Employee News - Nov. 14, 2023

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

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King County Employee News

Nov. 14, 2023

Highlights

Finish your Benefits Open Enrollment by midnight Wednesday, Nov. 15

Open Enrollment 2023 banner

If you haven’t already completed Open Enrollment, be sure to go in to PeopleSoft and finish up before midnight tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 15. Don’t miss your opportunity to put the right benefit options in place for you and your family next year. For information about your benefit choices — and what’s changing next year — go to the Open Enrollment website.

If you don’t participate in Open Enrollment, your current elections continue automatically for next year except your Flexible Spending Accounts and your Benefit Access Fee exemption if you cover a spouse on your KingCare PPO medical plan — these must be selected each year.

Last-minute help is available

The Benefits team is available to help you complete Open Enrollment in PeopleSoft from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

Go to PeopleSoft

The PeopleSoft Open Enrollment tool is mobile-friendly, so you can complete Open Enrollment from anywhere using your smart phone or tablet.

Go to PeopleSoft now!

Log in and select the Open Enrollment tile. Make your selections then use the Submit Enrollment button by 11:59 p.m., Nov. 15. For help with PeopleSoft, call the IT Service Center at 206-263-4357.

 


Teenagers

Annual Giving Drive Ends Friday, Nov. 17

We are in the final week of the Employee Giving Program’s (EGP) Annual Giving Drive. Over 1,100 employees have participated, and we have raised over $1 million to date. We are on pace to beat last year’s total contributions! We encourage everyone to set aside 10 minutes this week to support their favorite nonprofit.

Friday, Nov. 17 is the last day of the drive so be sure to participate this week. As a reminder, this a firm deadline for time donations.

The last week of the Annual Giving Drive is a perfect way to celebrate World Kindness Week. Many local area schools are celebrating World Kindness Week by focusing on anti-bullying curriculum. We are highlighting EGP nonprofits that work with schools and focus on education enrichment and services for students. Read more.

You can find more EGP participating nonprofit organizations online or in the 2023 King County EGP Nonprofit Giving Guide.

You can make your campaign pledge here. Pledge today!  


Customer Service window King Street

Customer Service Center earning rave reviews in first six months

Cross-posted from DES Express

In its first six months of operation, the new Customer Service Center at the King Street Center has served more than 34,000 customers, earning rave reviews!

Of the more than 3,500 customers who completed a survey after their visit, 87 percent were either “Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied.” Read more.


Employee Spotlights

Tim Hams

Introducing Tim Hams: Five questions for the Employee Transportation Program Manager

Whether it's by bike, bus, or boat, the King County Employee Transportation Program (ETP) helps get you to and from work with a variety of resources while saving you money with your employee ID/ORCA card.

KCEmployees.com recently spoke to Tim Hams, the new ETP Manager and asked five questions to get to know him a little better. Read more.


Announcements

Walking Bus

New departure times and flyer for Walking Bus pilot program

King County’s employee “Walking Bus” pilot program now offers five afternoon departures times from the King County Courthouse to King Street Station and Colman Dock via the Pioneer Square light rail station.  

In this pilot phase, which started Monday, Nov. 6, King County employees can join their colleagues and a Facilities Management Division (FMD) Security Escort each weekday evening walking from the Third Avenue entrance of the King County Courthouse to the King Street Station and Colman Dock via a stop at the Pioneer Square light rail station entrance at Jefferson Street and Yesler Way. 

Download this flyer for routes and departure times and learn more here.


Admin Pro logo

Administrative Professional Partners networking event, Nov. 28

Join the Administrative Professional Partners (APP) for coffee at noon. All administrative professionals are welcome, not just those based out of Chinook. This is an opportunity to meet admins from other departments and divisions to build connections. 

The APP Committee will provide light snacks and refreshments. You're also invited to bring something to share.

  • Tuesday, Nov. 28 from noon to 1 p.m. in Chinook conference room 126 (next to Diva Espresso)

In December, we will host a social at Zeitgeist Coffee/King Street Center. Stay tuned for the next announcement.


True North and Values

Reminder of required training: We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at work

To reach our True North – a welcoming community where every person can thrive – we must achieve racial justice. “We Are Racially Just” is a core value of King County. Through personal testimonies from King County employees, the We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at Work eLearning course explores what it means to be racially just and helps to familiarize employees with King County’s Pro-Equity and Anti-Racist actions and identify behaviors that can support these actions at work. This training helps to ensure that each of us understands what it means to be racially just and what we can do in our own work to advance racial justice at King County.

If taking this eLearning is still on your NEOGOV To Do list, employees who have regular computer access at work should complete the eLearning by Dec. 31, 2023. Those without regular computer access have until Sept. 30, 2024.

This NEOGOV eLearning can be accessed here: We Are Racially Just: Our King County Values at Work. Thank you again to everyone involved in creating a welcoming community at King County where every person can thrive.


sick child

Preparing for respiratory virus season: Tips to prevent serious illness from COVID-19, RSV, and Flu

Cross-posted from Public Health Insider

Last fall we saw many respiratory virus infections and hospitalizations, including SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and influenza virus (flu).

We anticipate an increase in respiratory viral activity in the coming months, especially as people gather indoors in cold weather and people travel for the holidays. Public health Insider has some prevention steps you can take to help avoid getting ill. Read more.


flying bat zoonotics

Featured Job: Public Health Veterinarian - Zoonotic Disease Branch Manager

Salary: $128,523.20 - $162,926.40 Annually

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

Department: Health

Job Number: 2023SD19704

Division: Prevention

Closes: continuous

The Public Health Veterinarian (PHV) Zoonotic Disease Branch Manager will provide clinical and technical expertise and leadership in: veterinary public health; communicable disease epidemiology related to zoonotic, vectorborne, and emerging infectious diseases; and environmental health issues related to conditions that impact animals and people (for example, managing interventions for animals and pet-related businesses to prevent and control zoonotic spread of diseases). 

Learn about this position and view all available positions.


King County Headlines

County first-responders to study cardiac-arrest interventions - Cross-posted from Public Health Insider

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.

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