Employee News - October 16, 2019

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Highlights

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PeopleSoft team receives innovator award 

Thumbs up to the PeopleSoft team for recognition as an innovator at the recent Oracle OpenWorld conference. They created a disaster recovery option on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, selective adoption (PUM) and improved the user experience with fluid pages. Read more.


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Revamped dock at Pier 50 offers new accessibility features 

It took two years for a full rebuild, but as of August 2019, the new passenger-only ferry dock at Pier 50 has reopened, to include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements for those with mobility issues. Travelers taking regional ferry service to West Seattle, Vashon, Bremerton and Kingston can now wait under a fully-covered dock with inside seating. A tactile path and tactile signs also guide the way forward to the boat and a new ADA assistance station. Read more.


Employee Spotlights

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Five questions with Brendan McCluskey, Director of the Office of Emergency Management 

Why did you start in your role with King County, and what is your official title? 

I am the Director of the King County Office of Emergency Management. I started with King County March 2019. I came to the County from New Jersey, where I was the State’s Director of Public Health Preparedness. Previously, I had been the Deputy State Emergency Management Director for Maryland. I also participate as a volunteer assessor and assessment team leader for the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP). Read more.


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Getting to know Mohamed Nimeri 

Mohamed Nimeri grew up loving airports. The family moved a lot for his father’s work as Sudan’s ambassador to several countries, so he had quite a bit of experience flying. Although he is from Sudan, he grew up in “a lot of countries,” including the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Read more.


Announcements

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Reminder: Oct. 17 - Test of KCInform employee alert and warning system

On October 17 at 10:17 a.m., millions of people worldwide will practice how to Drop, Cover, and Hold On during an earthquake as part of the annual ShakeOut drill.   

That same day, Thursday, Oct. 17, just prior to the drill, we will test KCInform, our 
employee alert and warning system. A text, voice, and email alert will be sent to all registered county phones and emails, and employee personal phones and emails, with a message. Read more.


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Research results show students across U.S. put high value on FLASH curriculum 

Students in different parts of the country overwhelmingly find the FLASH sexual health curriculum, produced by the Family Planning program at Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC), valuable and worth recommending to their peers. 

As part of a multi-year study being conducted in the South and Midwest, more than 90 percent of students surveyed say they will use the skills they learned in class in their real lives, and more than 90 percent would recommend FLASH to a friend. Read more.


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Fair and Just Prosecution Fellow Joseph Ludmir shares his summer experience at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office 

This summer, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office welcomed Joseph Ludmir, a rising second year law student from Los Angeles, as a resident Fellow with the national Fair and Just Prosecution Program. The program places outstanding law students in the “most inspiring elected prosecutors’ offices around the country,” an honor Seattle shares with Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Boston. Read more.

Pictured: Left to right, Zoe Fielder and Marissa Madrazo, Legal Assistant ll’s, Deputy Chief of Staff Carla Lee, Chief of Staff Leesa Manion, Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, and Fellow Joseph Ludmir.


2019 Annual Giving Drive: Spotlight on nonprofits supporting the Latinx community 

King County’s Annual Giving Drive Program started October 7, and almost 1,200 nonprofits are taking part this year. Throughout this year’s drive, we’ll be featuring four nonprofits in different categories. To honor Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month at King County, we’ve highlighted four nonprofits that support and advance the rights of our Latinx and Hispanic Community. Read more.


It’s in the mail: Look for Open Enrollment information 

Check your home mailbox for important benefits and Open Enrollment information mailed recently to the address you have listed in PeopleSoft. Open Enrollment takes place Nov. 1 – 15 and is your opportunity to: 

  • Enroll in a Flexible Spending Account—Health Care and Dependent Day Care FSAs reduce your taxable income—saving you money. You must re-enroll every year during Open Enrollment. The Health Care FSA maximum contribution for 2020 is $2,700.

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KCIRC Public Charge Information Session, Oct. 16 

The King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission (KCIRC) is holding an information session on the public charge rule. This is an opportunity for community and community leaders to hear about public charge, share information, and collecting feedback so that KCIRC can take appropriate action to assist affected communities. 

The session will take Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019 from 6 – 8 p.m. at El Centro de la Raza, Room 307, 2524 16th Ave S., Seattle, WA 98144. For more information contact Hamdi Mohamed at Hamdi.Mohamed@kingcounty.gov. 


Volunteer to be a Ballot Drop Box Closer for Nov. 5 

The General Election is coming up fast and we need your help to make the experience of voting fun and simple for our neighbors and constituents. Across our county, all ballot drop boxes close at 8 p.m. on Election Night. This election, we’re looking for over 100 volunteers to provide any assistance voters need to ensure their ballot gets cast and their vote gets counted. Read more.


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ESJ Opportunity Fund now accepting applications, deadline Nov. 22 

The Office of Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) is now accepting applications for the Equity and Social Justice Opportunity Fund. The Opportunity Fund is a competitive process that provides resources to King County employees to develop and implement projects that work to advance equity, social justice and King County’s mission to lead with racial justice in support of the ESJ Strategic PlanRead more in the overview here and download the application here. 

 Applications are due by or before November 22, 2019. For questions contact Tynishia Walker at TWalker@kingcounty.gov or at 206-263-0534. 


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Third payday of the month, Oct. 31 

Almost all King County employees get paid on a biweekly basis, every-other-Thursday, resulting in 26 pay periods per year. You usually receive two paychecks per month, but Oct. 31 will be your third payday of the month. The net dollar amount of these “third” paychecks may be larger because not all deductions are taken out. For example, Deferred Compensation, supplemental insurance premiums, Benefit Access Fees, and Employee Giving donations are not deducted from these checks. 

For more information about your paycheck, go to Payroll or speak with your department Payroll representative or timekeeper. 


Training Spotlight 

Basic First Aid/CPR/AED, renewal, multiple dates: The "Medic First Aid" program provides basic first aid, CPR, and AED (automated external defibrillator) training. The renewal option is for those who hold a current First Aid/CPR/AED card. It consists of a brief review of primary topics, followed by performance of each skill. This certification is valid for 2 years. Learn more and register here. 

View more training and development opportunities at www.kingcounty.gov/learning. 


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Pet of the Week: Leo 

Looking for a spunky, spirited boy? Look no further than Leo, our Pet of the Week! 

This border collie/Boston terrier mix is waiting for his forever home. He was brought in by his previous family because he had a tendency to run off property. (A well-fenced yard at his new home would be good.) Read more.


Featured Job: Administrative Specialist II 

Salary: $21.91 - $28.75 Hourly 

Location: Seattle, WA 

Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week 

Department: DNRP - Natural Resources & Parks 

Job Number: 2019SN10707 

Closing: 10/20/2019 11:59 PM Pacific 

Learn more about this position or view all available positions. 


KC Headlines


Contact us!

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