Warehouses, mills and a regional hospital.
Providence Centralia Hospital employs about 800 people and is Lewis County's largest employer. The Economic Alliance of Lewis County also lists the Fred Meyer distribution center, UNFI, Hampton Lumber Mills and Cardinal Glass among the major employers. Centralia College is the oldest continuously operating community college in Washington.
Energy is in transition too. TransAlta's coal plant north of Centralia, long one of the county's major employers, is under a state-mandated move away from coal.
The alliance counted about 8,700 workers commuting into Lewis County from Thurston County in 2020. That matters for benefits. Lewis County is in a different rating area from Thurston, and employees who live in Lacey or Olympia may prefer providers closer to home.
Three decisions for Lewis County employers.
Shift work and distribution staff
Warehouses run multiple shifts and hire in waves. Write the hours threshold, waiting period and measurement method down, and plan enrollment help for every shift. Our wholesale and distribution page covers common designs.
Mill and plant work
Physical work makes short-term disability and accident coverage worth pricing next to the medical.
A two-county workforce
Check the providers employees use in Thurston County as well as Lewis. A plan that is strong in Centralia and Chehalis can look different in Olympia.
Check Providence Centralia and the Olympia side.
Care in Lewis County
Providence Centralia Hospital on Scheuber Road is the county's main hospital, with a level three trauma emergency department. These examples establish locations, not plan participation. Confirm the hospital and the clinics employees use in each network.
Care in Thurston County
Commuters from Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater may already have doctors near home. Ask, then check those exact clinics.
What Lewis County employers ask.
Half our staff lives in Thurston County. Which rating area applies?
Your principal business address sets the rating area, so a Centralia business uses the Lewis County area. Where employees live still matters for networks, so we check providers in both counties.
We hire in waves for peak season. How should eligibility work?
Set an hours threshold and a waiting period in writing, within the federal 90-day limit, and decide how rehires are treated. Larger employers also need an ACA measurement method for variable-hour staff.
Is there a cost to work with you?
There is no fee at this time for our agency's services. Carriers pay us through commissions. Third-party administrators may charge separate fees, and we identify them before you decide.
The full package, locally.
Employee Benefits
Group medical, dental, vision, life and disability, level-funded and voluntary coverage.
Explore benefits →Business Services
COBRA, ACA compliance and pre-tax accounts, plus an enrollment platform at no added cost from us. Administrator fees may apply.
Explore services →Life Insurance
Term, whole life, final expense and key person coverage for owners and partners.
Explore life →Other areas we serve nearby.
Olympia
Thurston County employers comparing clear contributions, family costs and local care.
See Olympia →Aberdeen
Grays Harbor port, timber and seafood employers with one main hospital.
See Aberdeen →Longview
Cowlitz County mills and heavy industry, with an older and more physical workforce.
See Longview →Vancouver
Clark County employers whose people cross the river for care, so networks have to follow.
See Vancouver →All Washington areas
Every city we serve, plus the small group rating area for each county.
See all areas →Quote your Lewis County group.
Send a census with home ZIP codes. We will check Providence Centralia and the Thurston County providers your commuters use.