Employee News - April 6

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

King County Employee News

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Highlights

Excellence Awards

Submit nominations for Executive’s Performance Excellence Awards

The Executive Performance Excellence Awards recognize employees and teams who are achieving exceptional improvement results for the people we serve, and driving us toward our True North: Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive.

Any employee can nominate projects from the past year and team members for award recognition. The nomination period is open through April 16.

Click here for nomination criteria and additional information. 


Executive Constantine recognizes Public Health staff in National Public Health Week

King County Executive Dow Constantine recorded a short video thanking Public Health – Seattle & King County employees for all of their work amid the COVID-19 pandemic in recognition of National Public Health Week, April 5-11, 2021.

“I’d like to take a moment to thank all of our staff at Public Health – Seattle & King County for the incredible work you’ve been doing for the past 13 months and more as we confront this once in a century pandemic,” Executive Constantine said in the video. “You’ve saved thousands of lives. You’ve worked around the clock seven days a week. It has been remarkable.”

Executive Constantine also issued a Proclamation proclaiming the week of April 5 to 11, 2021 to be Public Health Week in King County.

You can watch the video below and read the Proclamation here.

Video

Employee Spotlights

Woman Road Service

Road Services Division celebrates Women's History Month

In honor of Women's History Month, Tricia Davis, Director, recently facilitated an online panel featuring eight Road Services women leaders. Answering questions such as "When did you realize you wanted to work in this field?" and "What's it like to be a woman in this field?" the panelists talked candidly about their personal challenges and successes. 

Watch the entire session and check out more bios on the Local Services Facebook page.  


Announcements

Stop Asian Hate

Let's Talk About Race

The Legislative Branch Equity and Social Justice Office is hosting a “Let’s Talk About Race” event focused on stopping hate crimes against Asians in collaboration with the Asian and Pacific Islander Affinity Group. The event is sponsored by Council Chair Claudia Balducci, and supported by the Black African American and the Anti-Racist White Action Group affinity groups.

Please join us for a panel conversation with Legislative Branch staff on the increase in acts of hate crimes against Asian in the United States, Asian stereotypes, and supporting Asian and Pacific Islander communities.

For more information, please contact Reeni Nair, ESJ/LAS Coordinator at Reeni.Nair@KingCounty.Gov or (206) 477-4978.


Asian Sparks Film Series

Culture, Karma and Pandemic Times:

Dangerous Myths, Notorious Lies, and the

Quest for Freedom in the Asian American Experience

SPARKS! Film screening and discussion. 

Join our Conversation Series on equity, social justice, and cultural fluency related to a topical feature film or documentary. Special guest Naomi Ishisaka, the Seattle Times’ assistant managing editor for diversity, inclusion and staff development, will be joining us for the discussion. All King County employees are welcome to attend.

In this engagement, we will return to the origin of some of the most notorious stereotypes of Asian identity, and how/why those images were deployed to control multiple populations considered “unfit” for true American citizenship. We will also consider more recent evolutions of myth-making that, although perceived by many as positive, actually serve the same ends.

We’ll trace the role of early films rooted in these racist ideologies and how the fallout from those images have lingered. Interviews, archival footage, and commentary from current movement leaders are included to tell the whole story.

  • Friday, April 9 from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Contact Cecelia Hayes for the Zoom link

Man and child

Mindful Parenting class April 7

Balanced You is sponsoring Mindfulness classes through the end of June! Mindfulness is a practice that uses breath work, visualization, and other skills to support you in reducing stress at work and at home.

Meet the joys and challenges of parenting with mindful and heartful awareness. In this workshop, we'll bring the lens of mindfulness to bear on what some say is the "world's hardest job." You'll come away with tools and practices to use with your family.

Please note: Zoom information will be emailed by the facilitator prior to the class.


Metro Bus Route 7

Metro to gradually increase passenger limits

King County Metro plans to incrementally increase passenger limits during the next six months. The approach comes as the number of vaccinated residents continues to increase. 

On April 19, Metro will modify passenger limits to 40% of pre-COVID capacity (50% of seated capacity). For more information, click here


DCHS COVID Timeline

View the DCHS COVID-19 Response “A Year in Review Timeline”

The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) proudly shares the efforts of staff, partners, and the community’s actions as a whole that have made a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through this interactive A Year in Review Timeline, a multitude of different projects from DCHS is displayed that reacted to and addressed the pandemic from the first confirmed cases in King County.

Click here to learn more and check out the interactive timeline. 


Pet Meet & Great III

Coffee Connections: Pet Meet & Greet III

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

Back again by popular demand is our Pet Meet & Greet. Grab some coffee or tea and your furry friend and join us to connect with other King County employees to share your pets!

  • Wednesday, April 7 from 10-10:30 a.m.
  • Zoom link   Passcode: 268528

COVID-19 Personnel Policy updated

The Temporary COVID-19 Personnel Policy has had several updates. These include a definition of "fully vaccinated," new guidelines on which employees must be out of the workplace, and qualifying reasons for Paid Administrative Leave (PAL). A link to the policy is available on the employee Coronavirus webpage

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Department HR Manager


Career Support Services

STAR-LA Interview Practice and Feedback This one-hour VIRTUAL, small group workshop is designed to provide mock interview practice and feedback using the STAR-LA method as taught by King County Career Support Services.

This workshop is ideal for participants who have attended the Strategic Interviewing Tips and Techniques workshop or have watched the 10 minute STAR-LA method video found on the Career Support Services website

For additional online workshops offered by King County Career Support Services (CSS), visit their Eventbrite page. For more information about CSS along with links to career related tips and resources, visit www.kingcounty.gov/CSS


Training Spotlight:

  • Basic Sign Language – Online – North Seattle College. In this eight-session course, open the doors of communication and explore basic conversational sign language. You will quickly learn finger spelling, develop a basic vocabulary, and grasp general concepts and structure of sign language communication. Consistently top-rated instructor will help you gain a solid foundation in ASL in a fun and welcoming environment.  
    • Thursdays, April 8 through May 27 from 6:30-8:30pm.
    • Register here - fee $169
  • Emotional Intelligence for Leaders and Emerging Leaders North Seattle College – Online. Six-session course. Emotional intelligence describes the ability to understand one's own feelings, and that of groups, and how these emotions can influence motivation and behavior. Leaders who are emotionally intelligent foster safe environments, where employees feel comfortable to take calculated risks and to voice their opinions. Engage in interactive, hands-on self-evaluation and exercise to develop your emotional intelligence and become a respected and inspiring leader.
  • Mondays and Wednesdays, April 19 through May 5 from 10-11:30 a.m.
  • Register here - fee is $179

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


Featured Job

Commercial Field Appraiser I

Salary: $2,305.10 - $2,922.50 Biweekly

Location: Seattle, WA

Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 35 hrs/week

Department: DOA - Assessor's Office

Job Number: 2021-13139

Division:  Commercial Property Appraisal

Closes: April 16

Are you and strong communicator and enjoy being the bridge and problem solver for customers? Bring your action-oriented mind and interest in real estate to the Assessor’s office where using appraisal knowledge and analytics set fair and equitable property values.

Learn more about this position or view all available positions


King County Headlines

Creating Economically Thriving Communities by Communities of Opportunity

Lights, camera, King County – Harbor Island sound stage to jumpstart local film production

Dr. Jeff Duchin discusses steady rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations – Apr  2

Looking for back issues?

Click here for previous editions of the Employee News e-newsletter going back to 2019.

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.