Employee News - Sept. 21

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

King County Employee News

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Highlights

Hana Tadesse

"I'm terrified of needles"

Check out this video to find out the tricks and tips County employee Hanna Tadesse used to conquer her fear of needles, and why it was important to her to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

For more information on getting vaccinated, visit kingcounty.gov/vaccine.


King County employees making a world of difference - here and abroad

$97,277 - That’s how much King County employees gave in 2020 to support Global Impact and their more than 100 trusted international charity partners. In fact, King County was once again the top performing employee giving campaign for them.

Global Impact addresses humanitarian issues around the world, such as disaster response, human trafficking, education, clean water, hunger, and so much more. King County’s support of them demonstrates that our caring knows no boundaries. Our employees give locally as well as to causes that make a difference world-wide.

Read more about the collective impact made by donations from King County employees.

2020 Giving Campaign

Transgender West KC Courts

Crossing Boundaries: Portraits of a Transgender West

Our knowledge of the complexity and diversity of human sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression has evolved gradually over time.

Professor Peter Boag from Washington State University, explores the experiences, identities, and some of the legal difficulties of a variety of individuals who crossed gender boundaries in the American West between 1860 and 1940. 

This event is presented by the Courts & Community Committee of the King County Superior Court and the QLaw Association of Washington. All are welcome to attend this no-cost virtual program. WA CJE credit approved / WSBA CLE credit pending. Registration required.


Employee Spotlights

man laptop zoom mtg

Talent Acquisition steps up to the challenge

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many challenges at King County departments as they work to protect employees and customers from the virus while ensuring their services remain easily accessible.

Continuing to recruit talented staff to fill the wide array of positions at the County, while maintaining social distancing is one of those challenges.

When mandatory telework was announced 18 months ago, it was all hands-on deck for recruiters in the various departments across King County to manage a major shift in bringing on new talent.

Read the full story how Talent Acquisition managed this challenge. 


Announcements

Dr Michele Andrasik

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 Senior Staff Scientist at Fred Hutchinson, Dr. Michele Andrasik, for an in-depth overview of the COVID-19 vaccines.

The webinar will take place from 11 a.m. to noon. Join on Zoom here.

Dr. Andrasik previously hosted a webinar on Sept. 2 about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy. Watch the recorded webinar here and download the slides with notes here.


COVID card

How to get your vaccination status verified

Effective Oct. 18, 2021, King County will require all employees to be fully vaccinated. You have a couple of options for providing proof of vaccination for verification.

Click here for information on verifying your vaccination.

If you have any questions, please contact your department’s HR Manager.


saware

Suicide awareness and prevention webinar on 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 staff 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.

  • Thursday, Sept. 23, from 1 to 2 p.m. Register here. 
  • Once registered, a Zoom link will be sent via email on the morning of the event.

Microsoft password

IT System Update: Your login window – new look, same experience

Starting this week, you may notice there’s a different login screen for King County web apps such as Microsoft, NeoGov, Peoplesoft, etc.

Good news – your login experience will not change. You will still login with your current username and password.

If you experience login issues, try closing all open web browsers. If that doesn’t work, please open a ticket with the KCIT Helpdesk or contact your separate elect helpdesk.


Training Spotlight:

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 to 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


Security Tips: Is that email really from HR? 

One of the easiest ways the bad guys trick you into falling victim to their fraudulent scams is to exercise a sense of trust by pretending to be someone you know. More than likely, you receive emails from your Human Resources team on a frequent basis. Scammers take advantage of this constant communication by crafting spear phishing attacks using emails that spoof your HR team.

Spear phishing attacks are email scams that typically target an individual or organization by spoofing, or appearing to come from a trusted sender. Don’t blindly trust emails that seem to come from your HR department. See the tips below to learn more about these types of scams.

Click here to learn more about avoiding an attack.


sheriff badge

Featured Job: Assistant Fire Marshal

Salary: $43.78 - $55.49 Hourly

Location: Seattle, WA

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

Department: KCSO - Sheriff's Office

Job Number: 2021MK14117

Division: Criminal Investigations

Closes: Oct. 11 at 11:59 p.m. PT

KC Sheriff's Office seeking a highly trusted advisor to lead its Fire Investigation Unit. Position will lead a team of highly skilled Fire Investigators; Provide a coordinated fire safety program for the citizens of King County in conjunction with ATF and local fire districts; Manage fire investigation services and relationships with the cities that contract with King County, in addition to serving unincorporated King County, facilitating increased contracts and scaling operations accordingly; Strategically maintain, review, and ensure the accuracy of statistics, providing information in a manner that tells an effective story. Must have (or obtain with first year) Certified Fire Investigator status from IFSAC, IAAI or NAFI.

Learn more about this postion or view all available positions


King County Headlines

Proposed lease, development agreement marks progress for 232-unit affordable housing project at King County Metro Northgate site

Confirm your vaccination: A new requirement for many activities in King County

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.

Back issues of the newsletter

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