UPDATE: Employee News - Aug. 3

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

King County Employee News

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Highlights

Proof of vaccination required to use Activity Centers

activity center signage

Verified proof of full COVID-19 vaccination is now required to use any of King County’s Activity Centers, and vaccinated staff must wear masks while in Activity Centers.

Only those employees who have verified their proof of full vaccination through our existing process are permitted to enter Activity Centers.

Click here to see more about the options for providing verification of vaccination and additional information about the Activity Centers.


Ballot close-up

Today is Election Day!

If you still haven't voted, be sure to get your ballot into a King County drop box by 8 p.m. sharp tonight.

Don't wait until the last minute. We want to count your ballot and to do that, it has to be in on time.

Find your drop box here.


maggie weed hunter

Curious eight-year-old finds aquatic noxious weed

Thanks to the detective work of a King County eight-year-old, a noxious weed found in Lake Rasmassun near Duvall might be controlled before it does damage downstream. 

Check out this video with Ben Peterson, King County Aquatic Noxious Weed Specialist, to find out more how Maggie Carosino's natural curiosity helped lead the experts to this problem.  


Employee Spotlights

Kathy Taylor

In memoriam: Dr. Kathy Taylor

Cross-posted from Public Health Insider

Dr. Kathy Taylor, Forensic Anthropologist for King County and the State of Washington, passed away on August 1.

For a quarter century, Dr. Taylor served the public with distinction and compassion helping to identify human remains discovered in the region and return them to the loved ones of the missing person.

Click here to read a statement from Dr. Richard Harruff, Chief King County Medical Examiner, and link to stories about Dr. Taylor's public career.


Announcements

security incident report form

Using the online security report form

King County’s online security incident report form is available for employees to report non-emergency incidents that happen at work or on their commute that don’t rise to the need for a call for police assistance.

You can use this form to report non-emergency incidents to the Facilities Management Division (FMD) Security Unit. Do not use this form to report an emergency. In an emergency, call 9-1-1 for immediate assistance.

 The form will ask you to add the incident date, time, and place, and a description of the incident; you can also use a map to identify the location of the incident. It will also ask you for information about you as well as your contact information, and a description of people Involved. You also have the option to upload photos or other documents

 If you see anything or anyone that looks unusual or out of place, please use the online security incident report form or call FMD Security at 206-296-5000. If it’s an emergency, call 9-1-1 first, then call FMD Security when you are able.


parent and child

Mindful Parenting workshop

Balanced You partners with Mindfulness Northwest to offer free classes to King County employees. Mindfulness is a practice that can support you in reducing stress, and bringing awareness and compassion to the present moment. All classes are free for King County employees and held on Zoom.

For this workshop, we’ll bring the lens of mindfulness to bear on what some say is “the world’s hardest job,” helping you meet the joys and challenges of parenting.


Covid test site

Transition Debriefing Groups offered to support COVID-19 responders

Many King County employees who are COVID-19 responders have experienced or are currently experiencing transitions out of their response role.

To support King County employees in transition, Balanced You is partnering with the Employee Assistance Program to provide Transition Debriefing Groups for employees who are currently or previously involved in the COVID-19 response.

In these groups, you will connect with others to share experiences, strategies, and resources for moving through response transitions in a way that honors your emotional well-being. 


Pet Meet & Great III

Coffee Connections: Share you pet!

Last year, as part of the Hope & Joy Campaign, Balanced You started virtual Zoom sessions called Coffee Connections as a way to connect with colleagues and friends. 

This Wednesday, August 4, Coffee Connections will resume at a new time, 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m. To kick things off, we will start with our most popular session, Share Your Pet. 

Bring your furry or feathered or fishy friend along and share your story. Whether you have joined us in the past or are brand new, grab your coffee, tea or snack and come chat with us!


Training Spotlight:

  • Communication and Problem Solving Skills – Online – Join instructor Lenny Borer for this two-day training. He will address communication and problem-solving skills with the public and with co-workers. In this class you will learn skills for effective listening, speaking, dealing with conflicts, and defensive behavior. Attendance at both days is required for completion of the class and the next session takes place:
    • Tuesday, Aug. 10 and Wednesday, Aug. 11, from 1-4:30 p.m.
    • Register here - fee is $65
  • Leader Mindset – Online – Leader Mindset for King County supervisors and managers sets a foundation that leading a team starts with understanding yourself and your responsibility to create a team culture of belonging where all employees can thrive. In this interactive webinar, participants will take part in engaging activities, small group discussions and action planning. This training is free and will be offered on multiple dates with the next session taking place:

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: Microsoft Teams Meetings now has virtual Whiteboards

In virtual meetings, we’ve missed the ability to collaborate on the whiteboards we had in our conference rooms. Fortunately, the new Whiteboard feature in Microsoft Teams Meetings allows an interactive experience for meeting participants that emulates the conference room experience. In Microsoft Whiteboard, you can type, doodle, or add sticky notes during your meeting. Best of all, participants can access and update the Whiteboard… even after your meeting ends!

To use the new Whiteboard feature, start your Teams meeting and select the “Share Content” button; you’ll now see a Microsoft Whiteboard option. Once you open the Whiteboard, all of your meeting participants can see and update it together.

While Microsoft Whiteboard may not have as many features as Miro or Mural, this is an integrated solution that any King County employee can access without a separate account. So rather than presenting with PowerPoint slides in your next meeting, give Whiteboard a try and encourage your team to add their ideas to the conversation.

For more tips, watch the Microsoft Whiteboard tutorial video.


Featured Job

PPM III - Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) Operations Manager

Salary: $88,937.06 - $112,732.88 Annually

Location: Seattle, WA

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

Department: DCHS - Community & Human Services

Job Number: 2021AC13918

Division: Behavioral Health and Recovery

Closes: Aug 5

The Mental Illness & Drug Dependency team works to improve quality of life for adults, children, and families. By joining this team, you can oversee efficiency & effectiveness of related programs and initiatives that steer the vision of a healthier community.

Learn more about this position or view all available positions


King County Headlines

Dr. Jeff Duchin’s COVID-19 Press Briefing – July, 30 2021

Subarea planning is underway for the Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County Community Service Area

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.