King County requires all employees be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18

Executive Dow Constantine recently announced that following the actions of many other public and private employers, King County will now require all employees to be fully vaccinated, effective Oct. 18, 2021. 

To meet this requirement, employees must receive their second shot of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or single shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, by Oct. 4, 2021, and provide verified proof of vaccination. The directive applies to employees in the Executive branch (employees who report to the Assessor, Elections Director, Sheriff, and County Executive).

Read the full announcement here. 

What to do if you lose your COVID-19 vaccine card

When you receive your COVID-19 vaccine, you get a vaccination card to prove it. Keep it safe. You should treat it like you would your credit cards, driver's license, or passport. Your card is not just a scheduling reminder: it is an official record that you may need for travel, event access, and possibly booster doses later. 

If you've misplaced or lost your card, don't worry. You can get official, verified proof of your COVID-19 vaccination online, for free. The MyIR website is an official state pathway to access proof of vaccination in Washington state. Find out how.

Getting vaccinated is more important than ever

When you’re exposed to COVID-19 today in King County, it’s most likely that you’re being exposed to a highly contagious variant of the virus. Of the recent COVID-19 test samples genetically sequenced in King County, about 90% represent a variant of concern and not the original strain of the virus, and about 60% of these are the Delta variant. This is concerning because the Delta variant is so contagious.

The majority of recent cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are among unvaccinated residents. Almost 95% of recent hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 in King County occurred among people who aren’t fully vaccinated.

Get more information here. 

COVID vaccine overview and Q&A with
Dr. Michele Andrasik, Sept. 2

Join Dr. Michele Andrasik, Senior Staff Scientist at Fred Hutchinson, for an in-depth overview of the COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy. 

The information provided will assist attendees in their efforts to make informed decisions to protect themselves, their families, and their communities from COVID. A 20-minute presentation will be followed by a 40-minute anonymous Q&A session.

• Thursday, Sept. 2 from 11 a.m. to noon 
• Click here to join.
• Please sign in to Zoom as ‘Anonymous’ so questions stay anonymous.

Stay home when you’re sick or have symptoms

There is an increase in COVID-19 cases among county employees, reflecting the rise in cases in the community. You can help slow the spread of COVID-19 at work by staying home when you’re sick, even if your symptoms are mild.

Please also stay home if you have gotten a COVID-19 test and are awaiting the results, unless you are a first responder.

Click here to read more information. 

Key dates to being fully vaccinated by Oct. 18

Updates on the Employee Transportation Program

As we all continue to adapt and transition into modern day work as we know it, your King County Employee Transportation Program (ETP) is here to help you get the most use of your employee transportation benefits. King County ETP is pleased to announce new resources and an updated telework webpage. In addition to the updated look, we have added a new training video for teleworking employees and managers, as well as updated policy documents and resources.

Whether you commute by bike, boat, bus/train, carpool, telework, vanpool, or walk, ETP has something for you. Learn more about Metro’s commitment to safety and how we are rebuilding ridership with the recently unveiled “It’s a great day to ride Metro” campaign.

Conversation on coping with grief and loss

Visit the Balanced You blog for a recorded webinar on Coping with Grief and Loss. In this conversation, Balanced You, King County Metro Wellness, and the Employee Assistance Program staff talk about the grief and loss many of our frontline employees have experienced during the pandemic.

Learn how grief doesn’t just pertain to a death but also can be the loss of connection, relationships, work and more. In addition, learn about cultural differences in how grief and loss are processed and what you can do to support your colleagues who may have different experiences than you.

King Panelists are Janine Anzalota from Metro Organizational Health & Development, De’Sean Quinn from Metro Office of Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, and Heather Steffensen from the Employee Assistance Program. The conversation is hosted by Karla Clark from Balanced You.

Featured Job: Labor Equity Program Supervisor

Salary: $100,131.20 - $126,921.60 Annually

Location: Seattle, WA

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

Department: DES - Executive Services

Job Number: 2021-ST14086

Division: FBOD - Finance & Business Operations

Closes: Sept. 5, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time

The Priority Hiring Program focuses on hiring underrepresented construction workers for King County public works projects. We’re seeking a collaborative Labor Equity Program Supervisor to manage and support this program while overseeing new policy development.

Learn more about this position or view all available positions.