Employee News - June 2

A service of the King County Department of Human Resources

King County Employee News

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Highlights

June is LGBTQ month

Executive proclaims June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month

King County Executive Dow Constantine has proclaimed June 2022 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month.

King County is a leader in advancing equitable policies and practices based on sexualorientation and gender identity in the areas of marriage, employment, housing, public accommodations, and contracting. Click here to read the full proclamation. 


Covid test site 2

King County transitions COVID-19 testing sites to community partners 

Cross-posted from Public Health Insider

As announced earlier this month, Public Health – Seattle & King County is ending its operational oversight of itsTukwila, Federal Way and Auburn COVID-19 testing sites in the transition from COVID-19 emergency response to long-term prevention management.

Community partners will take over operation of these three sites in June, following a brief closure during the transition process. These sites will continue to provide free tests regardless of immigration or insurance status. Click here for more details.


Employee Spotlights

Performance Excellence Awards

Innovation Award for Sustainability honorees

The Innovation Award for Sustainability goes to the Department of Natural Resources and Parks/Water and Land Resources Division – Lones Levee Setback and Floodplain Restoration Project. 

The 1,600-foot-long Lones Levee on the Green River had fallen into disrepair and no longer provides adequate protection from flooding and erosion. The Water and Land Resources Division worked with landowners and tribes to build a new, stronger levee that restored functional floodplains, improved salmon and native fish habitats, and supports forests and greenspace. Click here to learn more and watch the video of the presentation. 

Each year, Executive Constantine holds the Performance Excellence Awards, which honor employees and workgroups at King County for their exceptional contributions to performance, leadership, and innovation. These leaders embody the Executive Branch values and strive to reach our True North: Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive.


Announcements

Peoplesoft update

PeopleSoft temporary outage begins Friday, June 3 at 3 p.m.

An update to PeopleSoft will bring a new look and feel to the site. To accommodate this change, PeopleSoft maintenance work will begin on Friday, June 3 at 3 p.m. It is scheduled to be completed by 6:30 a.m. on Monday, June 6.

The PeopleSoft system will not be available for access by any County staff during this outage window. There will be a communication sent out to all County staff when the system becomes available.

When you login to PeopleSoft on Monday, June 6, you will notice the new design with a new homepage color scheme, more race and gender-neutral tile icons, and updated navigation.

To get a sneak peek, check out this video for updated ways to navigate and review this helpful training document to learn more about the new changes. For other PeopleSoft resources, visit the PeopleSoft Knowledge Center.

If you experience any technical issues after the update, please submit a help ticket: https://helpdesk.kingcounty.gov.


yoga meditation dog

Mindfulness Classes

Introduction to Mindfulness: Simple mindfulness practices to use at work and home in this hands-on workshop.

Mindful Leadership: Learn how mindfulness can help you become a more effective and compassionate leader.

Emotional Resilience: Feeling overwhelmed? Worn down by serving others? Do you need in-the-moment tools to decrease stress? By cultivating mindfulness and compassion, know our emotions more fully, respond to strong emotions more wisely, and cultivate and strengthen positive emotions – all of which builds resilience.

See the full mindfulness class schedule here.


Core exercise

Virtual Core Conditioning class

King County employees are invited to join Balanced You and Vivecorp for virtual, free Core Conditioning. During the class, you will work the entire body using power, strength, and stabilization exercises like woodchops, planks, and glute bridges. This class is perfect for combatting the effects of sitting at a desk or doing repetitive motions all day. 

  • Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m

Heavy floor work with minimal jumping is involved. Exercises in these classes are taught at an intermediate level with variations suitable for all fitness levels available. To register for Core Conditioning or see a list of classes, visit https://www.vivecorp.com/balancedyou.


mental health

Mental Health First Aid@Work 2022 schedule

Back by popular demand, Balanced You will offer Mental Health First Aid@Work trainings in 2022.

Mental Health First Aid@Work is designed for all audiences and covers how to: 

  • Identify the impact of mental health challenges and recovery on the well-being of adults in the workplace. 
  • Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges and how they impact the workplace. 
  • Explain and practice the five-step Mental Health First Aid Action Plan (ALGEE). 
  • Discuss appropriate methods of self-care for individuals in the workplace. 

View full training schedule here, and sign up for an upcoming training:


MS Teams Webinar

Tech Tip: Teams Webinar now available

Microsoft Teams can now host webinars. New event registration capabilities allow you to collect data about attendees, contact attendees, and send surveys. Teams will even take attendance.

Teams Webinar is now available for all King County employees. Get started with this easy guide. For a complete list of Teams features and additional training videos, visit the MS Teams Conferencing Solutions page.

For assistance, Executive Branch employees can LiveChat with the KCIT Helpdesk. Employees in separately-elected agencies should contact your department IT support.


POTW Charlie Bucket

Pet of the Week: Charlie Bucket

Hi, I am Charlie Bucket, a two-year-old male that may just turn out to be your golden ticket! I am a spirited cat with a fun-loving personality! I may be sensitive to handling, so I would do best in a home with a cat-savvy family who knows when to give me some space. Also, I do not tend to get along with other cats.

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 returned to walk-in services. Learn more about the adoption process on our website. If you have more questions, you can contact RASKC by phone at 206-296-PETS (7387) or email pets@kingcounty.gov


logo

Featured Job: Senior Human Resource Analyst

Salary: $43.65 - $55.33/Hr

Location: Seattle, WA

Job Type: Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temp (TLT)

Department: DPH - Public Health

Job Number: 2022JKD22677

Division: Administrative Services

Closes: Sunday, June 12 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time

As a Senior Human Resource Analyst, you will lead a dynamic group of professionals as we partner with divisions and contribute to Public Health’s mission of eliminating health inequities and maximizing opportunities for every person to achieve optimal health.

Learn more about this position and view all available King County positions


King County Headlines

Sound Transit: Board adopts updated fare compliance approaches, lowering ORCA LIFT fare and extending subsidized pass and ambassador programs

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.