Seattle/King County Health Dept. - Staff

Click here for the new MOA about the biweekly payroll system. 

The nurses have voted not to retain VEBA benefits for the year 2012. As a reminder, you are able to use your VEBA funds now for qualified medical expenses. If you have not yet opened your VEBA account, please obtain an application at Benefits in the King County Administration Building. As a courtesy, King County has been holding this money for nurses who have not opened an account. They will not do so indefinitely and you risk losing your money. 

For questions, please call Hanna Welander, WSNA Nurse Rep (206) 575-7979, Ext. 3035, or email hwelander@wsna.org.

Happy Nurses Week!

You may have heard of or seen a new Attendance Management Policy.  WSNA does not agree with this policy and we gave official notice to the County.  We continue to reserve our right to grieve any discipline that ensues from this policy.  The County requested that WSNA sit down with them and hammer out the details of this policy—we refused.  WSNA does not believe that it is in your best interests to give the County ways to discipline our members.  As a bargaining unit member, you are covered by the Just Cause provisions of your contract.

Use of work computers:  Please do not use your work email for personal or union reasons unless it is to set up meetings.  You may also send or disseminate notices that you receive from the County to your union rep.  Your County email is not private and can be read at any time by your manager or supervisor.  Beware, beware!  Also, please remember that what you write in an email can never be retracted.  Email can be misinterpreted and used against you.  Also, think twice before you “reply all.”  If you have to respond to something difficult, write the email.  Don’t send it but close it and it will be saved as a draft.  Then you can look at it again the next day. 

If you have any questions, please let me know. 
Hanna Welander, BSN RN, WSNA Nurse Representative - hwelander@wsna.org

WAGE REOPENER RATIFIED: The bargaining unit has ratified the contract provision called a wage reopener for the year 2011. What this means is that the bargaining unit agrees that they will not take an across-the-board wage increase for this year. When your Local Unit Officers and WSNA staff met with the County, we were not able to get the County to agree to increase the 2011 wages in this economic climate. 

VEBA Vote: In 2009, the bargaining unit voted to accept VEBA. A few of your members have requested that WSNA re-vote it this year. The ballots will be going out the week of April 18, so please look for them and get them back to us by the deadline. Please be aware that WSNA has no vested interest in whether you select VEBA or not. WSNA also will not be able to provide information about VEBA because it is the County’s responsibility to explain their benefits. All of the unions in King County have been tasked with only holding the vote. There is also information on the County website about VEBA which includes contact numbers if you have questions.   

Change in Nurse Representative: Hanna Welander, BSN RN is returning as your Nurse Representative. She can be reached by phone at (206) 575-7979, Ext. 3035 or by email hwelander@wsna.org. 

Need help or have a question? Please call Hanna. 

Hanna Welander,BSN RN
WSNA Nurse Representative, Extension 3035
(206) 575-7979
(800) 231-8482
FAX: (206) 575-1908

Congratulations! On January 14, 2011, King County Superior Court Judge Sharon Armstrong granted WSNA's motion for a permanent injunction ordering King County not to disclose the full names of Jail Health Services Nurses to inmate Joel Zellmer pursuant to his request under the Public Records Act.

This decision sets an important precedent, giving jail nurses an important protection from harassment by inmates.

WSNA is here for you!

On June 28, 2010, your Local Unit Officers and WSNA Nurse Representative met with PH administration to discuss the Alternative Work Schedule Memorandum of Understanding that was negotiated in the last contract.  This meeting was to discuss what information would be helpful to WSNA in order to review and prepare for the outcome meetings in the North and South sectors this autumn.

Your officers have prepared some resources for you in the event that you wish to apply for an alternative work schedule.

• awsagreementKC (Word .doc format)
• Directions for Applying for an Alternative Work Schedule (Word .doc format)
• SampleAWAAppeal (Word .doc format)

In order to best communicate with you, we are requesting that you send us your HOME email address as soon as possible.  The goal is to have everyone's email on file.  If you do not have home email, we can, upon request, assist you in setting up a free home email account that you can access on the internet.  Please send your HOME email addresses to: Heather Worbets, BSN RN, WSNA Nurse Representative at hworbets@wsna.org