Employee News - Jan. 21, 2021

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

King County Employee News

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Highlights

Exec

Executive Constantine outlines top priorities for 2021

King County Executive Dow Constantine has shared the top priorities he is focused on in 2021 and beyond.

“While 2021 has begun with new challenges, it is crucial that we continue to push ahead with our priorities and solutions with a sense of renewed urgency and action,” Executive Constantine said. “I am proud of everything we have accomplished together, and I am excited about what’s possible and what’s needed on our path ahead.”

Executive Constantine listed his top priorities as... Read more.


Water

A roadmap for Clean Water Healthy Habitat

A major milestone is in the books for Clean Water Healthy Habitat, King County Executive Dow Constantine’s environmental initiative launched in September 2019 to better align the outstanding work we do throughout King County government to achieve better results faster for all living things in King County.

Executive Constantine last month announced completion of the Clean Water Healthy Habitat Strategic Plan (SharePoint link), saying it was shaped by expert employee advice that strengthened the strategic plan and turned an aspirational concept into a roadmap with clear direction and measurable goals.

“I am immensely proud of the inspiring work that our professionals do each day to protect water quality and habitat in our region,” Executive Constantine said. “Clean Water Healthy Habitat is an opportunity to unite our efforts – in wastewater, stormwater, land conservation, fish passage, habitat restoration, and more – to produce results at a watershed level within a single generation rather than next century." Read more.


Employee Spotlights

Hyatt

Cmdr. Corinna Hyatt retires after 30-plus years at DAJD

Crossposted from Roll Call: the DAJD newsletter January 2021

Corinna Hyatt first set foot inside the King County Correctional Facility as a volunteer. In the late 1980s, her full-time job was at the downtown Seattle YMCA. After a few months helping inmates with physical fitness, a jail supervisor suggested she apply for a corrections job.

More than 31 years later, she retired – as leader of DAJD’s COVID-19 Incident Command and the recently departed MRJC facility Commander.

At a low-key going-away ceremony in December, Director John Diaz called her “one of the best leaders I have ever seen” during 40 years in law enforcement. Read more.


RASKC

RASKC continues innovative outreach during pandemic

Lluvia Ellison-Morales, right, was interviewed in Spanish for two segments about Regional Animal Services of King County.

COVID-19 has provided challenges and opportunities for Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC). Sometimes simultaneously!

Lluvia Ellison-Morales, Animal Services Administrator for RASKC, has been supporting COVID-19 efforts with Public Health – Seattle & King County since September, in addition to her animal services duties. She joined the Community Mitigation and Recovery team, led by Matias Valenzuela, where she provides grant management support to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities of King County. She also serves as one of the Spanish-speaking spokespeople delivering updates on COVID-19. Read more.


Announcements

Life

Update your life insurance beneficiaries

Life and disability insurance are important to those who depend on you for financial security. Survivor benefits provide financial assistance in your absence.

It’s important to review and keep your beneficiaries up to date for the life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage you have through King County. By designating a beneficiary, you ensure the person of your choice receives the proceeds.

If you have not designated beneficiaries, you will be receiving two emails and a home mailer from the life and AD&D insurance plan manager, Securian Financial, the parent company of Minnesota Life. Please do not discard these messages. Rather, take action to ensure your life insurance and AD&D benefits are paid according to your wishes and without delay. Read more.


Una Experiencia de COVID-19

Por varios meses, Carlos Moreno “El Pariente”, un reconocido locutor de radio, invitó a Penny Lara con regularidad para compartir actualizaciones de COVID-19. Después de que Carlos y su familia se contagiaron con Coronavirus durante el verano, los dos se encontraron de nuevo hablando de COVID-19, pero esta vez, Carlos compartiendo su experiencia con la comunidad.

During the early days of the pandemic, radio DJ Carlos Moreno “El Pariente” regularly invited King County’s Penny Lara to share updates about COVID-19. Over the summer, Carlos’ family tested positive for COVID-19. In this video, he reunites with Penny to share his family’s experience with the disease. This video was produced by Latino Northwest.

Una Experiencia de COVID-19 (in Spanish with English subtitles)

Salud

Recording meetings and calls in Teams is available once again!

As King County completes the change from Skype to Teams, we want to remind users of our general County policies for recording meetings and calls. 

Here are a few things we need everyone to be aware of:  

teamsR

First, we’re a two-party consent state. What does that mean? It means the person making a recording must tell others he or she is doing so.  

  • Just as in Skype, when you’re on a computer and a meeting or a call is being recorded, a banner will appear across the top of your meeting window. Look for it! 

Read more.


BY

Balanced You mindfulness class schedule for winter 2021

Back by popular demand, Balanced You is partnering once again with Mindfulness Northwest to offer free mindfulness classes and workshops to King County employees.

Mindfulness is a practice that can support you in reducing stress at work and at home. Mindfulness techniques are especially useful now, as we continue to move through the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic. In alignment with social distancing recommendations, all in-person classes have temporarily shifted to live, virtual platforms. Check out this Balanced You blogpost for class schedule and registration details.


Training Spotlight for Jan. 21, 2021

  • Grantwriting 101 – Online – N Seattle College – This class introduces you to the basics of grant writing including where to look for funding; how to write letters of inquiry, a compelling grant application and an impact report; building relationships with grant-makers including foundations, corporations, and government; and crafting a budget that makes sense to the funder. You will be doing research on the internet so you will need a good connection. This four-session course will takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday beginning on Jan. 26, ending on Feb. 16, with a fee of $99.00. Register Here
  • Strategic Planning – Online – N Seattle College – Improve the way you view strategic planning and scenario planning with techniques that provoke new ideas while building support for those decisions. You’ll get a variety of tools to help you evaluate problems and make decisions, assess your organization from several angles, and address a variety of “what-if” situations. This class will takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 27, from 1 to 4 p.m., with a fee of $89.00. Register Here
  • ESJ Fundamentals – Online – Equity and Social Justice Fundamentals is the first session in a series of trainings designed to support King County employees in learning about equity and social justice and in particular racial justice at King County. Using videos, small group conversations, and sharing of information and resources. This training is free and will be offered on multiple dates with the first session taking place on Thursday, Jan. 28, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Register Here

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


Tech Tip: Our move to a better, more modern standard Internet browser 

Many of us at King County were recently moved to Modern Edge, the county’s new standard internet browser. It’s faster and runs all web applications previously accessed with Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy, in addition to apps previously requiring Google Chrome. 

Starting Friday, Jan. 22, all remaining county devices will have this upgrade installed. Training for the Modern Edge browser is available here

The move does not impact any other browsers employees may currently have on their devices, such as Internet Explorer, Chrome or Firefox. 

Heres some information to help with the move to the new browser:  

Below are icons for the different browsers.Read more. 

MS Browsers

POTW

Pet of the Week: Bippity

Hi, my name is Bippity! I'm an eight-year-old male cat, black, domestic short hair (ID #A628901). I'm a 24lb sweet guy looking for my forever home! I was brought into the shelter by a Good Samaritan on December 31, 2020. I am an affectionate and independent lovebug who likes getting attention on my own terms, but when I'm in the mood for love, watch out!  I really love to be brushed and petted, and will put my paw on your knee to encourage you to keep going! I can get overstimulated with petting, so please move carefully with me and keep an eye out for signs I might need a break. 

My caregivers have noticed that I do not get along with other cats, so I will need to be the only cat in my new home. My personality color is RED. I am a spirited cat with a fun-loving personality! I may be sensitive to handling, so I would do best in a home with a cat savvy family who knows when to give me some space. I am neutered, litterbox trained, current on vaccinations and micro chipped! My adoption fee comes with a free visit to the veterinarian of your choice, and 30 days of opt-in pet insurance through Trupanion. Also, I have been nominated for Pet of the Week! This means my adoption fee has been waived! However, please note that a pet license is a requirement and therefore a fee may be applied. This helps my safe return home should I become lost, and comes with additional benefits such as Vacation Pet Alert, Free Ride Home, and more (visit our pet licensing page for more information)! 

You can find out more about me and my other friends on our website at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Note that RASKC has moved to adoptions by appointment only. If you have more questions, you can contact RASKC via phone at 206-296-7387 (PETS) or email pets@kingcounty.gov.


Featured Job: Lead Organizational Development Practitioners

Salary: $110,098.56 - $139,556.35 Annually

Job Type: Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temp (TLT)

Department: Dept. of Human Resources

Job Number: 2021EM12730

Closing: Feb. 1, 2021 11:59 PM Pacific

The Career and Culture Division within the Department of Human Resources (DHR) has an outstanding opportunity for two Lead Organizational Development (OD) Practitioners. These positions will be filled as special duty/term limited temporary assignments which are anticipated to last up to twelve (12) months with the possibility of being extended. These positions are open to all King County employees. 

Learn more about this position or view all available positions.


King County Headlines

Working with Sammamish Plateau: No regional capacity limits and Diversion Project moving ahead

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