<< Previous   of   Next >> Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Specialty division workers Dean Woznicki (left) and Rick Rodriguez work on custom design projects at RS Manufacturing in Lynnwood. Woznicki is sanding a bench to go into a new Microsoft building in Sammamish and Rodriguez is making a receptionist desk for a dentist's office. The company has taken advantage of the state's Shared-Work Program, enacted by the Legislature in 1983, that has helped 47 Snohomish County businesses hang onto employees during the current recession. RS Manufacturing laid off eight people in August, but was able to retain five highly skilled workers because of the program. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Assebly workers Paul Singh (left) and Joey Thompson transport cabinets at RS Manufacturing in Lynnwood. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Assembly workers Paul Singh (left, background) and Joe Rackler put together cabinets at RS Manufacturing in Lynnwood. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Edge banding and drawer assembler Curran Evans measures the width of a piece of wood to calibrate the edge bander at RS Manufacturing in Lynnwood.

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CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, News editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

State program aims to save jobs

By Tony Dondero
Enterprise reporter

A boost from the state came in handy this summer for RS Manufacturing owner Robert Stevenson, who was able to save the jobs of his most skilled workers.

The Lynnwood-based maker of quality custom cabinets and reception islands for commercial customers hit a rough patch as the recession deepened early this year.

“It was apparent right from the beginning of the year that it was going to be a much slower year,” Stevenson said.

Business didn't pick up in early April and May as it usually does and the malaise lasted into the summer.

“We have a pretty good diversified clientele so we just don't do one part of commercial,” said Stevenson, whose company's customers include Microsoft, the King County Library System and Highline Medical Center. “We have financial institutions, medical, food service. We're pretty diversified and everyone was in the same boat. Every one of them went flat so that all trickles down. Then come July, we were still dead.”

At that point, Stevenson — at the suggestion from two of his employees, Joe Rackler and Rick Rodriguez — decided to take advantage of the state's Shared-Work Program. The program allows employers to reduce workers' hours while the workers collect partial unemployment benefits in proportion to the hours reduced. Five high-skilled workers, including Rodriguez and Rackler, were retained by Stevenson. Still, in August, Stevenson had to lay off eight workers.

“I've tried to keep the core that I had, but it got to the point I didn't have a choice,” he said. “I had to make a drastic cut and then the Shared-Work Program was very beneficial because even the crew that I kept, I couldn't keep them busy 40 hours a week, so that made a huge difference because otherwise I would be cutting everybody loose and hoping I could get them back.

“You work pretty hard to get a core crew and so being able to have that work share made a difference,” he said.

The Shared-Work program, enacted by the Legislature in 1983, has helped 47 Snohomish County businesses keep employees during the current recession. Another business that has benefited is Cycle Barn, which has locations in Lynnwood and Smokey Point. It started to lose business three years ago and dropped from a peak of 238 employees to 87 as of the last pay cycle. Cycle Barn has used the Shared-Work Program for the last three years, and about 12 percent of its workforce — 10 employees — have been kept on because of it, said Dave Preston, who handles public relations for the company.

Statewide this year, more than 2,100 companies and 42,000 employees were approved for the program, said Bill Tarrow, outreach manager for the state Employment Security Department.

Stevenson believes more people would be using the program, though, if they knew more about it.

“A lot of people I talked to, 50 percent of my clients and (subcontractors) that I've talked to, have heard about it and half of them didn't even know it existed,” Stevenson said.

It can be a bit tricky to track all the hours claimed and hours worked with the new way of conducting payroll, but it's been worth it, said Tanya MacArthur, the company's office manager.

“It's hard to find people with the experience (needed). With the Shared-Work Program, we can keep them here,” MacArthur said. “If it wasn't for (the program) we would have lost some of our high-skilled guys that make our custom, high-quality products.”

Seventeen employees remain, and demand for the company's products made out of particle board, plywood, laminate and solid woods is picking up.

“We're slowly picking back up,” MacArthur said. “We kind of fizzled out in late June; we hit hard in August. Now we got more bids out there, more projects coming in.”

To learn more about the Shared-Work Program and to download an application, visit www.esd.wa.gov/uibenefits/faq/shared-work.php.