Employee News - December 10, 2020

King County Employees sent this bulletin at 12/10/2020 02:30 PM PST

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

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Highlights

Roads Services Division receives Public Employer of the Year Award

On Oct. 27, the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment (GCDE) held their 28th annual Governor’s Awards, which recognizes outstanding employers in the public and private sector who recruit, retain and advance individuals with disabilities and demonstrate best practices in the workplace. The Public Employer of the Year Award went to King County Roads Services Division for their dedication and support of Matt Everson, an employee in King County’s Supported Employment Program. Read more.

Announcements

Employees may not relocate out of Washington while working remotely

Many King County employees are telecommuting through July 5, 2021, as we continue our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. Telecommuting employees may not relocate out of Washington state. Employees may work at a location outside of the home, provided the location is within a reasonable distance to the employee’s primary county worksite. Our policy continues to be that employees need to obtain prior approval if they want to temporarily work outside of their normal work/home area. Unless travel has been preapproved, employees are expected to remain close enough to physically report to work, if necessary.

Working outside of Washington involves many challenges, including different states’ taxation and employment laws. Moreover, it is important that – as a public employer – we continue to support and contribute to the vibrancy of communities within King County and across the state. You can find more details about the County’s policy in the Temporary COVID-19 Personnel Policy.

If you have additional questions, please contact your department’s HR Manager.

Have you delayed routine dental care?

If you haven’t had a preventive dental check-up this year because of concerns about the coronavirus or difficulty scheduling an appointment, don’t worry—your dental plan incentive level will not be impacted.

Under the Delta Dental plan design, diagnostic and preventive care—such as exams, cleanings, and x-rays—are 100% covered for those in the Regular or Transit ATU 587 employee benefit groups.

An incentive program applies to crowns and restorative services, including fillings, endodontics, periodontics, and oral surgery. For those in the Deputy Sheriff employee benefit group, the incentive program also applies to diagnostic and preventive care. Read more.

Three easy steps to file your 2020 records

Sure a lot has changed in 2020, but all King County employees are still required to file public records in Content Manager (even if you’re working from home). Complete these easy steps and cross electronic records management off your “to do” list:

Delete transitory records from your inbox, SharePoint, or drives.
File records with 2020 year-end cutoff dates into Content Manager. Your records will count toward your agency’s year-end filing stats. Don’t know the retention period for your records? See the King County Retention Schedules.
Set up your folders for records with a 2021 year-end cutoff date in Outlook, SharePoint, and Content Manager.

“Records management is an employee responsibility all year long, but year end is a great time to clean up and start fresh in the new year,” Lisa Mankin, Records Management Analyst, said. Read more.

Ensuring a Disability Perspective in State Policy, online webinar

The webinar on "Ensuring a Disability Perspective in State Policy," hosted by the Council of State Governments (CSG) and the State Exchange on Employment and Disability, is available for viewing. The webinar, which was held as part of the CSG 2020 National Conference, features discussions on how states can include individuals with disabilities in broader policymaking, including a disability perspective in commissions on transportation, the future of work, and other state initiatives. It was the final episode in an ADA30 series produced by CSG that explored the origin and legacy of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Road to Retirement session offered December 15

Are you planning to retire in the next six months? If so, join your Retirement Team for this informative 90-minute online class on Tuesday, Dec. 15, from 1-2:30 p.m.

We’ll discuss procedures and forms, medical coverage options, and pension plans—so you’ll be on a smooth road toward a happy retirement.

Please register for Road to Retirement at Eventbrite. Sessions for 2021 are also listed, so chose a class that works best for your schedule. After you register, you will receive an email with a Zoom link for the class you selected.

To learn more before the class, go the Retirement page and read the Retirement Guide. For more information, contact KC Orientations or Carmen Johnson, retirement navigator. Please note, attendance is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related.

Hope and Joy Campaign: December 16 Coffee Connection

As part of the Hope and Joy Campaign, the Balanced You team is hosting a series of virtual zoom sessions, called “Coffee Connections”, to provide spaces for employees to connect over fun topics and events. The second Coffee Connection’s theme is “Quarantine Holiday Celebrations” It will be held on December 16, from 10-10:30 a.m. Join us then to share the unique way you and your family will celebrate the holidays this year.

Click here to join the Quarantine Holiday Celebrations via Zoom, using passcode 524145.

You can check out other upcoming Coffee Connections on the Balanced You Blog here.

Strategic Interviewing Tips and Techniques, December 17

This two-hour virtual workshop will provide you with strategies and tips to help you to do your best during the interview. Learning objectives include:

How to prepare for a virtual job interview
The interview structure and types of questions you will be asked
The STAR-LA method and how to use it to provide organized and complete responses

General tips and strategies

This workshop will take place Thursday, Dec. 17 from 1-3 p.m. Register here.

For additional online workshops offered by King County Career Support Services (CSS), visit their Eventbrite page. For more information about CSS visit www.kingcounty.gov/CSS.

Training Spotlight for December 10

Winter classes through Seattle College campuses are now available. See the new lineup here at the King County Eventbrite page.

Please visit our King County Eventbrite website and our Learning and Development website for more opportunities. For more information, contact the Learning and Development Team at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov or visit Learning and Development at www.kingcounty.gov/learning.

Pet of the Week: Maya

Hi! My name is Maya and I am available for adoption. I am about 103 pounds! I was nominated as the Pet of the Week on December 8, 2020. This means that my adoption fee has been waived. I was brought in by my previous owner on November 12, 2020 because the owner had medical issues and can no longer care for me. My previous owner described me as super friendly and loving, but very strong and active! Staff here noticed that I may not do well with cats, or other dogs. I would do best as the only pet in an adult only home! 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.