[Letterhead of Preston Gates & Ellis]


                                  July 29, 1997


Shareholders of Labor Ready, Inc.


     Re:  Date of Annual Meeting of Shareholders

Dear Shareholder:

     We wanted to call to your attention an error and ambiguity in the Proxy
Statement for the date of the Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders.  THE
MEETING WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1997 (not Tuesday as incorrectly
stated in the Proxy Statement) at the Company's old headquarters building at
2156 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA.  We apologize for any inconvenience and hope
you will be able to attend.

                                        Sincerely,



                                        Mark R. Beatty
                                        Counsel to Labor Ready, Inc.

MRB:mrb