Watch 2024 State of the County address today, June 11
King County Executive Dow Constantine will deliver his 2024 State of the County address during the King County Council meeting today at 2:30 p.m., and employees are invited to watch the address live from their workspaces.
You can watch Executive Constantine’s address streaming live on this webpage and on KCTV Channels 22 and 322 (HD). The Executive’s remarks will begin around 2:30 p.m.
Every year, during the State of the County address, Executive Constantine discusses the condition of our County and outlines his priorities to the people of King County.
Video and the text of the Executive’s address will be available soon after the event.
The State of the County address is a County-sponsored event and King County directors, managers, and supervisors are encouraged to permit employees to join, if possible. Employees should speak with their manager about HR policies regarding employee attendance and County-sponsored events.
Keeping KCCF orderly and fun: Ting Chou marks 25 years with King County
By Christina Lorella Kuzu, Communications Specialist with the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention
You can find Ting Chou at the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) every Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon, making sure officers and residents get what they need. From stocking supplies to fulfilling resident kites (a written request from a person in custody), his role as a records unit support clerk is important to jail operations.
Ting also makes it his unofficial duty to guarantee that coworkers don’t take themselves too seriously.
“We know when he’s NOT here,” Sergeant Todd Wheeler shared when describing Ting’s contagious personality and freewheeling sense of humor. Read more.
Pictured: Ting receiving the award for his 25 years of service from the County Executive on May 7, 2024.
|
June Mindfulness Classes on hold
During the month of June, Balanced You Mindfulness classes will be on hiatus. We value your feedback and will be taking all of the suggestions we received from employees and re-designing our curriculum. Stay tuned for exciting new classes, class times, and instructors! We apologize for the inconvenience, but it will be worth the wait!
|
King County helping families switch to clean energy, cut utility costs
Crossposted from Medium
King County Executive Dow Constantine recently announced the successful launch of the Energize program, giving more than 100 families access to efficient electric heat pumps for heating and cooling. The program covers 100% of costs for low-income households and 80% of costs for moderate-income households in Skyway and White Center.
King County also received $2.6 million in new funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce, allowing for expansion of the Energize program to serve in-home day cares and more households. This funding is part of the state’s Climate Commitment Act.
“As our region experiences more frequent and severe heat waves, we’re helping families transition to clean energy and lower energy costs so they can stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter,” said Executive Dow Constantine. Read more.
|
New, vibrant shelter murals reflect the strength of the AANHP community
Crossposted from Metro Matters
Three King County Metro bus stops in and around the Chinatown-International District now celebrate the American Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pasifika art of Metro employee Wan-Lin Tsou (she/her).
Tsou created her art as part of Metro’s celebration of American Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pasifika Heritage (AANHP) Month, traditionally observed in May. The art projects, all designed by Metro employees, also included a dramatic bus wrap by Vance Sakado celebrating his heritage, and a large multi-panel installation by Linh Hoang and Keiko Budech celebrating the love and hard work of AANHP mothers. Hear their stories in their own words in recent interviews. Read more.
|
What is post-traumatic stress disorder?
As we look beyond Mental Health Month, Balanced You encourages employees to continue learning about emotional well-being. In this spirit, employees are invited to join Balanced You for a Self-Care Webinar on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Join a discussion with Taylor Nguyen, Mental Health Therapist for Garden Counseling and Wellness Group; Chris Franco, Policy Lead for the Veterans and Military Affinity Group (VMAG); and Bryan Fry, Program Manager for the King County Veterans Program (KCVP).
PTSD is a condition that can be diagnosed and treated and should never be considered a sign of weakness. Learning to cope with symptoms of PTSD can be challenging, which is why seeking treatment and developing healthy ways of managing your symptoms is essential.
|
VMAG upcoming meeting June 26
The King County Veterans and Military Affinity Group (VMAG) will hold their monthly meeting June 26. This month’s meeting will feature a presentation by King County Elections on how they conduct secure, accurate, and accessible elections in King County for the nearly 1.4 million voters who live here, making sure their voices are heard. The meeting will be held on Teams and is open to all King County employees.
-
Wednesday, June 26 at noon on Microsoft Teams. To be added to the meeting invite send an email to vet.milag@kingcounty.gov.
|
Still using Classic Teams? Get ready to upgrade starting June 18
Microsoft has officially announced the end of Classic Teams. Starting June 18, King County employees still using Classic Teams will be automatically switched to the new version.
This change does not impact all employees; the majority have already upgraded to New Teams. Starting June 15, those who previously chose to remain on Classic Teams will see a banner notifying them of this upcoming change. To minimize disruptions, KCIT is releasing the update in waves. When installation is ready for an employee’s workstation, they will see a pop-up window; simply click the link to upgrade to New Teams.
Installation takes less than five minutes, but may require restarting employee’s computers. For more information, visit the Teams Client Upgrade page. Please report any issues to the IT Helpdesk.
|
Training Spotlights
Leader Learning Labs – Online – These Leader Learning Labs are facilitated forums for county leaders to practice core skills and dive deeper into Leadership Development and Equity, Racial and Social Justice topics. In this month’s Lab, users will get to practice using tools and exercises that harness the collective creativity of their team to solve problems and explore ways that a relational approach can impact decision making and problem solving. Please note, the course Equity and Leadership is a prerequisite. See available dates for that course here.
- Deep Listening for Better Relationships – We Respect All People and We Drive for Results – Tuesday, June 25, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Enroll here.
Leader Mindset – Online – This workshop 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.
Leading for Well-being – Online – Manager support is the most effective way to inspire well-being in the workplace. Workers who feel their employers prioritize workplace well-being are more engaged, more likely to stay, and more likely to recommend the company to others. Leading for Well-being is a live King County virtual workshop that provides leaders the skills needed to continue to integrate well-being and belonging as foundational pieces of their leadership for effective teams and a thriving workforce.
-
Thursday, July 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Enroll here.
Please visit our King County Eventbrite website, our Learning and Development website, and our Career Support Services 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.
Featured Job: Environmental Intern
Salary: $20.10 - $25.48 Hourly
Location: Seattle, WA
Job Type: Intern
Department: DNRP-Natural Resources & Parks
Opening Date: 05/20/2024
Closing Date: 6/16/2024 11:59 p.m.
The Solid Waste Division (SWD), Recycling and Environmental Services Section (RES) is recruiting for two dynamic Environmental Interns. Interns will support program planning, implementation, communications, research, and various tasks covering waste reduction, recycling, moderate risk wastes, green building, construction and demolition, equity and social justice, climate initiatives, and sustainability.
This is a paid internship. Student interns are not eligible for benefits but do receive a free transit (ORCA) pass. Generally, student interns begin at Step 1 of their pay range. Pay rates above Step 1 may be offered in certain circumstances based on the intern’s program of study, experience, and class standing. This position performs work remotely and onsite.
Learn about this position and view all available positions
King County Headlines
King County Parks: Improving playgrounds across King County
Metro Matters: Metro celebrates Pride month!
Cultivating Connections: Progress on King County’s Response to the Opioid Overdose Crisis
Public Health Insider: How I learned to harvest shellfish (Starting with checking the Shellfish Safety Map!)
Metro Matters: ORCA Card ahoy! Limited-edition cards celebrating King County Water Taxi available
|
