better ourselves. Why not make 2023 the year of showing up for the planet and committing to an eco-friendly action? For tips on setting attainable eco-friendly goals for 2023, read more.
Locking your screen when you get up from your desk is a security action that is often overlooked and can have dangerous consequences. Failing to lock your screen can open you up to several vulnerabilities–some more serious than others. Although many organizations have a policy which automatically locks your screen with a screen saver after a certain amount of inactivity, not all screen savers are password-protected, leaving your workstation defenseless. Here are a few actions the bad guys can do when you leave your workstation unlocked and unattended: Files can be downloaded… Read More
Each January, certain members of Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 have the opportunity to make a permanent transfer to PERS Plan 3. You are eligible to transfer to Plan 3 if you are an active PERS Plan 2 member who began service before Sept. 1, 2002, and you will earn service credit in January. Use the resources on the DRS website to help you decide if transferring to Plan 3 is right for you. To transfer from Plan 2 to Plan 3, complete a Member Transfer form and return it by mail or email by… Read More
Let this toolkit from Mindfulness Northwest guide you through your workday, reducing stress, increasing focus, and managing transitions. Balanced You partners with Mindfulness Northwest to offer free mindfulness classes and workshops to King County employees.
Reaching your financial goals is possible with a little help. Learn how you can get a free money coach for 90 days through MySecureAdvantage (MSA). My Secure Advantage (MSA) is a financial wellness program that provides King County employees with tools and coaching to help reach their financial goals.
King County Metro is conducting a study and wants your feedback on trip planning tools like maps, schedules, and alerts. See if you qualify for the study by taking a short survey. If you complete this survey, you can enter for a chance to win one of ten $100 gift cards. If you are selected to participate in the study, you will receive up to $150.
Cross-posted from Public Health Insider Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) has published an After-Action Report, summarizing key information from the first two years (January 2020 – January 2022) of PHSKC’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The After-Action Report was created to better understand the efforts undertaken by Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic, record the contributions and roles of those who responded, and identify ways to strengthen future responses to public health emergencies. The document captures strengths, lessons learned, and recommendations raised by stakeholders and partners. A summary of the report is available… Read More
Our top stories and videos for 2022 Throughout 2022, the Department of Human Resources (DHR) county-wide Employee Newsletter provided a wealth of information about employee benefits and accomplishments, learning and advancement opportunities, public health and community services, and other important news. Our Employee Communications Team also shared these stories on the KC Employee News blog, the King County Employees YouTube channel, the KCEmployees Twitter account, and the King County, WA LinkedIn account. We want to take a moment to say we appreciate you, King County employees, for reading and viewing all this news and sharing it… Read More
King County’s Administrative Professional Partners is proud to present Culinary Administration: Recipes for Administr-eating, a collection of recipes submitted by Administrative Professionals throughout King County. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this effort. To download the cookbook, click here – and enjoy!
Cross-posted from Metro Matters Once again, Metro Transit police and others in King County law enforcement stepped up during the holidays in a diaper drive to aid local families in need. The donations they collected filled several vehicles. The drive partnered with the Salvation Army to reach families in need. Other deputies and personnel around the county likewise participated in the diaper drive. Read more.
Cross-posted from Keeping King County Green King County employees and partners achieved environmental successes throughout King County in 2022, in cities, unincorporated communities, and natural areas from the foothills of the Cascades to the shorelines of Puget Sound. It’s the year we clearly demonstrated what we can achieve when we fully apply the principles of Clean Water Healthy Habitat, unifying our work across divisions and initiatives to achieve better results faster for people, fish, and wildlife. Read more.
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express A paper on the King County Trusted Partner Network will be published in the international Journal of Business Continuity and Emergency Planning. Upon submission, which was by request of the publication, the article received rave reviews. The paper, by Sheri Badger, Public Information Officer (pictured left), and Susanna Trimarco, Public Outreach Specialist, explains how the Trusted Partner Network distributes messages through the Alert King County system to various language and ethnic communities. Read more.
Cross-posted from Executive Services Express Equity Express, a new periodic feature showcasing equity work in Records and Licensing Services (RALS), hosted by D’Alice Craig, RALS Equity and Social Justice Change Team member. This first segment highlights the Pet Food Bank at Regional Animal Services. Watch the video here.
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. This video gives tips on how to be aware about your surroundings and having an action plan in case you run into potentially troubling situations. Check out the video and watch for additional videos with safety tips this year. For more information on employee safety programs and resources, see the Future of Work Personal Safety at Work intranet page (employees… Read More
From connecting people with affordable housing to building a new plan to address the behavioral health crisis to providing free transit for young people to putting battery-electric buses on the road, we’ve made big progress this year. Read all about the Top 22 accomplishments of 2022 from Executive Constantine here.
A high wind warning is in effect today, Tuesday, Dec. 27, from approximately 1 p.m. until 1 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, with a risk of power outages in King County. Here are helpful emergency preparedness resources: 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. If you work on site, please be prepared for winter weather. Have a plan… Read More