Business Assistance & Workforce Support
An excellent workforce overview from the Department of Labor regarding business assistance can be found at Workforce Development Solutions and your local team at WorkSource Seattle-King County Business Services are part of that team to support you with Public Workforce System guidance.
Additionally, for your convenience a list of other commonly requested topics and resources are provided below. We hope you find it useful for quickly accessing other on-line resources that can address your business needs.
Small Business Assistance & Funding
Business Impact NW - A nonprofit Community Development financial institution (CDFI) dedicated to providing coaching, classes, and access to capital. Focusing on women, people of color, immigrants, individuals with low income and the LGBTQ community.
City of Seattle - Small Business Programs - Supporting those with barriers with access to capital including those in communities of color, immigrants, and refugees.
Small Business Support Liaisons in King County - Connectors serve small businesses, Chamber members and non-members, including those located in unincorporated King County.
SCORE - A nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and has been mentoring small business owners for more than forty years.
Self-Employment Assistance Program - Program that allows unemployed workers to receive unemployment benefits while they train to become self-employed.
Small Business Administration (SBA) - Created in 1953, The SBA is the only cabinet-level federal agency fully dedicated to small business and provides resources, counseling, capital, and contracting expertise.
Ventures - Seattle-based nonprofit providing access to business training, capital, coaching, and hands-on learning opportunities for entrepreneurs. Serving our community with a focus on women, people of color, immigrants, and individuals with low income.
WA State Small Business Guidance - Linking entrepreneurs and small businesses to Washington state resources. A small “Business Guide” is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese.
WA State Small Business Liaison Team (SBLT) - Consists of representatives from 27 government agencies with a primary goal to inform the small business community of understanding and complying with the state’s licensing and regulatory requirements.
WA State Dept. of Commerce - Offers a range of small business programs and services designed to meet the diverse needs of Washington’s companies, from education and training to business loans, export assistance and crisis planning.
Employment Law
ELAWS - Federal employment laws assistance including: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Federal Contractor Compliance (OFCCP & VEVRAA), and The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) and The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
Pre-Employment Inquiries - Examples of fair and unfair inquiries apply when made about and on job application forms, preemployment interviews, or any other type of inquiry made of job applicants.
Workplace Health & Safety
WA State Dept. of Labor & Industries (L&I) - Employer Cost Reductions Incentives - Opportunity to save money on industrial insurance with programs such as: Stay at Work, Preferred Worker Program, Continuous Employment Incentive, along with workshops and webinars.
WA State Dept. of Labor & Industries (L&I) - Workers Rights Overview - L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety, health, and security of Washington's workers, along with helping employers meet safety and health standards. Additionally, they are the administrators of the state's workers' compensation system.
WA State Paid Family and Medical Leave - Washington is now the fifth state in the nation to offer paid family and medical leave benefits to workers. The program is funded by premiums paid by both employees and many employers and is administered by the Employment Security Department (ESD).
Tax Reports & Information
WA State Dept. of Revenue - Open a business, get or renew a license, file WA State taxes online, find a sales tax rate and other general business questions.
Unemployment Insurance Tax (UI) - Tax Information and tips from the UI Tax Administration.
Contact Information for Business - General contact information for topics including: tax support questions, benefits claims, current taxes rates and bankruptcies.
Economic Development
City of Seattle - City of Seattle—Office of Economic Development
King County - King County's Economic Development program for businesses in unincorporated areas.
Greater Seattle Partners (GSP) - GSP is a public-private economic development corporation working to ensure that every person in the region has an opportunity to prosper.
Human Resource Tools & Guidelines
O*NET - An easy-to-use resource that supports public and private sector efforts to identify and develop the skills of the American workforce. It provides a common language for defining and describing occupations. Its flexible design also captures rapidly changing job requirements.
Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) - Association of human resources and business executive members in 165 countries committed to serving the needs of HR professionals and advancing the role of HR as a profession by providing education, certification, and networking to its members.
Downloadable Business Forms from Office Depot - Variety of free, downloadable forms for your various business needs.
Disability Awareness & Sensitivity
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) - Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) facts and definitions related to the ADA.
Dept. of Labor - Job Accommodations Overview - A job accommodation is an adjustment to a job or work environment that makes it possible for an individual with a disability to perform their job duties.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN) - Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR) system designed to let users explore various accommodation options for people with disabilities in work and educational settings.
WA State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) - Employment resource to the business community, assisting in hiring and retaining employees with disabilities.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Below are examples of resource networks for business to lead racial equity efforts—breaking down system barriers to improve hiring, retention, and career advancement in relation to underserved communities.
Local Business Networking & Support
Better Business Bureau - A not-for-profit, private organization with the goal of maintaining fair and honest business dealings between consumers and businesses in our community.
Chambers of Commerce in Seattle-King County (with active websites)
Seattle (Neighborhoods)
Greater Seattle Chamber (Representing the Seattle Metro Area)
Snoqualmie Valley (Fall City, North Bend, Preston, and Snoqualmie)
South Southside (Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila)
Ethnic Chambers in Washington State
African Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest - The Chamber is committed to promoting black business growth in the Pacific Northwest through advocacy, education, and the facilitation of networking opportunities.
Ethnic Chambers in Washington State - Formed to give a unified voice across ethnic communities and to promote the development and sharing of activities among ethnic chamber of commerce organizations. Education, health, and business are their top three focuses, but they cover a wide range of concerns.
Business Improvement Areas (BIA)
Seattle Business Districts - Business Improvement Areas (BIA) are funding mechanisms for business district revitalization and management. Local stakeholders oversee and fund the maintenance, improvement, and promotion of their commercial district.