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Executive Constantine shares his experience participating in the annual point-in-time homeless count
Executive Dow Constantine shares his experience participating in the annual point-in-time count of people who are experiencing homelessness in King County. It included responding to a young person who was struggling and asked for help.
King County Wastewater Treatment highlighted for diversity through Operator in Training Program
Check out this article about how King County Wastewater Treatment is working to recruit employees that represent our diverse and growing communities through the Operator in Training Program, featured on the WEF Highlights website, the news site for the Water Environment Federation. Read the full article here.
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2018 King County Sheriff’s Awards honors employees
Get to meet some of the amazing heroes who work hard to keep our region safe everyday in this video of the recently held 2018 King County Sheriff’s Awards. View the video here or below.
Remembering Bernice Stern for Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month, and as we celebrate, we want to introduce you to Bernice Stern, who in 1969 became the first woman elected to the King County Council. Online encyclopedia History Link has a great piece about Bernice’s life and legacy. Read it here. Photo courtesy of King County Archives.
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Employee Survey launches March 11
The King County Employee Engagement Survey kicks off March 11 and is a great opportunity to check-in with employees to learn what is going well and where we need to improve.
Employees who participated in the survey over the last three years have helped us make King County a better place to work, and a more effective service provider for our residents. This year we’re making some enhancements to make the survey work better for everyone:
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The survey is shorter.
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Analysis will be done in house.
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There will be more ways to take it electronically.
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Annual administration of the survey is switching from fall to spring.
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We will be able to look at how engagement relates to organizational performance.
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Accepting applications: Art of Facilitation Training spring and fall cohorts
The Art of Facilitation is a six-session training, hosted by the Office of Equity and Social Justice, for King County employees that is rooted in experiential learning. The training is designed to increase effectiveness in working in cross-racial teams, combining skills in group facilitation, communication, and presentation with self-development and resilience building. The learned skills are transferable across all areas of work at King County.
Applications are now being accepted for the spring and fall cohorts: May through June and September through November. This training opportunity is limited to 30 people per cohort.
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Bus route changes coming March 23 to downtown Seattle
Starting Saturday, March 23, seven bus routes will shift from the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel to surface streets and buses on a total of 15 routes will change bus stop locations on Seattle streets to accommodate the Washington State Convention Center construction and future Link light rail expansion.
To keep buses and riders moving, the City of Seattle is establishing a new transit pathway on Fifth and Sixth Avenues and Metro will establish all-door boarding in the Third Avenue corridor and at stops along Westlake Avenue North.
Metro will also add trips, launch all-door boarding on Third Avenue, and permanently close the Metro Customer Service Office in the Westlake Tunnel on March 6.
See which routes will be impacted and learn more here.
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Use your 2018 FSA funds
If you still have funds set aside in last year’s Health Care or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), be sure to get reimbursed for expenses incurred in 2018.
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Check your FSA balances: Go to Navia Benefits and log in as a participant.
- Learn about eligible expenses incurred Jan. 1—Dec. 31, 2018: 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. Dependent 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 and after school care, elder care, and other Eligible Dependent Care Expenses.
Read more.
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Rev Up For Retirement seminar, March 13
Are you too young to think about retirement? Think again! This retirement overview is for anyone who thinks they may retire in the next few years. With increasing concern over the future of Social Security and the stability of retirement plans, it’s a good idea to stay informed and prepare in advance.
Join us for a three-hour seminar, where you’ll learn more about pensions, Medicare, Social Security, the current retirement climate, and projections for the future. Plus, we’ll share resources available to you through King County.
The seminar takes place Wednesday, March 13, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, which has plenty of free parking.
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Save the date for Administrative Professionals Recognition Event
King County Career Support Services and the Administrative Professionals Advisory Committee are excited to announce the Fourth Annual Administrative Professionals Recognition Event. This event recognizes administrative professionals who embody the attributes of excellence and innovation. It will be held at the King County Courthouse on Wednesday, April 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Event registration will open on Wednesday, March 27.
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Training Spotlight
Conflict Awareness in the Workplace, April 18: We all encounter difficult people. Whether you are a supervisor, a customer service professional, or have a challenging co-worker, it's important to know how to rise above your initial emotional reaction and turn negative situations into positive outcomes. Topics include understanding why we label people as difficult, types of difficult people, tools and techniques for resolving issues, coping strategies for dealing with the effects of difficult people, and conflict management strategies. Register and learn more.
Introduction to Organizational Development, May 8:Have you ever struggled to create measures for your program? Do you ever find yourself getting lost in the sea of measurement jargon? Do you ever wonder why we even measure organizational performance? If you find yourself answering "yes" to any of these questions and have a desire to improve your skills and knowledge of organizational performance measurement, this course is for you. This introductory course is for participants who want to gain a practical understanding of organizational performance measurement. Register and learn more.
View more training and development opportunities at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.
Pet of the Week: Dexter
Who’s a handsome boy? Why, it’s Dexter, our Pet of the Week!
This young pittie is full of energy and loves to play! That’s why he’s one of our “Rambunctious Red” pets. He tends to calm down more when people around him stay calm. Dexter also does best when he gets lots of exercise and something to keep his mind busy. Read more.
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Featured Job: Medical Assistant - Eastgate Public Health
Salary: $22.40 - $28.40 Hourly
Job Type: Term Limited Temporary, Full Time, 40 hrs/wk
Department: DPH - Public Health
As the only county in the United States named after Martin Luther King Jr, one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nations' history, King County is a vibrant community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. We continue to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of equity and social justice, employee engagement, innovative thinking and continuous improvement. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda aimed at advancing regional change and is developing the systems and standards necessary to achieve better outcomes for all of our residents, regardless of their race or income. All of these qualities make this King County one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.
KC Headlines
Interested in sharing a news story, or have a news tip? Click here to submit an item to Employee News. For questions or suggestions, please contact KCEmployees@kingcounty.gov.
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