Eastside Vocational Services

What Eastside Vocational Services does

Eastside Vocational Services, Inc. (EVS) is a Washington-State-based vocational rehabilitation services firm founded in 2003 by Michelle Jensen and headquartered in Ellensburg, WA. The company provides a portfolio of return-to-work and disability management services — vocational counseling, workplace ergonomics, job analysis, return-to-work assistance, process and program development, and management training — delivered by credentialed staff including Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRC), Certified Disability Management Specialists (CDMS), and Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialists (CEAS). Services are billed primarily through established workers' compensation fee schedules via Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) provider relationships, supplemented by direct employer engagement through its Tandem Workforce Solutions division, which builds employer-specific Transitional Recovery Programs and JA Banks for self-insured employers.

EVS operates eight physical offices spanning Ellensburg, Yakima, Wenatchee, Kennewick, Spokane, Renton, Tacoma, and Olympia, covering the full Washington State geography. The business model is B2B sales-led: services are initiated through a formal seven-step referral portal accepting vocational recovery, vocational assessment, stand-alone job analysis, ergonomic, and vocational aptitude testing referrals from employers, insurance adjusters, attorneys, and medical providers. Tandem extends the model with direct employer outreach for return-to-work practice development, workforce wellness initiatives, and claim guidance. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured around L&I provider rates and quote-based employer engagement.

The company remains privately held with no external institutional investors, PE, or VC backing; ownership is concentrated among founder/president Michelle Jensen and CEO/firm manager Krista Main, alongside long-tenured leadership including COO Haley Schmidlin. The company claims no proprietary technology platform — service delivery is professional-services-based and built on certified practitioner expertise rather than productized software. As of 2025-2026 the team has roughly 25-30 listed VRC professionals plus interns and administrative support, with continued active hiring through 2026.

Name

Eastside Vocational Services

Legal name

Eastside Vocational Services, Inc.

Website

https://eastsidevocational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Eastside Vocational Services is a Washington-State vocational rehabilitation firm that helps injured workers return to work and assists employers with return-to-work process development, operating eight offices and the Tandem Workforce Solutions division statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAAKAO

Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Career Readiness & Employability Skills (Resume, Interview, Workplace Skills)

SECONDARYEDAKANAC

Vocational Evaluation & Career Assessment (Transition-Age)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Transition Services (Post-Secondary, Employment & Independent Living)

Keywords

• Vocational rehabilitation
• Return-to-work assistance
• Workers' compensation support
• Ergonomic assessment services
• Job analysis services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ellensburg, Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vocational Rehabilitation Services: EVS generates revenue through professional vocational rehabilitation counseling services billed to workers' compensation claims. Services include vocational recovery, vocational assessment, job analysis, ergonomic evaluations, and PGAP (Progressive Goal Attainment Program) coaching. The referral form references vocational rehabilitation counselor (VRC) billing codes and L&I (Labor & Industries) provider numbers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Eastside Vocational Services provides professional vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work services for employees who have experienced workplace injury or disability. Its portfolio includes vocational recovery, counseling, return-to-work planning, ergonomic assessment, job analysis, PGAP coaching, employer process and program development, and management training through the Tandem Workforce Solutions division.\n\nServices are delivered by certified counselors and supported by a formal referral portal and case-management/IT solutions, but no proprietary technology platform is disclosed.

Product overview

Eastside Vocational Services is a vocational rehabilitation services company offering a comprehensive portfolio of return-to-work services. The core offerings include Return-to-Work Assistance, Vocational Counseling, Workplace Ergonomics, Process & Program Development, and Management Training. The company operates through two main divisions: the core EVS services providing direct vocational rehabilitation counseling to injured workers, and the Tandem Workforce Solutions sub-brand offering employer-direct return-to-work programs. Tandem encompasses the Transitional Recovery Program, Job Analysis & Development (JA Bank), Ergonomic Consultation & Job Hazard Analysis, Claim Guidance, and Workforce Wellness Initiatives. Supporting services include Resume Services and the Progressive Goal Attainment Program (PGAP) for activity coaching. The company serves companies across Washington State with locations in Ellensburg, Yakima, Wenatchee, Kennewick, Spokane, Renton, Tacoma, and Olympia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tandem Workforce Solutions: A division of Eastside Vocational Services focused on helping employers design return-to-work practices that save money and protect company culture. Services include transitional recovery programs, ergonomic consultation, job analysis, and workforce wellness initiatives.

Products and services

• Return-to-Work Assistance Return-to-work assistance works directly with employers, supervisors, and employees to determine effective strategies after workplace injury or disability.
• Vocational Counseling Vocational counseling provides strategic vocational services to promote worker recovery, engages stakeholders in the claim process, and advocates for leave laws.
• Workplace Ergonomics Workplace ergonomics uses Ergonomic Assessment Specialists to evaluate workstations and provide recommendations to management and affected employees.
• Process & Program Development Process and program development designs, implements, and refines systems, workflows, and initiatives to achieve organizational objectives or outcomes.
• Management Training Management training is a structured program that equips individuals with knowledge, skills, and tools to lead teams, manage projects, and drive organizational success.
• Vocational Recovery Vocational recovery is a professional vocational rehabilitation service offered through the formal referral portal for injured workers and claims stakeholders.
• Vocational Assessment Vocational assessment is offered as a separate service through the formal referral portal.
• Stand-Alone Job Analysis Stand-alone job analysis is offered as a separate service through the formal referral portal and provides job information for return-to-work planning.
• Vocational Aptitude Testing Vocational aptitude testing is offered through the formal referral portal as part of the vocational service portfolio.
• Transitional Recovery Program (TRP) The Transitional Recovery Program is a proactive workplace risk-management solution providing a customized return-to-work playbook intended to increase retention, reduce confusion, and minimize unnecessary claim costs.
• Job Analysis & Development (JA Bank) Job Analysis & Development (JA Bank) provides detailed summaries of job duties, expectations, physical requirements, and educational requirements to clarify position requirements and support return-to-work.
• Ergonomic Consultation & Job Hazard Analysis Ergonomic consultation and job hazard analysis evaluate workplaces to reduce injury or occupational-disease risk through staff education, situational-awareness training, and worksite recommendations.
• Claim Guidance Claim guidance provides VRC-led support through industrial injury claims, including return-to-work steps, employer-benefits review, and provider communication assistance.
• Workforce Wellness Initiatives Workforce wellness initiatives provide curated programs addressing physical and mental health, with stated goals of reducing turnover and increasing productivity.
• Resume Services Resume services provide professional resume writing by vocational experts to help job seekers obtain interviews through targeted, error-free resumes.
• PGAP (Progressive Goal Attainment Program) The Progressive Goal Attainment Program provides structured activity coaching that helps injured workers build confidence and motivation during recovery and return-to-work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Decreased claim cost and unnecessary duration through return-to-work processes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GENEX Services: One of the largest U.S. providers of vocational rehabilitation, disability management, and return-to-work services. Directly comparable to EVS in core VRC and case management offerings, but operating nationally with significantly greater scale.
• Axiom Medical: Occupational health and return-to-work services provider serving employers and insurance carriers. Comparable to EVS in the return-to-work, injury management, and employer-direct service lines.
• ReEmployAbility: National provider of return-to-work and light-duty transitional employment programs for injured workers. Closely aligned with EVS's Tandem TRP and return-to-work assistance offerings.
• Bilingual Vocational Resources: Vocational services firm specializing in culturally and linguistically diverse workforce return-to-work support. Comparable regional peer offering VRC services similar to EVS.
• EK Health Services: Workers' compensation managed care and vocational rehabilitation provider. Comparable to EVS in serving claims adjusters and self-insured employers with VRC and return-to-work services.
• The Kenrich Group: Vocational rehabilitation and disability management firm providing VRC and job analysis services to workers' compensation payers. Comparable mid-sized peer with similar service mix to EVS.

Broad incumbents

• Concentra: Major occupational health and urgent care provider with employer-focused injury care and return-to-work coordination. Overlaps with EVS in employer-direct injury management, though Concentra delivers clinical services at scale.
• Sedgwick: Global claims management and disability management firm offering vocational rehabilitation, leave, and return-to-work services within an integrated managed-care platform. Vastly larger than EVS but serves overlapping customer segments.
• One Call (formerly PMSI): National workers' compensation specialty services provider with vocational rehabilitation within a broader portfolio of diagnostics, DME, and PT solutions. Overlaps with EVS in VRC services but as part of a much wider offering.

Regional players

• Key Disability & Vocational Services: Regional provider of vocational rehabilitation and disability management services across the Pacific Northwest and other markets. Comparable mid-sized peer with a similar VRC and case management focus to EVS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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• Instagraminstagram.com/eastsidevocational_inc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eastside-vocational-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Eastside Vocational Services