WWU’s Small Business Development Center to Co-Sponsor Free Business Event With the Port of Bellingham
Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Port of Bellingham are collaborating to co-sponsor a free seminar on how the Department of Labor and Industries can help local businesses cut costs and avoid unexpected liability.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 8:30-11 a.m. on Thursday, June 25, at the Harbor Center Conference Room, 1801 Roeder Ave., in Bellingham.
The event will provide information on the following topics:
· How you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 for bringing an injured worker back in a light-duty or transitional job by using the Stay at Work program
· Hiring 1099 workers or Independent Contractors and determining liability for these workers
· Free risk-management services, safety and health consultation, ergonomics assistance and other resources.
Featured speakers will include Chris Alcatraz from the Department of Labor and Industries and Joyce Allen from the Stay at Work Program.
Alcatraz has been with Labor and Industries since 2011. As an account manager, she managed accounts in multiple industries, including manufacturing, farming and construction. Since taking on a full-time outreach role in 2014, Alcatraz has traveled throughout the state giving presentations and answering questions regarding workers’ compensation coverage. She enjoys meeting with customers face-to-face and assisting with their questions and concerns.
Allen has 13 years of Worker’s Compensation claims experience and is proficient in all aspects of the claim’s process and anticipating the need for vocational services. As an outreach specialist for the Stay at Work Program, she travels throughout Washington meeting with employers and workers in a collaborative approach to bringing injured workers back to work and saving businesses money. Allen is a retired Air Force master sergeant with three tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Her 22 years of experience working with diverse cultures, ethnic and social groups give her a unique view of the different needs, expectations, and sensitivities of her customers.
Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center is part of the most comprehensive small-business alliance in the U.S., with more than 1,000 active SBDC programs across the country. Western Washington University’s SBDC receives support from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Whatcom County, the Port of Bellingham, and the City of Bellingham.
Since 1983, Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center has given back to the business community and helped to shape the economic future of Whatcom County by providing free, confidential advising, technical assistance, and research to business owners and managers in an effort to help businesses thrive.
For more information on this event, contact Jenna DeRosier, marketing coordinator for Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center, at (360) 778-1762.