Employee News - Jan. 28, 2021

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

King County Employee News

PRINT THIS EMAIL or VIEW THIS EMAIL IN YOUR BROWSER

Highlights


Chinook Building

Planning the future of work for employees of King County

King County is building on what it has learned about working remotely and serving customers during a pandemic to reimagine its workspaces, physical and carbon footprint, and service delivery models in a post-pandemic environment.

Click here to read more about how we plan to move forward.


Dow Constantine

COVID-19 vaccine updates

King County is working hard to rapidly vaccinate the 1.8 million adults who live in our region, starting with those at highest risk, with a goal of reaching 70%, or 1.26 million people, by the end of summer.

Click here to read the announcement from King County Executive Dow Constantine.

 


ESGR KC badge

King County receives award for supporting Guard and Reserve employees

King County has been awarded the U.S. Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Pro Patria Award for the support it provides to its employees serving in the Guard and Reserve. 

Pro Patria means ‘for one’s country’, and the ESGR Pro Patria Award is presented annually by each ESGR State Committee. This award recognizes the leadership and practices of an organization that have demonstrated the greatest support to Guard and Reserve employees, including adopting personnel policies that make it easier for them to serve. Read more about the award and watch the video below to learn more

Pro Patria award video

Announcements

Children veg garden

Best Starts for Kids levy renewal announced

King County Executive Dow Constantine today announced his plan for the six-year Best Starts for Kids levy renewal to continue programs that focus on health and well-being for children, youth, and families throughout the region, along with new investments to improve access to child care for families with low incomes.

The measure would appear on the August ballot. Read the announcement here


Children daycare

Important Benefits Update:
Unlimited FSA carryovers now allowed

New legislation provides relief to employees who may not have been able to use all of their Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds during the pandemic.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 COVID-19 relief bill signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, allows a temporary change to FSAs to help employees avoid losing funds. If you have a Health Care or Dependent Day Care FSA, any unused funds in your FSA account from last year will be rolled over and available for use this year.

Read more here


W-2 form image

View your W-2 form online

Your 2020 W-2 form is now available in PeopleSoft to view and print. A paper copy of your W-2 form will be mailed by ADP to the address you have listed in PeopleSoft by the IRS deadline of Jan. 31.

To view or print your W-2 while signed in to the King County network on your work computer, log in to PeopleSoft, choose the Payroll tile, then go to “View W-2/W-2c Forms.” You can also access W-2 forms from any device by registering at the ADP website using these instructions: Access W-2s through ADP.

Your Form 1095-C—Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage—will also be sent to your home address by ADP. This form is informational only—it shows whether you were offered health insurance by King County last year.

For questions about the information on your W-2, please see W-2 Form Guide. Information is also available on the IRS website. Reprint requests for 2020 W-2 forms are accepted after Feb. 15. If you need help with PeopleSoft, call the IT Service Center at 206-263-4357. If you have questions about Form 1095-C, please see About Form 1095-C or contact Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556 or KC.Benefits.


KCLx Cafecito Feb 1, 2021

KCLx Cafecito Connections on Mon. Feb 1

In 2020 KCLx launched Virtual Cafecito Connections as regularly-scheduled affinity group events to build community among our members and with the larger Latinx community. Given the challenges of COVID-19 and telecommuting, it is more important than ever that we stay connected to support one another, share information, and deepen relationships.

In 2021, we will continue to host cafecitos every other month for our full membership, as well as KC employees who self-identify as Latinx. Please join us via Zoom and share your ideas!

Monday, Feb. 1 at 12 p.m. Log in here

Please contact Margarita Aguado or Felicia Salcedo for more information.


Scooter

Free scooter rides offered to essential workers in Seattle

As LINK prepares to expand in the city of Seattle, the company is offering essential workers who qualify a $50 credit for free scooter rides.

Workers in the health care, education, public transit, janitorial and food services industries can apply for the one-time credit by submitting proof of employment and attaching a photo of their work badge, identification card or pay stub — with personal information hidden. LINK will approve or reject each person’s request within one week. Sign up here.

For information about employee transportation benefits, visit the Employee Transportation Program (ETP) website or contact Hossein Barahimi at (206)477-5853 or hossein.barahimi@kingcounty.gov.   


30-Day Best Care Challenge

30-Day Best Care challenge for King County employees

As the pandemic continues, we find ourselves still locked-in and trying to find unique ways to pass the time. To support employees, Balanced You has developed a 30-Day Self-Care Challenge to help you find a sense of normalcy by suggesting different activities that you and your family can do each week.

Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 2, we will kick off the challenge. Each week in this newsletter, you will find suggested activities and ideas to try, such as yoga, new ways to engage with your kids, or ways to carve out more me-time. We encourage you to try at least one of the challenges each week.

We hope you will join us in the challenge and encourage your coworkers to join, as well! If you have questions feel free to email us at BalancedYou@KingCounty.gov


Pet Meet & Greet

Coffee Connections: Pet Meet & Greet II

As part of the Hope and Joy Campaign, the Balanced You team is hosting a series of informal, virtual Zoom sessions, called “Coffee Connections” to provide a space for employees to connect over fun topics and events.

Back by popular demand is “Coffee Connections: Pet Meet and Greet II.” It will be held Wednesday, Feb. 3, from 10-10:30 a.m. Whether you attended the first one or are stopping in for the first time, join us to introduce your pet to other employees and meet their furry friends!

Click here to join the Pet Meet and Greet via Zoom on Feb. 3, from 10-10:30 a.m. You will need to use the passcode below to join.  

Passcode: 881465


Training Spotlight

Making tax returns less taxing

Webinars will be hosted by My Secure Advantage, in partnership with Balanced You:

For most, the primary concern when filing income tax returns is how to minimize taxes. During this event, participants will discuss how income tax is calculated, types of adjustments/deductions, ways to reduce taxation and common mistakes to avoid. Register here.

Everyone has a relationship with money; whether it's a good or bad relationship can depend on many things. Surveys show that stress about money can also have a big influence on relationships with others. Join My Secure Advantage, in partnership with Balanced You as they explain how life experiences and emotions influence our finances, and then outline best practices to increase your awareness and improve your communications with friends and family. Register here.


Learning and Development webinars

  • Communication and Problem Solving Skills – Online – Lenny Borer is back! Join instructor Lenny Borer for this two-day training. He will address communication and problem-solving skills with the public and with co-workers. This class covers skills for effective listening, speaking, dealing with conflicts, and with defensive behavior.  This class will takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 2 and Wednesday, Feb. 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each day, with a fee of $65.00. Attendance at both days is required for completion of the class. Register Here
  • Time Management – Online – N Seattle College – Avoid burnout in a world that is connected 24/7. This workshop will help you commit to making changes to better manage your time. Learn useful techniques for setting and achieving goals, as well how to organize your workspace for peak efficiency. This training takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 3, from 1-4 p.m. with a fee of $89.00. 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: Training on Microsoft Teams

Microsoft has been leading Teams training sessions for King County employees, and attendees have had great things to say about the sessions. 

Good news! These live training sessions will continue for King County users on many critical features of Teams for the next several months. Here are the next two weeks - feel free to drop into any of the following Teams Live Events: 

There’s no need to register ahead of time. Simply create a reminder on your calendar and paste the appropriate link into it. 

We’ll be adding sessions, including a Teams 200 class soon, and we’ll let everyone know when new sessions are available. Thank you and see you at the training! 


bella

Pet of the Week: Bella

Hi, my name is Bella! I'm a 10-year-old female dog, Pit Bull Mix (ID #A625992). I weigh about 59 lbs and am super friendly and loving, but also very strong and active!  I came in to the shelter as a stray dog on November 15 with another large dog, but it seems that she was the only other dog I enjoyed being around. I would prefer to go to a home where I can be spoiled and loved on with no competition! 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!

While at the shelter, the vet staff noticed that I had several masses on my abdomen. They were able to remove the 12 largest masses on my body, but were not able to remove all of them due to size. I have been diagnosed with dermal hemangiosarcoma, a malignant neoplasia. This means that I have unfortunately have cancer. It is undetermined if this cancer is isolated to the skin, or if it may be in other organs of her body. This means that my long-term prognosis is poor, but right now I’m feeling pretty good so I am looking for a home that will help her enjoy a good quality of life for the rest of the time I have. Consult with a veterinary oncologist is recommended.

I am spayed, current on vaccinations, and micro chipped!  My adoption includes a free visit to the veterinarian of your choice, and 30 days of opt-in pet insurance through Trupanion. This means that along with all the other perks included in my adoption, my adoption fee has also 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

Administrative Specialist II

Salary: $22.57 - $29.63 Hourly

Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week

Department: DNRP-Natural Resources & Parks

Job Number: 2021-12724

Closing: Feb. 3, 2021 11:59 PM Pacific

This position provides a variety of administrative services in support of the Solid Waste Division's Operations section. Operations is based at the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill in Maple Valley. This position is open to all qualified candidates. 

Learn more about this position or view all available positions.


Contact us!

Interested in sharing a news story, or have a news tip? Click here to submit an item to Employee News. For questions or suggestions, please contact KCEmployees@kingcounty.gov.