Public Health Human Resources: Employee Benefits

In addition to very competitive wages, Public Health - Seattle & King County provides a comprehensive package of benefits. As a regular, career service or ‘term-limited temporary’ (TLT) employee, you enjoy a broad program of benefits. Our benefits are competitive with those of other large organizations and are provided without an employee share of the premium. Yes, the cost of most benefits is paid entirely by the Public Health - Seattle & King County. There is no co-insurance premium and deductibles/maximum out of pocket is relatively low.

Insurance Benefits
All full-time Career Service and TLT are eligible for participation in the following benefit plans after designated waiting periods:

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Short and Long Term Disability Insurance
Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts (Health Care and Dependent Care)

Paid holidays
We provide 10 observed holidays per year, and 2 personal days that are credited as vacation.

Vacation
We offer 12 - 30 vacation days per calendar year with accrual based on length of service; vacation accrues cannot be taken for the first six months of employment.

Sick Leave
We offer up to eight hours per month sick leave with accrual based on number of hours in a pay status.

Family Medical Leave
In addition to federally mandated leave, King County has its own safety net for employees who need time off to tend to themselves or family members – KCFMLA.

Corporate responsibility programs
King County is proud to participate in programs that contribute to civic responsibility, including:

Meaningful Work to Benefit Others and Our Community
Jury Duty Pay
Strong Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy
Departmental Diversity Teams
Charitable Giving Campaigns
Employee Transportation - Benefit-eligible employees receive a free annual bus pass for use on or off the job. We provide discounted ferry passes, vanpool and carpool services, as well as a guaranteed, free ride home in certain situations.

Making Life Easier Programs
A variety of free and confidential services are available to benefit-eligible employees, their dependent family members (whether home or away) and anyone living in their household as well as laid off employees, surviving spouses or domestic partners of deceased employees. Services include:

Counseling and Referral
APS HelpLink Online Articles and Information
Credit and Legal Consultation
Mortgage Assistance
Child Care Resource and Referral
Mildly Sick Child Care
Adult and Elder Care

Alternate Dispute Resolution
Free and confidential services for solving workplace problems (e.g., conflict between groups and individuals) is available if needed.

Retirement Plans
Most employees in eligible positions must participate in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). You can learn more about these retirement systems at the PERS web site.

In addition, King County offers a voluntary supplemental retirement savings program (a 457 Deferred Compensation Plan) offering you a convenient way to build your savings for the future while enjoying immediate tax breaks. The County makes no contribution to this plan should you choose to participate in this program.

Bereavement Leave
Most employees can receive three paid days of bereavement leave a year due to the death of an immediate family member including domestic partners and their families.

Organ Donor Leave
Employee’s eligible for leave benefits may take up to five days paid leave to be a donor in a life-giving or life-saving procedure (for example, bone marrow transplants, kidney transplants and blood transfusions) without having other leave balances changed.

Transitional Duty Program
The Disability Services Unit of the Human Resources Division provides job accommodations consulting and job placement for medically separated King County employees and coordinates transitional duty assignments for employees with temporary medical restrictions.

Career Support Services
King County places a high value on the service of its workforce. If and when there is a need to reduce staffing in particular programs, Public Health - Seattle & King County takes every effort to redeploy employees within the department. The King County Layoff-Recall Program serves as a safety net and provides a variety of services to help find employment alternatives within the county as well as to explore other job opportunities.

Additional benefits include:

Uniform/Casual Dress for Most Positions
Qualification for King County Credit Union and Qualstar Credit Union Membership.
Union Representation for Most Positions
Direct Pay Deposit

The Fine Print on Benefits - For specific details on how different types of leave are prorated for less than full-time employees, when leave can be taken, pay and benefits coverage during leave, exceptions to the rules and other relevant information, please consult our union contracts, the King County Personnel Guidelines or Sections