New year, new opportunities for sustainabilty
Cross-posted from Keeping King County Green
A fresh start to the new year signals the beginning of something new to try to better ourselves. Why not make 2023 the year of showing up for the planet and committing to an eco-friendly action?
For tips on setting attainable eco-friendly goals for 2023, read more.
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Professional Development Scholarship launches Monday, Jan. 9
The first application period for the Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship Program is open Jan. 9 through Feb. 5, 2023. The Scholarship Program is a benefit offered as part of the 2022 – 2024 Coalition Labor Agreement (CLA) and is only open to employees represented by one of the unions in the Coalition.
The Scholarship Program is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist eligible employees with their professional development by providing up to $3,000 in financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications.
Please visit the scholarship website for additional eligibility requirements and to learn more about the program.
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Thanking Metro Transit Police Chief Jose Marenco
Cross-posted from Metro Matters
Metro Transit Police Chief Jose Marenco has provided exemplary service to the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) for 24 years and to the Snoqualmie Police Department for two years prior to that.
Since October 2020, Jose has been King County Metro’s friend and partner as Chief of Metro Transit Police. Metro is tremendously grateful for his outstanding work on behalf of Metro’s employees, riders, and community members. In recognition, KCSO recently promoted Jose to Chief of the Patrol Operations Division. Read more.
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Seven mental health benefits of volunteering
One way to feel more fulfilled in your life is to give your time to causes you care about. Volunteering can improve your mental health in many ways.
To learn how you can use up to three sick days per year to volunteer, click here.
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These conditions can lead to long-term mental and physical health complications. Fortunately, steps can be taken to recover from compassion fatigue and burnout, and to develop resiliency to carry us through. Read more.
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Security Tips - Lock Your Screen
Locking your screen when you get up from your desk is a security action that is often overlooked and can have dangerous consequences. Failing to lock your screen can open you up to several vulnerabilities - some more serious than others.
Although many organizations have a policy which automatically locks your screen with a screen saver after a certain amount of inactivity, not all screen savers are password-protected, leaving your workstation defenseless.
Here are a few actions the bad guys can do when you leave your workstation unlocked and unattended:
- Files can be downloaded from the internet and executed on your computers, such as malware, spyware, keyloggers, and other types of malicious software.
- Emails can be sent from your email address to coworkers, your boss, or other business contacts.
- If you save passwords in your browser (another no-no), they now have access to your online banking, Facebook, and other accounts.
Locking your workstation before you get up from your desk is simple and can prevent you from ending up in a bad situation. For tips on how to lock your workstation, read more.
Microsoft Office Hours monthly webinar about task management
Task management with Microsoft Planner and ToDo webinar: Our Microsoft guest speaker will demonstrate these helpful software tools and answer your questions. KCIT’s Microsoft Office Hours webinar series is a monthly event that is free to all King County employees.
Watch the video - How to make org charts with Delve or Visio Watch the recording of KCIT’s recent webinar Creating Org Charts to learn two easy software solutions! Delve automatically creates employee/manager “reporting structure” org charts using your Microsoft account data, or use Visio to manually build a static org chart that shows functional work groups.
Get Movin' with Balanced You
Join Balanced You every other Wednesday for virtual exercise sessions with certified trainers. These 30-minute move breaks are free and virtual so you can tap in from anywhere. Each session will be different ranging from yoga and stretching to cardio and strength training.
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Register now for upcoming retirement classes
Check out the following educational opportunities to help you prepare for retirement. These online classes are provided by your King County Retirement Team.
Road to Retirement: 90-minute class designed for employees who are planning to retire from King County in the next six months. It covers procedures, forms, medical coverage options, and pension plans—so you’ll be on a smooth road toward a happy retirement. Multiple sessions through February are available:
Medicare 101: For people approaching Medicare age who want to learn about options as a King County employee. Guest speaker Jean Cormier discusses Medicare basics. In addition, Jenny Stark from Regence BlueShield and Hannah Bachelder from Kaiser Permanente will discuss their Medicare Advantage plan options.
Registration is required. Use the registration links above, then select the date you’d like to attend. Before classes start, you’ll receive a meeting invitation at the email address you register with. Please note, attendance at retirement classes is strictly voluntary, on your own time, and non-work related.
For additional information, visit the King County Retirement page, refer to the Retirement Guide, or contact King County Retirement Navigator Carmen Johnson.
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Pet of the Week: Orca
HI, I'm Orca and I'm looking for a forever home! I'm a one-year-old male, Dutch Shepherd mix weighing in at a little over 60 pounds. I'm full of energy and love to play!
You can find out more about me and my other friends on our website at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Note that Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) has moved back to walk-in services. Find out more information about our adoption process on our website. 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: Facilities Electrician Chief- Rail
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