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Coronavirus

Important information for King County employees

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine helps protect yourself and your family, friends, and co-workers, especially those who may be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19. All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19 and have been studied in clinical trials with large and diverse groups of people, of various ages, races, and ethnicities.

Use the resources on this page to understand how and where to get a vaccine shot, and answer your questions about the vaccine. You’ll always find the latest vaccine information at kingcounty.gov/vaccine.

Anyone age 5 and over is eligible to get vaccinated. All King County employees required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, 2021. 

Everyone ages 12 and older should get a booster dose:

  • 5 months after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna (note: ages 12-17 can only get Pfizer)
  • 2 months after one dose of J&J.

The Pfizer or Moderna vaccines are recommended over J&J for both initial and booster vaccinations.

Key dates vaccine requirement
August 9, 2021: All employees are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, 2021 Employees must have had second shot of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or first shot of Johnson & Johnson, by Oct. 4, 2021.
 View the announcement.
August 16, 2021: Updated mask requirements: All employees and visitors must wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
 View the announcement
King County employees should not have to pay anything for a COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of where they get it. Because obtaining the vaccination is mandatory, employees will be paid for the time spent getting the COVID-19 vaccine. This includes travel time to and from the vaccination site.
COVID-19 Vaccine



Engaged telecommuting



Health and Benefits



Wearing cloth masks 


All people are required to wear masks when indoors in all King County buildings, facilities, structures, and vehicles, effective Tuesday, August 17. The directive applies to employees and all persons entering county facilities including all members of the public, contractors, volunteers, and others entering county facilities. 

  • If you are working indoors or in an enclosed space with others (for example, multiple people in a vehicle) you must wear a mask whether or not you have been fully vaccinated.
  • If you are working outdoors, regardless of vaccine status, you may only remove your mask when you are working at least six feet from others.
  • Some employees are required to wear masks at all times while working under the state and CDC guidance due to the nature of their work. This includes employees in correctional facilities, homeless shelters, schools, public transportation, long-term care, and healthcare settings.

Providing acceptable proof of vaccination


Employees can provide acceptable proof of vaccination by showing photos, copies, or actual vaccination cards, or a copy of their state vaccine data record or other verified medical record, to their HR Manager or designated department representatives or via the COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration. 

Departments will not keep copies of vaccination cards; however, they will record that the employee has been vaccinated, which vaccination was received, and the date of last vaccination. To have their vaccination status verified, employees can:

  • Initiate the COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration process through their NEOGOV Dashboard (click on Dashboard > Forms > COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration) and attaching a copy of an official document (see list below), OR
  • Show one of the following to an HR professional or other designated department representative:
  • your actual vaccination card, or a photo or a copy of it,
  • a copy of your state vaccine record, or
  • a verified medical record.

Vaccine guidance


All King County Executive branch employees must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, 2021. King County is hosting several COVID-19 vaccination clinics open to all employees and their families, with vaccinator partners Discovery Health and Pliable. To meet this requirement, employees must receive their second shot of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or single shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, and provide verified proof of vaccination as soon as they receive their final vaccination. All three vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) will be available at the employee vaccination clinics.


Anyone age 5 and over is eligible to get vaccinated. Anyone age 18 and older can now get a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine if enough time has passed since their initial vaccination:

  • 6 months since second dose of Pfizer or Moderna
  • 2 months since one dose of Johnson & Johnson (J&J).

At-home COVID-19 tests FAQs

Up to eight at-home tests per person are covered by your medical plan per month. This means a family of four people who are covered by the medical plan can get up to 32 tests per month. The limit is for coverage of at-home, over-the-counter tests only, and does not apply to tests ordered by a health care provider or tests provided by a community testing site.
The amount for reimbursement under the health plans is expected to be limited to $12 per test or $24 for a package that includes two tests. No deductibles or copays will be charged.
With the current surge of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, demand for testing is extremely high and at-home tests may be in short supply at this time. Read Guidance from Public Health – Seattle & King County about the different types of tests, when you may need one, and what to do if you can’t find a test. Do not go to the emergency department or urgent care clinics for COVID-19 testing.
No, President Biden announced on Jan. 14 that starting Jan. 19, every household in the United States can order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. Visit www.COVIDtests.gov to order your tests. These tests are being provided by the federal government and are in addition to what will be covered under your medical plan.

For SmartCare (Kaiser Permanente) members:

Mail a Member Reimbursement Form and your receipt(s) to Kaiser Permanente. Visit Kaiser’s COVID-19 testing web page for up-to-date information. You can also schedule an in-person COVID-19 test at a Kaiser Permanente facility, if medically appropriate.

For KingCare and KingCare Select (Regence/CVS) members:

CVS, the pharmacy benefit manager for Regence plans, is currently developing its process with network pharmacies to directly bill CVS for at-home COVID-19 tests, but it’s not complete. If your local pharmacy has COVID-19 tests available, you may be able to get them at no cost. If the pharmacy can’t direct bill, you’ll need to buy the test and submit a claim for reimbursement to CVS online or through the CVS app. If you need help, call CVS at 800-552-8159. Have your CVS member ID card handy. The King County group ID number is 0385.


For more information, go to How to get your At-Home Over-The-Counter COVID-19 Test for Free. More information will be shared with employees as it becomes available.

COVID-19 FAQs

Please stay home if you are sick, and let your supervisor know if you have concerns about your paid leave balances.


You can telework, if appropriate in your role, or use accrued or donated leave.


King County's mask mandate for employees was updated July 27, 2021 and sets out requirements for employees working inside and outside.

Get accurate information from the CDC website, and/or the King County Public Health website.  Also consider contacting the King County Employee Assistance Program.


Misinformation about coronavirus can create fear and hostility that hurts people and makes it harder to keep everyone healthy. We’re stronger as a community when we stand together against discrimination. Take advantage of these resources to prevent, interrupt, and respond to stigma. Find out how.


This guidance applies to Executive Branch employees. Employees in other branches of County government (definitions below) are advised to confirm policy questions with their human resources staff and leadership.

Executive Branch departments: Department of Assessments, Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, Department of Executive Services, Department of Community and Human Services, Department of Human Resources, Department of Judicial Administration, Department of Local Services, Metro Transit Department, Department of Natural Resources and Park, Department of Public Defense, Department of Public Health, Executive Department, King County Elections, King County Sheriff’s Office (The King County Sheriff’s Office is administered by the King County Sheriff).

Other branches of County government: District Court, King County Council, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Superior Court.

Telecommuting FAQs

On May 9, 2021 King County Executive Dow Constantine announced that he will not extend mandatory telecommuting for Executive Branch employees currently telecommuting beyond Monday, July 5, 2021. This is the first step in the gradual transition to our post-pandemic Future of Work model for delivering services. Leaders at the King County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Assessments are also ending mandatory telecommuting for their employees on July 5, where applicable. King County Elections and the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will continue with mandatory telework where applicable beyond July 5 and will provide additional guidance to their employees. Employees in King County Council, Superior Court, and District Court should continue to follow the guidance from their leaders. View the announcement here.

  • Executive Branch departments: Department of Assessments, Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, Department of Executive Services, Department of Community and Human Services, Department of Human Resources, Department of Judicial Administration, Department of Local Services, Metro Transit Department, Department of Natural Resources and Park, Department of Public Defense, Department of Public Health, Executive Department, King County Elections, King County Sheriff’s Office (The King County Sheriff’s Office is administered by the King County Sheriff).

    Other branches of County government: District Court, King County Council, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Superior Court.

Employees are permitted to telecommute with children in the home. The expectation of productive work remains. Get some tips in this Balanced You article on Telecommuting with children at home.

If you are currently telecommuting, please continue to telecommute unless advised otherwise by your department leadership. If you believe you have a specific need to return to your worksite, please discuss this with your supervisor who can work with leadership on your request.

A designated work area is recommended for teleworking, and can mean fewer distractions or interruptions. Think about your space at home and how you might make the most of it to successfully telecommute. If you feel you cannot successfully perform work outside of the workplace, please contact your supervisor to discuss options.

It can be challenging to maintain good ergonomic practices when working away from the office. Review these tips for good ergonomic practices when working from home by King County Safety and Claims. Check out this safety checklist provided by www.telework.gov for working from home. You may request an ergonomic evaluation and find more resources on the Safety and Claims Ergonomic evaluation webpage.

With many employees telecommuting at this time in line with the County’s guidance, employees are permitted to take home laptop peripheral equipment, including monitors, to help them continue to be productive during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Employees must receive supervisor approval prior to taking peripheral equipment home, such as a monitor, mouse, or other devices. Supervisors should keep a record of any equipment that is being taken home. Departments are responsible for keeping an inventory of equipment taken home. (Note: this applies to Executive Branch employees. Employees in separately elected agencies should check with their IT staff).

Employees who need assistance in the setup of peripheral equipment should contact the KCIT helpdesk at https://helpdesk.kingcounty.gov/ to live chat with an agent or submit a ticket, or call 206-263-4357 (3-HELP).

 

King County offers a comprehensive telecommuting resources webpage to help employees stay connected and engaged while telecommuting. Employees can also review Balanced You’s Self-care for telecommuters during the COVID-19 pandemic as a resource.

KCIT has produced a comprehensive Telework Resources website to help you with technology tools and resources.


If you want to continue to telecommute, but have been instructed to plan to return to the workplace, please discuss this with your supervisor who can work with leadership on your request. The County’s approach on telecommuting will be evaluated periodically and decisions will be guided by operational need and public health advice.

Contact information

  • If you are in King County and believe you were exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, or if you're a healthcare provider with questions about COVID-19, contact our novel coronavirus call center: 206-477-3977.
  • The call center will be open daily from 8 AM to 7 PM PST.
  • For general questions about COVID-19 or Washington State's response, please call the Washington State Novel Coronavirus Call Center at 800-525-0127.
  • If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, call your healthcare provider. Isolate yourself and wear a mask before leaving the house. Do not go to the emergency room. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs.

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