After more than 32 years in Port Angeles, Washington’s Labor & Industries’ field office for Clallam and Jefferson counties will move to Sequim this summer.

Sequim City Manager Charlie Bush recently said the government agency, which handles a diverse range of issues from workers compensation claims to safety and risk consultations to manufactured homes permits, recently filed a tenant improvement at 542 W. Washington St., next to Westside Pizza, worth about $103,000.

Janet Morris, regional administrator for the Port Angeles office, said they’ve been leasing their current location for 22 of the past 32 years at 1605 E. Front St., Ste. C, and staff will make the move tentatively in August.

Why they are moving stems from several reasons, she said.

Rena Shawver, a spokesman for the agency, said Sequim is growing and is increasingly making up a larger part of Labor & Industries’ business in Clallam County.

“We really look at where the customer base is,” Morris said. “(For example) we do the electrical inspections for the City of Sequim, but we don’t do them for the City of Port Angeles.”

Morris said another push from the agency requires staff decrease their footprint, which they’ll do by going from 4,800 square feet in Port Angeles to about 3,000 square feet in Sequim.

Shawver said they’ll anticipate more front counter traffic because of the new site’s accessibility, too.

Antoinette Griffin, customer service manager for the office, said it averages about 8-10 staff and will add one more customer service staffer upon moving.

Once moved to Sequim, Morris said they intend to hold open houses and speak with local groups at community meetings about the agency.

Through August, business will remain ongoing at the Port Angeles Labor & Industries office at 1605 E. Front St., Ste. C, in Port Angeles. For more information, call 417-2700 or visit www.lni.wa.gov/.