Weekly Insights

The WakeWise Wellness program is now underway. A special edition of Insights is in the works, devoted solely to your health. The special edition will have articles on our new health insurance plans, information on how to get the incentives offered in our new plans and instructions on how to complete a Health Risk Assessment.

The Wellness Edition of Insights is expected to come out next week.

Excellence in Public Service Awards

Do you know of colleagues that have gone the extra mile to serve the citizens of Wake County? Now is the time to recognize these dedicated employees by nominating them for the Garland H. Jones Excellence in Public Service Award. The nomination database will be open until February 29, 2008. Check your Lotus Notes inbox for an email with the link to the nomination database.

Posters on the News: We All Live in a Watershed

Tune in to WRAL's 6 p.m. news every night this week to see "We All Live in a Watershed" posters, created by Wake County students. The posters featured on the news were selected as the best researched and artistically rendered entries in the “We All Live in a Watershed Poster” contest.

The winners were also recognized at the Annual Conservation Awards Banquet, sponsored by Wake Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with the Wake County Commissioners in December, 2007.

Animals from the Wake County Animal Shelter will star in public service announcements (PSA) on CW 22 and MyRDC 28. Wake County staff will take dogs and cats from the shelter to the television station once a week to tape the “Creature Feature.” Each segment will run for one week. Adoption information and photos of the featured pets will be posted on www.wlfl22.com. The first PSA will be taped next week and begin airing immediately.

Could you use a little extra cash? Just fill out the Employee Commuting Survey by February 29 and you could win a $25 gift card from Target.

Findings from the survey will reveal the commuting needs of Wake County employees and help the Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) expand travel choices, enhance safety and improve regional air quality. Please take part in this survey as a show of support for the initiative.

Wake County offers the GoPass to any employee that takes the bus. This special pass allows employees to ride TTA and Capital Area Transit buses for free. Wake County also provides a $30 monthly subsidy to Wake County employees who ride Triangle Transit Authority Vanpools.

To be eligible for the drawing, don't forget to enter your name/identification number/phone extension when prompted. Your information is collected for prize-winning purposes ONLY. Your anonymity is guaranteed and no one will contact you, and you will not be added to any mailing lists because of your participation in this survey.

Chocolate Reading Fun

Join library staff for a sweet lunch hour discussion of the novel "Chocolat," by Joanne Harris, on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, from 12:30-1:30 p.m., at the Wake County Office Building, room 209 (the Human Resources Training Center). The session is part of Wake Reads Together 2008. Be sure to bring your lunch. Chocolate refreshments will also be provided.

"Chocolat" is a story of unexpected transformations set in a small French village. The fun begins when a mysterious stranger and her daughter arrive and open a chocolate shop. Reserve a copy today.

This is the 6th year of the popular reading project that invites all residents to read the same book at the same time and then come together to explore themes, issues and ideas. Thousands of readers typically check out the selected book and attend related programs. Wake County’s program is unique in that customers "elect" the title each year for the residents on behalf of the library.

Commuters Needed

A Triangle Transit Authority vanpool that runs from Princeton/Smithfield to Downtown Raleigh is looking for additional riders. The hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m. The monthly fare is $87, but Wake County covers $30 of the fee for employees. If you're interested, please call Danny Bridgers at 733-4705.

TB Control Program Wins State Award

Wake County Human Services' Tuberculosis Control Program received the Non-Member Group Award from the North Carolina Association of Public Health Nurse Administrators in December, 2007. The program, administered by public health nurses Ann Baker, Debbie Bissett and Debbie Turner, was recognized for its contributions to public health nursing. The Wake County group was selected for being the first county in the state to pilot the North Carolina Electronic Disease Surveillance System, which improves communicable disease reporting at the county, state and federal levels.

Commissioners Recognize Broughton Band

Members of the Broughton High School Marching Band, including band director Jeffrey Richardson, were recognized by the Wake County Board of Commissioners for appearing in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California earlier this year.
The commissioners honored the band's accomplishment during the January 22, 2008 board meeting.

Richardson told commissioners that Broughton's appearance in the Rose Parade is the first for a North Carolina band in 18 years. Close to one million people lined the streets of downtown Pasadena for the parade, which stretched 5.5 miles.

Watch Board of Commissioners Meetings Live From Your Computer

Keeping up with the business of Wake County's Board of Commissioners became a little easier for residents to follow, thanks to the recent launch of the County’s live streaming video service.

Following the meetings online is simple. After the meetings, visitors to the County’s website, www.wakegov.com/commissioners will also be able to click on an indexed agenda and “jump to” a specific point in the archived video and audio, providing information on any topic, on-demand, anytime and anywhere.
“Wake County citizens are technology-savvy and interested in what government does every day to meet our community’s needs,” said Commissioners’ Chair Joe Bryan. “With video streaming of our live and past meetings, we will make Wake County government literally a computer click away and get as many citizens as possible involved in our County’s important issues.”

To access the Board of Commissioners’ meeting video, go to www.wakegov.com/commissioners and click on the “View Meetings” button. (A free download of Windows Media Player is available on the video webpage.)
The County’s video-streaming project uses hardware and software from Granicus, Inc., a San Francisco-based company that specializes in helping local governments provide public information on the Internet. Granicus serves 16 other local jurisdictions in North Carolina and more than 350 in 35 states nationwide.

Mill as Muse Photography Exhibit Opens

The Second Annual “Mill As Muse” Art Exhibit will be held Friday, February 15, 2008, from 6-8 p.m. A Mardi-Gras-style reception and awards ceremony will give visitors a chance to meet the artists and enjoy some of the best photographs of the old mill and the new park grounds.

Photography classes will be held in the months to follow. More information is available online or by calling 856-6675.

What is FMLA Leave?

FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) leave provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave in a 12-month period. “Job protected” means that your job or a substantially equivalent job will be held for you while you are on FMLA leave and that your absences will not be counted against you in any way. Another benefit of FMLA is that the County will continue to pay your portion of medical and dental benefits if you exhaust your paid leave benefits and go on FMLA leave without pay.

To be eligible for FMLA, you must have worked for Wake County for at least 12 months at some time in the past and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12-month period. FMLA leave is available for the following reasons: (1) absence from work due to a serious health condition that makes you unable to perform your job. (2) absence from work to care for your spouse, dependent child, or parent who is unable to care for him/herself because of a serious health condition; or (3) absence from work to care for or bond with a child after birth, placement for adoption or foster care placement.

FMLA leave runs concurrently with County sick leave, holiday leave, annual leave and/or leave without pay. An employee must exhaust available paid leave before going on FMLA leave without pay in accordance with County Policy.

The law requires that you be given FMLA when appropriate. Your supervisor may ask you to take FMLA, even if you have not applied for the leave. So, if you think you qualify for FMLA leave, speak with your supervisor and he/she will give you a letter and a medical certification form (WH-380) for you to take to your doctor.

For questions about FMLA or how your benefits may be affected by FMLA, please contact the Benefits staff in HR at 856-6090.

Don’t Miss the Deadline!

Want to get your event or division news in Insights? E-mail your story suggestions to insights@wakegov.com. Submissions are due the Thursday before Insights comes out on Tuesday. Stories are generally limited to 150 words. The publication schedule for the next few months is below!