March 31, 2002



Barrett Business Services, Inc.
4724 SW Macadam Avenue
Portland, OR 97201

Gentlemen:

     This letter  amendment (this  "Amendment") is to confirm the changes agreed
upon  between  WELLS  FARGO  BANK,  NATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  ("Bank")  and BARRETT
BUSINESS SERVICES, INC. ("Borrower") to the terms and conditions of that certain
letter agreement  between Bank and Borrower dated as of May 31, 2000, as amended
from time to time (the "Agreement").

                                    RECITALS

     WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Agreement, Borrower remains indebted to Bank under
a line of credit in the maximum  principal  amount of Thirteen  Million  Dollars
($13,000,000.00)  (the "Line of  Credit"),  which is  evidenced  by that certain
Revolving  Line of Credit Note dated May 31, 2001, as modified from time to time
(the "Line of Credit Note"). The Line of Credit Note shall mature and become due
and payable in full on July 1, 2002 and as of the date hereof,  the  outstanding
principal  balance under the Line of Credit is  $2,611,313.84,  plus accrued but
unpaid interest.

     WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Agreement, Borrower remains indebted to Bank under
a term  loan  in the  original  principal  amount  of Six  Hundred  Ninety-three
Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($693,750.00) (the "Term Loan A"), which is
evidenced by that certain  Promissory Note dated August 12, 1993 (the "Term Note
A").  Term Note A will  mature and  became due and  payable in full on August 1,
2003 and as of the date hereof,  the  outstanding  principal  balance under Term
Loan A is $384,135.36, plus accrued but unpaid interest.

     WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Prior Agreement, Borrower remains indebted to Bank
under a term loan in the  original  principal  amount of Eight  Million  Dollars
($8,000,000.00)  (the "Term Loan B"),  which is  evidenced  by that certain Term
Note dated May 31,  1999 (the "Term Note B").  Term Note B will  mature and will
became due and  payable in full on May 31, 2002 and as of the date  hereof,  the
outstanding principal balance under Term Loan B is $183,330.00, plus accrued but
unpaid interest.

     WHEREAS,  Bank and Borrower have agreed to certain changes in the terms and
conditions  set forth in the Agreement and have agreed to amend the Agreement to
reflect said changes.


Barrett Business Services, Inc.
March 31, 2002
Page 2


     NOW, THEREFORE, for valuable consideration,  the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby  acknowledged,  subject to the terms and  conditions  described
herein, the parties hereto agree that the Agreement shall be amended as follows;
provided,  however, that nothing shall terminate any security interests or other
documents  in favor of Bank,  all of which shall remain in full force and effect
unless expressly amended hereby:

     1. Amendment to first sentence of Paragraph  I.1(b).  The first sentence of
Paragraph  I.1(b)  is  hereby  deleted  in  its  entirety,   and  the  following
substituted therefor:

          " As a subfeature  under the Line of Credit,  Bank agrees from time to
          time during the term  thereof to issue or cause an  affiliate to issue
          standby letters of credit for the account of Borrower (each, a "Letter
          of Credit" and collectively,  "Letters of Credit");  provided however,
          that the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit
          shall  not at any time  exceed  Five  Million  Five  Hundred  Thousand
          Dollars ($5,500,000.00)."


     2. Amendment to Paragraph V.9(b). Paragraph V.9(b) is hereby deleted in its
entirety, and the following substituted therefor:

          "(b) EBITDA not less than negative  $1,600,000.00 as of fiscal quarter
          ending March 31, 2002 and not less than negative  $1,875,000.00  as of
          fiscal  quarter   ending  June  30,  2002,   measured  on  a  trailing
          four-quarter  basis,  with  "EBITDA"  defined as net profit before tax
          plus  interest   expense  (net  of  capitalized   interest   expense),
          depreciation expense and amortization expense."

     3. Amendment to Paragraph V.9(c). Paragraph V.9(c) is hereby deleted in its
entirety, without substitution.

     4.  Conditions  Precedent.  The  obligation  of Bank to amend the terms and
conditions of the Agreement as provided herein, is subject to the fulfillment to
Bank's  satisfaction  of all of the following  conditions by no later than April
30, 2002:

(a) Bank shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory to Bank, each
of the following, duly executed:

        (i)   This Amendment.
        (ii)  Corporate Resolution: Borrowing.
        (iii) Certificate of Incumbency.
        (iv)  Such  other documents as Bank  may require under any other section
              of this Amendment.

     (b) Other Fees and Costs. In addition to Borrower's  obligations  under the
Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents,  Borrower  shall have paid to Bank the
full amount of all costs and  expenses,  including  reasonable  attorneys'  fees
(including the allocated costs of Bank's in-house  counsel) expended or incurred
by Bank in connection  with the  negotiation  and preparation of this Amendment,
for which Bank has made demand.


Barrett Business Services, Inc.
March 31, 2002
Page 3

     (d) Interest.  Interest  under the Line of Credit Note shall have been paid
current.

     (e) Interest and  Principal.  Interest and principal  under Term Note A and
Term Note B shall have been paid current.

     5. General Release.  In consideration of the benefits  provided to Borrower
under  the  terms and  provisions  hereof,  Borrower  hereby  agrees as  follows
("General Release"):

     (a) Borrower,  for itself and on behalf of its successors and assigns, does
hereby release, acquit and forever discharge Bank, all of Bank's predecessors in
interest,  and all of Bank's past and present  officers,  directors,  attorneys,
affiliates,  employees  and  agents,  of and from any and all  claims,  demands,
obligations,  liabilities,  indebtedness, breaches of contract, breaches of duty
or of any relationship,  acts, omissions,  misfeasance,  malfeasance,  causes of
action,  defenses,  offsets,  debts,  sums  of  money,  accounts,  compensation,
contracts,  controversies,  promises,  damages,  costs, losses and expenses,  of
every type, kind,  nature,  description or character,  whether known or unknown,
suspected or unsuspected,  liquidated or unliquidated,  each as though fully set
forth herein at length (each, a "Released Claim" and collectively, the "Released
Claims"),  that Borrower now has or may acquire as of the later of: (i) the date
this Amendment becomes effective through the satisfaction (or waiver by Bank) of
all  conditions  hereto;  (ii) the date that Borrower has executed and delivered
this  Amendment to Bank  (hereafter,  the  "Release  Date"),  including  without
limitation,  those Released Claims in any way arising out of,  connected with or
related to any and all prior credit accommodations, if any, provided by Bank, or
any of Bank's predecessors in interest, to Borrower,  and any agreements,  notes
or  documents  of any kind  related  thereto  or the  transactions  contemplated
thereby or hereby,  or any other  agreement  or  document  referred to herein or
therein.

     (b) Borrower hereby  acknowledges,  represents and warrants to Bank that it
agrees to assume the risk of any and all unknown, unanticipated or misunderstood
defenses  and  Released  Claims  which are  released by the  provisions  of this
General  Release in favor of Bank,  and Borrower  hereby waives and releases all
rights and benefits which it might  otherwise have under any state or local laws
or  statutes  with  regard to the  release  of such  unknown,  unanticipated  or
misunderstood defenses and Released Claims.

     (c) Each person signing below on behalf of Borrower acknowledges that he or
she has read each of the  provisions of this General  Release.  Each such person
fully  understands  that this General Release has important legal  consequences,
and each such  person  realizes  that they are  releasing  any and all  Released
Claims  that  Borrower  may  have  as  of  the  Release  Date.  Borrower  hereby
acknowledges  that  it has  had an  opportunity  to  obtain  a  lawyer's  advice
concerning  the legal  consequences  of each of the  provisions  of this General
Release.

     (d) Borrower hereby specifically  acknowledges and agrees that: (i) none of
the  provisions  of this General  Release shall be construed as or constitute an
admission of any  liability  on the part of Bank;  (ii) the  provisions  of this
General  Release shall  constitute an absolute bar to any Released  Claim of any
kind,  whether any such  Released  Claim is based on contract,  tort,  warranty,
mistake or any other theory,  whether legal,  statutory or equitable;  and (iii)
any attempt to assert a Released  Claim barred by the provisions of this General
Release shall subject Borrower to the provisions of applicable law setting forth
the  remedies for the bringing of  groundless,  frivolous or baseless  claims or
causes of action.

Barrett Business Services, Inc.
March 31, 2002
Page 4

     6.  Miscellaneous.  Except as specifically  provided herein,  all terms and
conditions of the Agreement  remain in full force and effect,  without waiver or
modification.  All terms  defined in the  Agreement  shall have the same meaning
when used herein.  This Amendment and the Agreement  shall be read together,  as
one document. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each
of which when executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original,  and all
of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same Amendment.

     7.    Reaffirmation;    Certification.    Borrower   hereby   remakes   all
representations  and  warranties  contained in the  Agreement  and reaffirms all
covenants set forth therein.  Borrower further  certifies that as of the date of
Borrower's  acknowledgment  set forth below  there  exists no default or defined
event of default under the Agreement or any promissory  note or other  contract,
instrument or document executed in connection therewith,  nor any condition, act
or event  which with the  giving of notice or the  passage of time or both would
constitute such a default or defined event of default.

     Borrower's  acknowledgment of this Amendment shall constitute acceptance of
the foregoing terms and conditions.

                                   Sincerely,

                                   WELLS FARGO BANK,
                                    NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

                                   By: /s/ Clifford N. Van Curen
                                       --------------------------
                                       Clifford N. Van Curen
                                       Vice President


Acknowledged and accepted as of   4-30-02       :
                                ----------------

BARRETT BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.

By: /s/ Michael D. Mulholland
   ----------------------------
   Michael D. Mulholland
   Vice President-Finance