Employee News - January 22, 2020

King County Employees sent this bulletin at 01/22/2020 11:35 AM PST

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

Highlights

MLK Jr.: ‘The time is always ripe to do right’

Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Seattle once, from Nov. 8 to Nov. 11, 1961. King was 32 at the time and had yet to deliver his iconic address during the March on Washington or write his powerful Letter from Birmingham Jail. Accounts from his time in King County, King’s “The American Dream” speech at Garfield High School includes lines that he would use two years later in his “I Have a Dream” speech.

King also delivered some of his most powerful calls to action to Seattle audiences. The Seattle Times reported King saying, “There is a strange illusion that time will solve problems… The time is always ripe to do right.” Read more.

Watch the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

King County employees turned out in force to honor our nation’s foremost human rights leader and our County’s namesake, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

The event was held Thursday, Jan. 16, from noon to 1 p.m. at Town Hall Seattle. The keynote speaker was john a. powell, Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at the University of California at Berkeley. Former King County Councilmember Larry Gossett was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

You can watch a video of the entire celebration by clicking the image below. You can also watch powell's address here.

Employee Spotlights

Everyday customer service makes a difference

Crossposted from DES Express

Within just minutes at the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, Security Officer Kim Brown helped a handful of customers. He escorted a woman and her young child from outside a closed courtroom to the proper room for their appointment. While giving a tour, he overheard a couple who sounded lost and offered his services. He quickly answered another question from someone who stopped at the Information Desk. He gives cookies to crying kids and helps start employees’ dead car batteries. Read more.

Customer Care Team poised to improve customer service

Crossposted from DES Express

Walt Lowry was hired last fall to lead the Facilities Management Division’s Customer Care Team and improve its processes. Now fully staffed, the team juggles dozens of work orders daily, while developing process improvement strategies.

“There’s never a dull moment in Facilities,” Lowry cracks. “All of our buildings are old. They’re handing out work orders like they’re playing cards. We deal with moves, clogged toilets, dead batteries, flags, leaks, broken windows, elevator issues and inspections, and anything else staff can think about for building needs. Read more.

Announcements

Telehealth options now available for Regence and Kaiser members

Crossposted from Balanced You

Balanced You knows getting to the doctor’s office isn’t always easy. That’s why King County employees and family members enrolled in Regence and Kaiser medical plans now have access to a convenient option for health care: telehealth visits that allow you to access board-certified, trained medical providers using your smartphone, tablet, or personal computer, without the hassle of an appointment or waiting room. Read more.

Free Tax Savings Webinar for King County employees

My Secure Advantage offers free money coaching and education, including tax advice, to King County employees. To hear more on how to save on taxes, join MSA’s webinar “Making Tax Returns Less Taxing” on Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. and noon. You can register for the webinar by opening an MSA account.

As an added bonus, those who open a new account and take the financial wellness survey before Feb. 14, 2020, will be entered by MSA into a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card. Visit the Balanced You blog for more information.

Online mindfulness classes available for employees

Balanced You’s January to March 2020 Mindfulness Calendar is now open for registration and classes are filling up quickly. The online class “Getting Started with Mindfulness and Compassion” has two series starting soon with registration space available.

The first series will be held on Monday evenings from Jan. 27 to Feb. 10, and the second series will be held on Wednesday evenings from Jan. 29 to Feb. 12. Visit the Balanced You blog for more information.

Leadership Series+ A Training accepting applications, deadlines to apply Jan. 24 and Feb. 12

The Office of Equity and Social Justice in partnership with Our BODHI Project presents the Leadership Series+ A Training on Belonging, Racial Equity, Co-liberation, and Health. This series is for King County employees leading efforts towards greater racial equity and social justice, and is rooted in Our BODHI Project’s Embodying Belonging and Co-liberation Frame. Participants will engage with expanding their racial equity and social justice analysis, deepening their purpose, and centering collective well being.

Employees must be able to attend both dates in ONE of the cohorts. Both cohorts also require attendance at the 3 follow up sessions.

Cohort 1: Feb. 18 and 19, deadline to apply is Jan. 24
Cohort 2: March 10 and 11, deadline to apply is Feb. 12
Follow Up Sessions: April 27, May 28, and June 9

View the application and learn more here. For questions or more information contact Tynishia Walker at 206-263-0534 or TWalker@kingcounty.gov.

Another benefit to adopting RASKC’s Pet of the Week

Crossposted from Tales from RASKC

A sweet, six-year-old orange tabby, Rudolph was the first “Pet of the Week” for 2020. But now, the lucky family who adopts Rudolph won’t need to pay the adoption fee. Starting this month, Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) is waiving the adoption fee for the Pet of the Week. Fees range from $75 for cats age six months and older to $250 for puppies and dogs. Read more.

Security update: Downtown area around the King County Courthouse

King County, working closely with other local jurisdictions including the Seattle Police Department, has taken steps to improve security in the downtown area around the King County Courthouse. Some recent steps:

King County Security, King County Sheriff’s Office and Seattle Police Department have increased their presence in the courthouse vicinity.
Metro Transit moved the southbound bus stop in front of The Morrison, across from the courthouse, one block north.

The City of Seattle added festival lighting in the trees in Jefferson Alley, south of the courthouse and in City Hall Park.
The City’s Navigation Team continues to focus on removing encampments obstructing right of ways.

For more information visit the Safety at Work webpage.

King County running team and the Ragnar Relay, info session Jan. 28

Interested in being with a community of peers and a chance for personal growth? Join the King County running team for the Ragnar Relay this July. To find out more information about Ragnar and how to get involved, attend an information session Jan. 28 from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Chinook Building, Room 118.

The Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage race takes place July 10-11. For questions, contact Seth Watson or visit the Ragnar Relay website.

Discount available for The Summit at Snoqualmie

Employees are now able to take advantage of discounted lift tickets and beginner lessons for The Summit at Snoqualmie. To access the discount, follow these online instructions. For more information about tickets and vouchers, view this flyer or email
summitstore@summiti90.com.

View all available discounts at www.kingcounty.gov/employeediscounts.

Pet of the Week: Pepper

Hi! My name is Pepper and I am available for adoption. I was brought in by a good Samaritan on Dec. 21, 2018. I am an independent kitty who likes to do my own thing! My caregivers have noticed that I seem to do well with other cats. When meeting cats in a new home, I would do best with a slow introduction. Read more and view all available pets at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet.