POWER OF ATTORNEY


Each person whose  signature  appears below  designates and appoints  WILLIAM W.
SHERERTZ  and  MICHAEL  D.  MULHOLLAND,  and  either  of them,  true and  lawful
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  to sign the Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended  December 31, 1999, of Barrett  Business  Services,  Inc., a Maryland
corporation,  and to file  said  report,  with all  exhibits  thereto,  with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission  under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934.
Each person whose signature appears below also grants to these attorneys-in-fact
and  agents  full  power and  authority  to perform  every act and  execute  any
instruments  that they deem  necessary  or  desirable  in  connection  with said
report,  as fully as he could do in person,  hereby ratifying and confirming all
that the  attorneys-in-fact  and agents or their  substitutes may lawfully do or
cause to be done.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  this power of  attorney  has been  executed by each of the
undersigned as of this 28th day of March, 2000.

         Signature                           Title
         ---------                           -----


/s/ William W. Sherertz          President and Chief Executive Officer and
- ---------------------------      Director (Principal Executive Officer)
William W. Sherertz


/s/ Michael D. Mulholland        Vice President-Finance and Secretary
- ---------------------------      (Principal Financial Officer)
Michael D. Mulholland


/s/ James D. Miller              Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
- ---------------------------
James D. Miller


/s/ Robert R. Ames
- ---------------------------      Director
Robert R. Ames


/s/ Herbert L. Hochberg
- ---------------------------      Director
Herbert L. Hochberg


/s/ Anthony Meeker
- ---------------------------      Director
Anthony Meeker


/s/ Stanley G. Renecker
- ---------------------------      Director
Stanley G. Renecker


/s/ Nancy B. Sherertz
- ---------------------------      Director
Nancy B. Sherertz