Whatcom County Jail Work Center

Work release participants are still in the custody of the Whatcom County corrections system. They will appear in the county inmate search during their enrollment in the program. Use InmateAid's inmate locator to search by name across Washington facilities, or call Whatcom Jail WC directly at 360-676-6909.

You can also verify their current status and case details through public records and arrest information. For direct confirmation, call 360-676-6909.

Contact rules at work release are different from standard jail rules in one important way: your family member may have access to a phone during work hours while they are at their approved employment. Whether they can use a personal phone, an employer phone, or any phone at all during work depends on the specific rules of Whatcom Jail WC and the conditions of their work release placement.

At the facility during non-work hours, calls go through the facility phone system.

Calls from Whatcom Jail WC during facility hours go through the facility's contracted phone provider. Visit InmateAid's jail calls page to find the current provider and get set up.

Call the facility at 360-676-6909 to confirm the specific rules around phone contact during work hours. Do not attempt contact during work hours without knowing those rules - unauthorized contact or calls that distract from work responsibilities can create compliance issues.

Work release facilities often have more flexible visitation schedules than standard jails, reflecting the less restrictive nature of the program. However, visitation is still subject to facility rules and your family member's individual program conditions. Some work release participants may be permitted to have supervised visits off-site or in common areas rather than standard jail visiting rooms.

Call Whatcom Jail WC at 360-676-6909 to confirm current visiting hours, whether advance registration is required, and whether any specific conditions of your family member's work release placement affect visitation eligibility. Read InmateAid's visitation guide for a general checklist before you go.

Even in work release, commissary funds matter for daily items and phone time during facility hours. Your family member may also be earning wages at their work placement - ask the facility about how outside earnings interact with the commissary account and any restitution or supervision fee requirements.

Steps to send money to Whatcom Jail WC:

1. Go to InmateAid's send money page to find the approved deposit method for this facility

2. Have your family member's full legal name and booking or ID number ready

3. Choose online deposit, phone deposit, or facility kiosk

4. Use the name and number exactly as they appear in the facility's system

Mail to Whatcom Jail WC is addressed to your family member at 2030 Division St. Include their full legal name and ID number on every piece. Standard rules apply: plain white paper, no staples, no glitter, no stickers, no colored ink. Photos in standard print size with nothing written on the back.

Work release is a short-term placement in most cases - letters and photos still matter, and they serve as a tangible reminder that home is close and real. InmateAid's send mail service lets you write and send from your phone or computer on approved stock.

Books and magazines must come from the publisher or an online retailer, not from your home address. Order through Amazon or directly from the publisher.

Work release is a privilege, not a right. The rules that govern this placement are strict, and violations have real consequences. Understanding those rules as a family member is as important as your family member understanding them.

Common work release conditions that families need to know:

Curfew: Your family member must return to Whatcom Jail WC by the designated curfew each night. Do not plan social activities, family dinners, or any contact that could delay their return. A missed curfew - even by a few minutes - is a violation.

Drug and alcohol testing: Random drug and alcohol testing is standard at work release facilities. Your family member cannot consume alcohol during this period. Be mindful of what you serve at family gatherings and what household products they might be exposed to. Certain foods (ripe bananas, kombucha, some breads) can register traces on sensitive tests. When in doubt, your family member should inform their supervisor before consuming anything uncertain.

Approved contact only: Your family member's employer, schedule, and contacts may all need to be approved by Whatcom Jail WC staff. Unauthorized stops, detours, or contacts between work and the facility can be considered violations. Do not ask them to run errands, stop to visit someone not on their approved list, or deviate from their approved route without explicit permission.

Employment: Your family member must maintain approved employment. If they lose their job, they must immediately notify Whatcom Jail WC and work with the employment coordinator to find replacement employment. A gap in employment without approved status is a violation.

Violations can result in removal from the work release program and return to jail or prison. The time they have spent in work release may or may not count toward their sentence depending on Washington law. Contact the facility at 360-676-6909 with any questions about specific conditions.

Work release is designed specifically to prepare your family member for reentry. The employment they hold during this period, the routine they build, and the financial foundation they start accumulating are all intentional parts of the transition.

As a family, the things you can do right now to support a successful release:

Stable housing: Confirm that your family member has a confirmed release address. Many states require a verified release address before work release can progress to full release. If housing is uncertain, connect with Washington reentry resources now - not the week before release.

Employment continuity: If the work release job can continue after release, that is the ideal outcome. Support that continuity wherever possible.

Financial foundation: Work release wages are typically subject to deductions for supervision fees, restitution, and in some cases room and board at the facility. What remains is the beginning of a post-release financial foundation. Help your family member think about how to manage those funds from the start.

Documentation: Confirm that all necessary identification documents - state ID or driver's license, Social Security card, birth certificate - are available or in process. Reentry without identification creates immediate barriers to employment, banking, and housing.

Read InmateAid's reentry guide for a comprehensive checklist covering housing, employment, documentation, benefits restoration, and the first days after release in Washington.

Work release rules, supervision conditions, and what happens at release vary by county and by Washington law. InmateAid's Washington prison resources hub covers state-specific reentry information, parole and probation guidance, and resources for families navigating the final stages of a sentence.

Have a specific question from someone who has been through it? Browse answers at InmateAid Washington Q&A.