Metro Vanpool – a flexible, convenient, enjoyable commute
Whether you’re traveling to your worksite full-time or working a hybrid schedule, King County Metro Vanpool can save you time and money, and improve your commute.
Best of all, the Employee Transportation Program (ETP) covers everything – the van, gas, tolls, insurance, emergency ride home and more – so you pay nothing out-of-pocket. Read more.
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Executive announces new actions to rapidly reduce countywide greenhouse gas emissions
King County Executive Dow Constantine’s proposed budget includes actions to decrease countywide greenhouse gas emissions at a faster pace as an analysis of the Puget Sound region shows an urgent need for collective action to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
A first-of-its-kind analysis led by King County found that greenhouse gas emissions per person have decreased as the result of more energy efficient vehicles and buildings, but total emissions have increased as the population has grown. Read more.
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Safety training classes are essential to success…and to save lives
King County trainers Tammy Harris and Karen Bert teach a variety of safety training courses for employees, ranging from forklift safety to defensive driving to emergency evacuation floor warden.
Some courses are required before an employee can begin a job, such as traffic control flagging, but others can be taken by almost any employee. The most popular of these courses available to employees is CPR and first aid training. And as experience has shown, it saves lives. Read more.
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Employee Giving Program Nonprofit Expo Series: Youth Development
The 2022 Employee Giving Program is underway and the virtual Nonprofit Expo Series is every Wednesday through Nov.16.
The next session will be for organizations focused on youth development with representatives from Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center, Living Voices, Unleash the Brilliance, and Pongo Poetry Project. Read more.
Join the Employee Giving Program via Teams to learn about nonprofits engaged in the work you care about.
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Test of KCInform employee alert and warning system on Oct. 20
King County will conduct a test of KCInform, King County’s employee alert and warning system, on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 9 a.m. as part of the annual Great Washington ShakeOut drill to test earthquake preparedness. Read more.
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Disability Awareness and Inclusion Lunch and Learn
Join us for King County’s Disability Employment Awareness Month education series surrounding disability awareness and inclusion This event provides ways to think about how you can make simple changes in your communication to be more inclusive for employees and community members with disabilities. The program is co-sponsored by the Office of Equity and Social Justice and the King Coutny Disability Awareness Month Committee. All employees are welcome to participate and learn:
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Boost your knowledge and social awareness
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Discover ways you can communicate to promote inclusion in the workplace
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Learn appropriate vocabulary, communication, and interaction
Accommodations: This will be a Zoom event with live captioning and ASL interpreting. If you have any requests for reasonable accommodation considerations, please contact KC Disability Services, disabilityservices@kingcounty.gov. No passcode or registration is required.
- Thursday, Oct. 27 from noon to 1 p.m. Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 893 3072 0581
- One tap mobile: US: +12532158782,,89330720581# or +17193594580,,89330720581#
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Do you qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program?
As a King County employee, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The U.S. Department of Education is allowing a one-time exception to give borrowers credit for payments that may not have qualified in the past for forgiveness.
Please forward your application form to your department payroll representatives for verification. The deadline for submission is Monday, Oct. 31, 2022.
Please note, PSLF is different from the one-time student loan debt relief of up to $20,000. PSLF is a program for people who work in public service in federal, state, tribal, or local government, or for a non-profit organization. Go to Public Service Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid for more information.
Annual Cybersecurity Training required for all King County employees
Cybersecurity Training is an important safeguard that protects King County systems, and the number of employees who complete training each year impacts our insurance rates.
When your training is assigned, you will receive an email from kc-knowbe4@kingcounty.gov with a direct link to your required training modules. If you can’t find the email, check your Junk folder or login with your work email here.
All employees must complete annual Cybersecurity Training by Dec. 31, 2022 unless your agency has specified a different deadline. Thank you for doing your part to protect King County. Read more.
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Cross-posted from Executive Services Express
King County placed sixth in the 2022 NAFA Fleet Management Association’s Green Fleet Awards Competition. NAFA is the industry’s largest membership association for those who manage the vehicular fleet and mobility responsibilities for their employers.
The Green Fleet Awards recognizes government and commercial fleets in North America that implement innovative programs designed to minimize the negative environmental impacts of their fleet operations. Read more.
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7 Mental Health Benefits of Volunteering
The Annual Giving Drive is underway and King County employees have until Nov. 18 to fundraise for causes they are passionate about. But did you know that you can give back all year? You can use up to three sick days per calendar year to volunteer at a nonprofit in the Employee Giving Program.
Besides providing necessary support to an organization, volunteering for a cause you are passionate about can improve your own mental health and help you feel good. Read through the 7 Mental Health Benefits of Volunteering, including stress reduction, confidence building, and preventing isolation.
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Training Spotlight:
Certificate in Grantwriting – Online – The world of grant-seeking is becoming more competitive. Gain the skills to become a successful grant writer either as the head of an organization, program manager or as a fund developer. Learn a series of key skills related to project design, development and persuasive writing skills. Topics include prospect research and development, formulating goals and outcomes, preparing a project work plan and timeline, budgeting your project, editing for persuasive communications and more. The course is eight sessions and the fee is $549.
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.
Security Tip: "Safe" email attachments
You may already be aware that you should not open email attachments with an extension such as ".exe", but did you know that even PDFs or Word Documents can be rendered unsafe to open? Opening these attachments from senders with malicious intent can cause your computer (and any networks to which you are connected) to be compromised, hacked or even riddled with ransomware.
What are the unsafe file types to look out for? This question is better answered by listing file types that are generally considered to be safe to open. The truth is that almost all file types are at risk of being “booby-trapped” to attack your computer or device.
The general rule is to NEVER open an email attachment if you do not know who it came from or why you received it.
How can I tell if an attachment is safe to open?
- Ask yourself: Was I expecting to receive this attachment, and did it come from who I would expect it to come from? Check email addresses for any “red flags” that may indicate the email address has been spoofed or faked.
- Never open an email attachment if you don’t recognize the sender that it came from.
- If you recognize the person or email address sending you the file, but it was still unexpected, contact them first through a different form of communication (such as by phone) to ask them if they intended to send you the file.
If you have questions or concerns, reach out to kcitcsat@kingcounty.gov.
Pet of the Week: Joko
Hi, I'm Joko, a two-year-old male German Shepherd mix looking for a new home. I'm affectionate, but independent. I probably shouldn't be in a home with children and I do not like cats!
You can find out more about me and my other friends on our website at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Note that RASKC has moved back to walk-in services. You can find out more information about our adoption process on our website as well. If you have more questions, contact RASKC via phone at 206-296-7387 (PETS) or email pets@kingcounty.gov.
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Featured Job: Social Worker (Regional Mental Health Court)
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King County Headlines
Executive Constantine announces launch of new Best Starts Child Care Subsidy – applications open now
Public Health Insider: Free Eye Exams and Glasses at Seattle/King County Clinic
Keeping King County Green: Using plant breeding and preservation to increase access to plant variants
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