As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in King County and Washington state, we are in a more dangerous time now than we were last spring. We have reached a new peak in case counts – the positivity rate is too high, and hospitalizations are up. The Governor has issued new restrictions to help bring the numbers down. The actions we take now as individuals and families will make the difference.  

We can all play our part in slowing the spread of the virus by following King County’s COVID-19 workplace safety measures. Read more. 

Giving thanks for those who continued to serve at Thanksgiving 

Last week, many King County employees were able to take time to celebrate the Thanksgiving Day holiday, but many employees continued to serve our community throughout the holiday. 

At this time, as we battle the spread of COVID-19 and care for people impacted by the virus, we want to thank the many employees who continued to serve our community during Thanksgiving. 

We send a special thank you to the many employees – bus operators, medics and other health care professionals, Isolation and Quarantine Facility staff, corrections officers, sheriff’s deputies, and many others – who served our community over the Thanksgiving holiday. Thank you! 

King County never stops serving and we are grateful for your service and care at this challenging time. 

King County Information Technology Director Tanya Hannah recognized by national CIO agency 

Seattle CIO, part of a national leadership network that recognizes chief information officers (CIO), recognized Tanya Hannah, King County CIO, with its 2020 Public Sector ORBIE Award. This award recognizes CIOs who have shown excellence in technology leadership, and honors Tanya for her work in government and with education organizations. 

The CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards is the premier technology executive recognition program in the United States. Since inception in 1998, over 1,200 CIOs have been honored as finalists and over 300 CIO of the Year winners have received the prestigious ORBIE Award. Read more.  

New statewide COVID-19 exposure notification tool  

The State of Washington has launched a new app that alerts residents if they have potentially been exposed to COVID-19. WA Notify is a simple, anonymous exposure notification tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. By adding WA Notify to their smartphones, Washington residents will be alerted if they spent time near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19.   

WA Notify uses privacy-preserving technology jointly developed by Google and Apple and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data. WA Notify is free and can be enabled in iPhone settings or downloaded as an app from the Google Play Store for Android phones. Users can opt out at any time.   

Read more in the official press release. 

Metro urges protective measures, shares reported numbers 

Crossposted from Metro Matters 

On Nov. 15, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a four-week statewide set of restrictions in response to the increased rate of the COVID-19 infections in Washington and across the country. King County also has seen an increase in cases, with south King County disproportionately impacted. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic and especially during this time, the safety of Metro’s employees, customers, and community members remains our highest priority. Read more. 

As we move through the difficulty and stress of a socially isolating pandemic, Balanced You is launching the Hope and Joy Campaign. Throughout the winter, we will find ways to connect with one another through moments of hope and joy. 

The Hope and Joy Campaign does not exist to quiet other emotions you may be experiencing during this time, but rather balance them with joyful emotions and connection with each other so we can build our strength to weather these challenges. 

Please join Balanced You in making hope and joy contagious this winter. We can’t do this without you. Click here for more information from Balanced You. 

Some employees have received agency-paid parking at the Goat Hill and King Street Center garages during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers this an employer-paid benefit, and employees can be liable for income taxes on any amount over $270 per month, the threshold amount for 2020. For example, if the agency-paid parking for the month totaled $340, an employee receiving the benefit could be taxed on the excess, which in this example is $70. This "Imputed Taxable Income" is shown on your paystub as "ImpTxIncm" under Employee Taxable Value. 

If you have questions about this issue, please contact KC.Benefits@kingcounty.gov for information. 

Make an appointment online here at a donor center or pop-up donor center location, and select an available time period listed. Read more.  

Hi! My name is Indy and I am available for adoption. I was brought in as a transfer from another shelter on November 12, 2020. I'm a wiggly and active guy with a ton of energy. I love running zoomies! My personality color is RED. I am a spirited dog with a fun-loving personality! I am still working on my manners, so I would do best with a family who is willing to work with me and help me become the best dog I can be! 

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.