King County receives award for employee engagement program

King County recently received an ACE Award from Confirmit for improvements made in employee engagement as a result of its annual surveys and an employee-led action plan process to address issues identified in the survey.

King County was further distinguished by being named the Judge’s Choice in the Employee Experience category and was the only public sector winner in any category. Confirmit’s 5,000 clients from around the world were eligible to apply.

“This accomplishment was achieved by the collective efforts of employees and managers at all levels of our organization over the past five years, working together as one team to drive change and improvement,” Whitney Abrams, Chief People Officer, said. “I have been inspired by the willingness of teams to use the engagement data to have direct, compassionate conversations on how to collectively address the survey findings.” Read more. 

Tips and resources for employees living alone during the pandemic

Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic presents unique challenges for people who live alone. While those living alone do not have to navigate boundaries with housemates, they may be faced with more difficulty finding social connection.

Social connection is an integral part of mental and emotional well-being, and social isolation can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression. To support employees living alone, Balanced You has developed the following list of tips and resources for you to consider during these uncertain times. Visit Balanced You’s blog for more information.

Bridging the Gap Between Community and Systems

Crossposted from the Zero Youth Detention blog

Willard Jimerson, Jr. grew up in Seattle’s historically African American Central District neighborhood. Raised by a loving grandmother and grandfather, young Will could never have predicted that just six weeks after his 13^th birthday he’d become a ward of the state and spend the rest of his childhood in America’s adult prison system.

One fatal and catastrophic moment on a late night in 1994 changed everything. The kid who once fancied himself a charming and mischievous prankster, who loved playing arcade games and pick-up football, was gone.

Will grew up in a time when many Black families and children were reeling from the impacts of redlining, concentrated poverty, strict drug laws, and unfair sentencing practices that overwhelmed inner-city communities. Meanwhile, academic and political leaders alike pushed racist rhetoric that painted children as domestic terrorists and unjustly justified America going to war against it’s self-imposed “Underclass” and their inhumane “Superpredator” offspring. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act passed in 1994, legalizing the inequitable and inhumane treatment of Black and Brown people in the judicial system. Read more.

Emergency Deployment Program needs your administrative and project management skills! 

Do you have administrative, data entry, project management support or translation skills and want to assist with King County’s response to the coronavirus? If so, we need you!

As King County continues to respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, there is an urgent need to fill administrative-related roles within the County. In support of the County’s mandatory telecommuting order, most roles can be done remotely. As we strive to keep our workforce, workplace, and community safe, we have opportunities available to employees for temporary work redeployment to assist with COVID-19 related concerns and resources to the community.

Employees will be provided training and support to help them succeed in these temporary redeployments. Read more.

Automated, online Employment and Income Verification services available to all employees

We want to remind you that all King County employees can use InVerify, an Income and Employment Verification service, to access verification of County employment.

In order to better serve you, King County has partnered with InVerify to meet all of your verification of employment needs. By automating this process, we are ensuring speedy, secure, auditable, and legally compliant responses to assist you in obtaining: 

• Loans, home mortgages, new jobs, rental qualifications, and 
• Social Service benefits such as temporary assistance, housing assistance, child support, or nutrition assistance. 

It’s one more way we’re Investing in YOU by providing workplace processes and systems that support you. For more information, or to access employment verification self-service, visit our Verification of Employment website and follow the instructions. 

Free online mindfulness workshop on Wednesday, August 12

Balanced You is continuing to offer free online mindfulness workshops for King County employees through the end of August. 

Mindfulness is a practice that uses breath work, visualization, and other skills to support you in reducing stress at work and at home. During these live, interactive two-hour long Introduction to Mindfulness workshop, participants will review how mindfulness can help reduce stress, what reactivity and burnout are, and the science that supports mindfulness. Participants will also learn several simple and effective mindfulness practices that they can integrate into their lives right away. Sign up for this Wednesday's class here. See the schedule of remaining mindfulness classes at Balanced You’s blog.

Sign up for a webinar here. Webinars run from July 13-Sept. 9. Note: The sign-up link will not open in Internet Explorer. If you are using Internet Explorer, copy and paste the link into a different browser.

Pet of the Week: Jeremiah

Hi! My name is Jeremiah and I am available for adoption. I was adopted from RASKC in 2018 but my owner could no longer keep me so I was returned to the shelter on June 9, 2020. I am a shy kitty who likes to do my own thing and I find the best hiding spots! I am starting to warm up to people but still need some time and patience. I love to be pet on my big cheeks! I would do best in a calm, quiet home.

Read more and view all available pets at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Have you or someone you know adopted a pet from RASKC? Let us know. We’d love to tell your story.