EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                   Contact:      William W. Sherertz
                                                      President and
                                                      Chief Executive Officer

                                      Telephone:      (503) 220-0988


         BBSI ANNOUNCES RESOLUTION OF BALANCE SHEET ACCOUNTING TREATMENT

      PORTLAND, OREGON, March 9, 2005 - Barrett Business Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:
BBSI)   reported   today  that   management   has  completed  its  analysis  and
determination as to the treatment of certain estimated  reimbursements  due from
its  excess  workers'  compensation  insurance  carriers  and the  corresponding
estimated  liabilities  to claimants.  On February 10, 2005, in connection  with
announcement  of  the  Company's  2004  fourth  quarter  operating  results  and
preliminary  balance  sheets for December 31, 2004 and 2003,  the Company stated
that the  balance  sheet  effect,  if any,  on  long-term  assets and  long-term
liabilities related to this issue had not been determined.

      The  Company  retains  certain  levels of  exposure  with  respect  to its
self-insured workers' compensation program and purchases insurance coverage from
third-party insurers for exposures in excess of those levels. Until December 31,
2004, the Company  established  accrued  liabilities  for workers'  compensation
claims,  both  reported  and  incurred  but not  reported,  within  its level of
retention based on currently  available  information,  as well as its historical
claims  experience.  During  the year  ended  December  31,  2004,  the  Company
determined  that  it  should  present  its  accrued   liabilities  for  workers'
compensation claims on a gross basis along with a corresponding  receivable from
its insurers,  as the Company is the primary  obligor for payment of the related
insured claims. As a result of this revision in classification,  the Company has
increased its accrued workers'  compensation  claims  liabilities as of December
31, 2004 by $4.4  million (of which $0.2  million is  estimated  to be currently
payable  and  the  balance  a  long-term   liability)   and  has  also  recorded
corresponding  receivables  for  these  insured  claims  from its  prior  excess
workers'  compensation insurer, CNA Financial  Corporation.  In order to conform
the Company's  prior financial  statements for this revision in  classification,
the Company has increased its accrued workers'  compensation  claims liabilities
as of December 31, 2003 by $4.2 million (of which $0.4 million was  estimated to
be  currently  payable and the balance a long-term  liability)  and has recorded
corresponding  receivables  for  these  insured  claims  from its  prior  excess
workers'  compensation  insurer,  CNA  Financial  Corporation.  The Company will
continue its past practice of evaluating the financial  capacity of its insurers
to assess the recoverability of the related insurer receivables.

      The revision in  classification  had no impact on the Company's  financial
condition, results of operations, cash flows or working capital.

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Barrett Business Services, Inc.
News Release
March 9, 2005


The following  summarizes the unaudited  consolidated balance sheets at December
31, 2004 and December 31, 2003.




                                                                        (Unaudited)
                                                                  -----------------------
                                                                 December 31,   December 31,
($ in thousands)                                                    2004           2003
                                                                  --------       --------
                                                                           
Assets
Current assets:
   Cash and cash equivalents                                      $ 12,153       $  7,785
   Marketable securities                                             4,630             --
   Trade accounts receivable, net                                   23,840         18,481
   Prepaid expenses and other                                        1,364            958
   Deferred income taxes                                             4,100          2,196
   Workers' compensation receivables for insured claims                213            393
                                                                  --------       --------
     Total current assets                                           46,300         29,813
Goodwill, net                                                       22,516         18,749
Intangibles, net                                                        25             13
Property, equipment and software, net                                4,301          3,367
Restricted marketable securities and workers'
   compensation deposits                                             1,702          1,647
Deferred income taxes                                                  582          1,041
Other assets                                                           401            436
Workers' compensation receivables for insured claims                 4,158          3,768
                                                                  --------       --------
                                                                  $ 79,985       $ 58,834
                                                                  ========       ========
             Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
   Current portion of long-term debt                              $    348       $     88
   Accounts payable                                                    994            727
   Accrued payroll, payroll taxes and related benefits              17,427         13,881
   Workers' compensation claims liabilities                          4,946          3,886
   Workers' compensation claims liabilities for insured claims         213            393
   Safety incentives liabilities                                     4,807          2,007
   Other accrued liabilities                                           414            361
                                                                  --------       --------
     Total current liabilities                                      29,149         21,343
Long-term debt, net of current portion                               1,441            400
Customer deposits                                                      608            455
Long-term workers' compensation claims liabilities                   4,840          1,031
Long-term workers' compensation liabilities for insured claims       4,158          3,768
Other long-term liabilities                                             --             45
Deferred gain on sale and leaseback                                  1,036          1,158
Stockholders' equity                                                38,753         30,634
                                                                  --------       --------
                                                                  $ 79,985       $ 58,834
                                                                  ========       ========



      BBSI  provides  human  resource  management  solutions  to large and small
companies throughout many regions of the United States.

      Statements  in  this  release  about  future  events  or  performance  are
forward-looking statements, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other  factors  that may cause  the  actual  results  of the  Company  to be
materially  different  from any  future  results  expressed  or  implied by such
forward-looking  statements.  Factors that could affect future  results  include
economic conditions in the Company's service areas,

                                      -2-



Barrett Business Services, Inc.
News Release
March 9, 2005


the effect of changes in the Company's  mix of services on gross margin,  future
workers'  compensation claims experience,  the effect of changes in the workers'
compensation  regulatory  environment  in one or  more of our  primary  markets,
collectibility of accounts  receivable,  and availability of funding for working
capital  purposes,  among others.  Other  important  factors that may affect the
Company's  future prospects are described in the Company's 2003 Annual Report on
Form  10-K.  Although  forward-looking   statements  help  to  provide  complete
information about the Company,  readers should keep in mind that forward-looking
statements  may be  less  reliable  than  historical  information.  The  Company
undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking  statements in this
release to reflect events or changes in circumstances  that occur after the date
of this release.

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