Employee News
Telling the stories of King County employees
People of Arab descent have woven their rich culture and traditions into the fabric of our communities, enhancing the diversity and strength of King County, contributing significantly to our economy, culture, and community through their roles in medicine, law, business, education, technology, government, military service, and more. In recognition of these contributions and their influence on our community, King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed April as Arab American Heritage Month. Read the full proclamation below.
Cross-posted from the Sheriff’s Newsletter When he was 18 years old, Dylan Centanino-Sweers began volunteering as a Special Olympics coach. Through this opportunity, he found a passion for working with the athletes and building relationships in the community. Now, as a deputy at the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), he’s able to see two things he values come together. “Given the challenging nature of our job and sometimes inherent negativity in the police profession, I hold on to the sheer positivity that the athletes exude when they compete in their events,” said… Read More
On February 27, 2024, King County Metro welcomed the newest division to the agency, the Safety Security and Quality Assurance division (SSQA). Safety has always been a priority at Metro but that scope has increased dramatically throughout the years. To understand what community’s priorities are related to safety Metro conducted community engagement, gathered feedback on fare enforcement, centered youth voices, and more. To operationalize community feedback and uphold the values of safety and equity, the SSQA section transitioned into a division. “Creating this division is a bold move to elevate Metro’s values… Read More
Whether it is directly or indirectly, the work of all King County employees is in service to the residents of King County. So it should be no surprise that many County employees bring an attitude of service to their personal lives as well. One such example is Rafael A. Munoz-Cintron, a Paralegal in the Prosecuting Attorney’s office. A former Senior Airman in the Air Force serving during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Rafael now volunteers representing The American Legion from Washington state. “The American Legion is the only Veteran Service Organization taking a… Read More
This month, both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated their COVID-19 guidance and removed the five-day isolation requirement for people who test positive for the virus. Under the updated guidance, people who test positive for the coronavirus should stay home and away from other people until their overall symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. After returning to normal activities, they should wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask for five days when they… Read More
Check out the educational opportunities below to help you learn about—and prepare for—retirement. Please note, attendance at retirement classes is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related. The following 90-minute online classes are provided by your King County Retirement Team. To register, use the links below, then select the date you’d like to attend. Before classes start, you’ll receive a meeting invitation at the email address you register with. For additional information, visit the King County Retirement page, read the Retirement Guide, or contact Carmen Johnson, retirement navigator. Your PERS Pension:… Read More
Interviewing for a new job can be nerve racking and take up a lot of personal time. King County Metro’s new creative way of transforming the hiring process provides a much more user-friendly and efficient approach to both the candidate and the employer. Despite many hiring efforts, there have been more than 40 open mechanic positions in the Vehicle Maintenance Division of King County Metro for multiple years. Now, those open positions are all filled in large part due to the new hiring fairs hosted by Metro. On October 31 – November… Read More
In 2021, King County began to identify a trend showing the overall number of qualified job applicants significantly decreasing while the number of open vacancies were increasing. At the same time, HR professionals were transitioning to new roles or departing the County as part of an industry-wide trend largely tied to burnout. This resulted in prolonged vacancies in key recruiter positions, which in turn slowed the recruiting and hiring process. To better understand this challenge, HR Managers were surveyed in early 2022 to obtain insight and feedback on their recruitment needs and… Read More
King County is building a welcoming, inclusive workplace culture where every employee feels supported, respected, and valued. Actively seeking to learn and understand employees’ experiences and perspectives is crucial to this effort and central to our We Respect all People value. Since 2015, our primary tool for organization-wide employee feedback has been the annual Employee Engagement Survey. While this anchor survey has been useful in providing a once-a-year check-in with employees, we have learned that a 70-question annual survey is no longer an industry best practice. Furthermore, our current survey tool is… Read More
The new Refugees & Immigrants Support and Empowerment (RISE) affinity group recently hosted a Connect & Celebrate event to launch the first resource group for King County employees identifying as immigrants and refugees (I&R). This gathering marked the beginning of a series of opportunities for I&R employees to meet and network with each other, share their experiences, and find resources to support their personal and professional growth. The goal is to strengthen I&R voices in the workplace. During the Connect & Celebrate event, participants shared childhood memories of growing up in different… Read More
King County Executive Dow Constantine has declared March as Women’s History Month in King County and encourages all county residents to honor the contributions by women to their families, workplaces, and communities. In his Proclamation Executive Constantine said, “despite the innumerable contributions women have made and continue to make, too little is taught or even known about the enormous impact women have on our collective national history.” The Proclamation also acknowledges the National Women’s History Alliance’s theme “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion” and recognizes “women throughout the country who… Read More
If you still have funds remaining in last year’s Health Care or Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), be sure to get reimbursed for expenses incurred in 2023. Here’s how: Go to Navia Benefits and log in as a participant. Health Care FSAs cover a variety of medically necessary expenses for you and your eligible family members, including deductibles, coinsurance, and copays, and other Eligible Health Care Expenses. Day Care FSAs cover a range of services for your child, disabled spouse, or dependent parent that allow you to work, such as day care, preschool, day camps, before… Read More
King County Executive Dow Constantine has selected Monisha Harrell to serve as the Director of the Office of Equity, Racial and Social Justice (OERSJ). In this role, Monisha will oversee OERSJ’s crucial work of advancing and embedding all of our King County values – with a particular focus on “We are racially just” – across our operations to build a truly fair, racially just, and equitable community and workplace. She will support OERSJ in advancing equality and protections for LGBTQ+ people, ensuring access and equity for people with disabilities, and the completion… Read More
The second application period for the 2024 Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is open from March 4 to March 31, 2024. These scholarship opportunities are offered to assist eligible employees with their career development. This application period is for scholarships to pay for training courses or degree programs that begin in 2024 or have tuition and fees to pay during 2024. To apply: Visit the scholarship website and click the “Apply Here” button from March 4 through March 31. Please familiarize yourself with the eligibility and application requirements before submitting. Awardees for this period will be notified via email by… Read More
In his spare time, Dan Cromwell, Emergency Management Program Manager for the Facilities Management Division, writes children’s books. Cromwell’s work is a family affair. “My oldest daughter is my illustrator,” Cromwell said. ”My wife is my manager and helps me sell books at local events. My youngest daughter was the inspiration for the princess in my first book. So, it is definitely a family project and a labor of love.” Read more.
An award-winning approach to recruiting and training talent is providing King County with a new generation of skilled tradespeople to operate the region’s wastewater system and protect Puget Sound. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies honored the program with its National Environmental Achievement Award for “initiatives that have made a remarkable impact on environmental protection, the advancement of the water sector, and the betterment of their communities.” Read more and watch the video.
If you or a family member take the medication Humira (adalimumab) and you’re on a Regence BlueShield medical plan, please note the following coverage change. Starting April 1, 2024, Humira will no longer be covered for those on the Regence KingCare PPO and KingCare Select medical plans. CVS Caremark®, the pharmacy benefits manager for Regence BlueShield, recently mailed letters to inform impacted members that the biologic drug, Humira, will be removed from the list of covered medications and replaced with biosimilar drugs. A list of covered alternate medications specific to the member’s… Read More
King County employees can now apply for an exemption from disclosures under the Public Records Act if they or their dependents are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual abuse, stalking, or harassment. Public employees can seek an exemption from having certain records such as their birthdate, job title, workplace address, work email address, work phone number, and bargaining unit disclosed under the Public Records Act if they or their dependents are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual abuse, stalking, or harassment. The exemption from public disclosure does not apply to… Read More
King County Executive Dow Constantine today announced that Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) director Leo Flor will be departing King County service this month for a role outside of government. Kelly Rider, currently serving as the department’s chief of staff, will become interim director following Flor’s departure on Feb. 27. Flor joined King County in 2017 to lead the renewal and expansion of the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL). In 2018, Executive Constantine appointed Flor to serve as DCHS Director. DCHS is a 580-person department that invests in services for older adults, behavioral health treatment,… Read More
Updated Feb. 8, 2024 For assistance with minor tech issues, Executive Branch employees may visit the new IT Helpdesk Walk-Up Window at King Street Center. Unlike other Helpdesk locations, you can visit the IT Window without an appointment every Mon. – Thur. from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (except for holidays). KCIT’s expert staff can help with quick fixes such as password resets, audio issues, or battery problems. You can also replace basic equipment like a faulty headset, charging cable, keyboard, or mouse by simply exchanging it at the IT Window. King Street… Read More