Reminder: King County to require all employees be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, 2021
As announced by Executive Dow Constantine on Aug. 9, all employees are required to be fully vaccinated, effective Monday, 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 Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, and provide verified proof of vaccination as soon as you receive your final vaccination. The directive applies to employees in the Executive branch (employees who report to the Assessor, Elections Director, Sheriff, and County Executive).
Click on this link for more information on the dates to ensure you are fully vaccinated by Oct. 18. Find out where to get your vaccine and answers to other questions at www.kingcounty.gov/vaccine.
Read the full announcement here.
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How to provide verification of vaccine status
King County employees must provide vaccination information for verification. There are two options to provide proof that you are fully vaccinated:
- Initiate the COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration
- Process through your unified.neogov.com/dashboard
- Click on Dashboard > Forms > COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration
- Attach a copy of an official document (see list below), OR
- Show one of the following to your Human Resources professional or other designated department representative:
- your actual vaccination card, or a photo or a copy of it,
- a copy of your state vaccine record, or
- a verified medical record.
You need to get both doses of a two-shot vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna), or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson before completing the vaccine verification. Employees can receive their vaccine at several pop-up vaccine clinics hosted by King County, or go to www.kingcounty.gov/vaccine to find a pharmacy, clinic, or community vaccination location. After completing a vaccination series at a King County-sponsored worksite clinic, employees still need to submit verification. Find out more here.
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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.
Most 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.
The most important way to protect yourself and your community against COVID-19 and the particularly contagious Delta variant is to get vaccinated.
Read more about how the importance of getting vaccinated here.
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Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is coming to AnyConnect VPN
King County is enabling MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) technology as an additional layer of cyber security to the VPN (Virtual Private Network) solution, AnyConnect. At this time, employees are only required to input their username and password to login to AnyConnect. Soon, employees will also experience an MFA challenge on the same device or phone number they use for Microsoft Office 365. If you do not currently utilize MFA for enhanced cyber security, do not worry. KCIT is working with senior leadership to get every employee scheduled soon. Learn more here.
COVID-19 and Kids webinar and Q&A, Sept. 15
The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has unleashed new concerns about our children. Families with kids in school and childcare may have a lot of questions about what to expect this fall.
On Wednesday, Sept. 15, join Sara Rigel, on the COVID-19 Schools and Child Care Task Force for Public Health – Seattle & King County, who will share updates on the state guidance that includes mitigation strategies that help reduce the risk to young children. She’ll talk about masking, vaccines, and be available to answer your questions and concerns.
View more COVID-19 vaccine webinar and support resources here.
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Meet the KCLx Leadership Committee, Sept. 16
National Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month takes place Sept. 15-Oct. 15. In celebration of a diverse Latinx history, vibrant culture and innumerable achievements, the King County Latinx Affinity Group (KCLx) invites all employees to attend a virtual informational and panel discussion.
Join with the King County familia to meet the KCLx Leadership Committee, learn about KCLx's mission and values, and get a preview of an exciting lineup of upcoming Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month events.
- Thursday, Sept. 16 from noon to 1 p.m. via Teams.
The event will be facilitated by Melissa Aguilar, and includes KCLx Leadership Team panelists: Antonio Herrera Garza, Felicia Salcedo, Luis Herrera Perales, Margarita Aguado, Sabrina Torres, Rocio Martinez Lopez, Maria Jimenez-Zepeda, and Diego Galvan.
For more information, contact KCLx Events Co-Chairs, Margarita Aguado at maguado@kingcounty.gov or Sabrina Torres at satorres@kingcounty.gov.
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Let’s Talk COVID-19: A Conversation on Trauma, Stigma, Grief, and Growth, Sept. 17
King County employees are invited to join community facilitators to hold space for feelings and experiences related to COVID-19 and vaccination. This confidential event will:
- Make time for conversation about COVID-19 impacted trauma, stigma, grief, and growth, including space to discuss feelings surrounding the vaccine.
- Provide a safe space centered around Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and those most impacted by COVID-19
- Share resources and build community through shared experiences
Panelists include: Teri Rogers Kemp (she/her), Black Community Advocate; Amabel Narvaez (they/them), Life Coach and Mental Health Consultant; Silver Lee (they/them), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant.
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Mindful Leadership, Sept. 20
Balanced You partners with Mindfulness Northwest to offer free virtual mindfulness classes and workshops to 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. Attend the Mindful Leadership class to learn how you can become a more effective and compassionate leader. This class is open to all employees; you don’t have to be in a leadership position to attend. Leadership can involve overseeing a large project, organizing a community service event, and much more.
COVID-19 Vaccine Overview and Q&A with Dr. Michele Andrasik, Sept. 22
On Wednesday, Sept. 22, Balanced You will host a second webinar with Dr. Michele Andrasik, Senior Staff Scientist at Fred Hutchinson, for an in-depth overview of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Dr. Andrasik previously hosted a webinar on Sept. 2 about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy. Watch the recorded webinar and download the slides with notes here.
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A Conversation on Suicide Awareness and Prevention Webinar, Sept. 23
As we continue to navigate the challenges of COVID-19, paying special attention to your mental health and the mental health of those you love is crucial. In honor of Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, employees are invited to join Balanced You for a virtual panel discussion on Thursday, Sept. 23.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to preventing suicide and improving mental health. During this one-hour panel discussion, attendees will learn strategies from experts on how to normalize conversations around mental health, identify early warning signs of suicidal ideation, and what resources are available to support the mental health of employees and their loved ones.
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Thursday, Sept. 23, from 1-2 p.m. Register here. Once registered, Zoom link will be sent via email on the morning of the event.
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Training Spotlight:
Mentorship Lunch and Learn – Online – Would you like to have a mentor, someone who can help you grow professionally? Do you want to strengthen your coaching skills? As a Mentee, you will have a trusted advisor who can help you navigate complex situations. As a Mentor, you can uncover new or forgotten skills and build influence. This Lunch and Learn is free:
Basic Sign Language – North Seattle College – Online – 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 American Sign Language in a fun and welcoming environment. This class is $169 and runs eight sessions.
- Thursday, Sept. 30-Monday, Dec. 13, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. each session. Register here.
Visit the King County Eventbrite website and 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: Reminder about annual KnowBe4 cyber security training
King County Information Technology (KCIT) has partnered with KnowBe4.com to regularly provide information and training to employees about phishing scams and other email red flags. Employees will receive a reminder about an annual cyber security training to be completed before the end of the year. KnowBe4 is a leading industry expert in security awareness training. Its mission is to help employees make smarter security decisions, every day, and keep the County’s and employees’ information secure.
Employees can also rest assured the email comes from a verified source, and is not spam, as it does not feature the external email notice. Contact the KCIT Helpdesk or call 206-263-4357 (3-HELP).
Featured job: Deputy Fire Marshal
Salary: $38.88 - $49.29 Hourly
Location: Snoqualmie, WA
Job Type: Multiple Job Types - Career Service and/or Temp
Department: DLS - Dept. of Local Services
Job Number: 2021TR13681
Division: Permitting
Closing: Continuous
The primary focus of this position is to perform journey level fire protection engineering review and site inspections. Responsibilities include the review of building and land development permits, and the review of fire systems permits to ensure compliance with applicable fire and life safety codes. This includes reviewing construction documents and supporting engineering, interpreting, and applying fire codes and standards; evaluating new materials; conducting formal meetings with clients in office and field; and performing site inspections.
Learn more about this position or view all available positions.
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