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Nominations are now open for the Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards
The Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards recognize individual employees and workgroups whose innovations and improvements are delivering excellence for our customers, our organization, and our region. This year, the awards will honor Executive branch employees and teams for their exceptional contributions in leadership, innovation, and Lean maturity in the past 12 months. There are three award categories: Innovation Awards: People, Cost, Service, Equity and Social Justice, Climate and Environmental Stewardship Leadership Excellence Awards: People Leader, Individual Contributor, Fred Jarrett Award Road to Excellence Awards: Divisions that achieve Stabilization Level or higher on all categories of the Lean Maturity… Read More
Reminder: Leave donation programs revised
King County recently replaced the employee donated leave programs with two similar programs that better comply with IRS tax requirements: The Employee-to-Employee Medical Leave Donation Program allows you to donate your accrued leave directly to another employee. The Emergency Medical Leave Fund makes permanent the emergency leave fund started during the pandemic and allows you to donate accrued leave and request donations from a central fund. Donating leave Employee-to-Employee Medical Donated Leave Program: You can donate leave to another comprehensive leave-eligible employee as follows: Any amount of your accrued vacation time and… Read More
Bus fleet update: Manufacturer replacement parts allow repairs to continue
Crossposted from Metro Matters With guidance and replacement parts supplied by bus manufacturer New Flyer, King County Metro has repaired and restored dozens of buses that were sidelined in December when a steering issue was identified. We appreciate the patience and support of riders as we focus on addressing this safety issue. Read more.
Leesa Manion sworn in as King County prosecuting attorney
Crossposted from The Seattle Times Prosecuting violent crimes and sexual assaults, providing culturally responsive victim services, and intervening in the lives of young people, especially those most at risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of gun violence, are among the priorities incoming King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion touched on before taking her oath of office Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. She called her swearing-in ceremony before a packed courtroom in the King County Courthouse “a celebration,” saying that being the first woman and the first person of color to hold the office was… Read More
King County partnering with community-based organizations to create a 40,000-square-foot food hub, better connecting local farmers to hunger relief organizations
King County is partnering with Food Lifeline to convert their 40,000-square-foot warehouse into the new South Seattle Community Food hub, providing much-needed shared space for storing, packing, and distributing fresh produce and goods to people and families experiencing hunger. Read more in the official press release.
Employee Assistance Program
There are many mental health resources at your fingertips as a King County employee, including the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP is a confidential counseling service for work-related issues. EAP can help with: Workplace stress Counseling and coaching for work-related issues Conflict with coworkers Supervisor Support Call 206-263-8733 to make an appointment. For more information email HRDEAP@kingcounty.gov.
Look up immunization rates at your neighborhood school and in King County
Crossposted from Public Health Insider What percentage of children in your child’s school are vaccinated against measles? How does your school district compare to others in King County? How have student immunization rates changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic? Find this and more on Public Health’s School Immunizations Data Dashboard, recently updated to include data for the 2021-22 school year. Using interactive data visualizations, you can view local school, school district, county, and state immunization completion and exemption data. Read more.
Take our survey on proposed bus routes around future Lynnwood light rail stations
Crossposted from Metro Matters As Link light rail extends north, our Lynnwood Link Connections mobility project is working to improve public transportation for communities in northwest King County and southwest Snohomish County. This planning is a collaborative process that includes feedback from community, Sound Transit, Community Transit, and other partners, to develop proposed bus routes to meet residents’ priority transportation needs as new light rail stations open in 2024. We invite you to learn more and take our survey on these proposed bus routes by March 10. Read more.
Safety tip: Responding to a theft or attempted theft
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 respond to a theft or attempted theft, and to call 9-1-1 in an emergency. To report a non-emergency incident, contact FMD Security at 206-296-5000, email FMD.Security@kingcounty.gov, or file an incident report at www.kingcounty.gov/IncidentReport. Check out the video and watch for additional videos with safety tips this year. For more information on employee safety… Read More
Former Metro GM Terry White and the ‘only job I ever wanted’
Crossposted from Metro Matters In 1973, a 10-year-old in South Seattle started riding the bus alone at the encouragement of his mother. She told her son to sit at the front of the bus, and if he had any questions, to ask the driver. The young man did as his mother said, and it created a love of transit that inspired his future. That 10-year-old, Terry White, would spend his entire career with King County Metro, retiring as Metro’s General Manager. As Metro begins to celebrate its 50th Anniversary, White spoke to KNKX Radio about… Read More
2023 annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration, Jan. 12
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, Jan. 12. The theme for the celebration is “Truth, Light, and Hope,” along with the guiding quote “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The keynote address will be given by Port of Seattle Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed. The celebration will Thursday,… Read More
Professional Development Scholarship application period now open
The first application period for the Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is now open. This first period will remain open Jan. 9 – Feb. 5, 2023, to pay for training that will begin anytime between Jan. 1 – June 30, 2023. To apply: Please familiarize yourself with the eligibility and application requirements by visiting the scholarship website. Click here to apply. Awardees for this first period will be notified via email between March 20 – 24, 2023. The second application period will open May 8 – June 4, 2023, and will… Read More
Compassion fatigue and burnout
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.
Seven mental health benefits of volunteering
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.
Having a primary care provider is good for your health
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.
Thanking Metro Transit Police Chief Jose Marenco
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.
New year, new opportunities for sustainabilty
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.
Security tips – Lock your screen
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
Eligible PERS 2 members can switch to PERS 3 in January
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
Navigating a Mindful Workday
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.
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