Free workshop on the Washington Saves Program

Published 1:30 am Sunday, March 29, 2026

Submitted by the Economic Development Council.

The San Juan County and Island County EDC will host a free online workshop led by Washington Saves to help business owners understand the new state-facilitated retirement savings program. The session, Introduction to Washington Saves, will take place on Thursday, April 16, from 10-11 a.m. online via Zoom.

Washington Saves is scheduled to open in July 2027. State law will require certain employers that do not offer a qualified retirement plan to facilitate employee access to the program. Washington Saves is also open to individuals, including those whose employers are exempt from the mandate. The program is designed to be simple both for employers and employees. For employers, there are no program fees or employer contributions, and employers are not responsible for employee participation, accounts or investment decisions.

The workshop is presented by Heidi Iyall, outreach and marketing coordinator at Washington Saves. Her previous experience includes over 21 years in community engagement and educational roles at state and local public health departments. Iyall earned a bachelor’s in exercise science and a master’s in strategic communications at Washington State University. She enjoys partnering with communities to work on solutions that support health and well-being, including addressing the retirement savings gap in Washington.

This workshop is free and requires pre-registration at https://sanjuansedc.org/bizlabs.

For more information, contact the EDC at 360-378-2906 or info@sanjuansedc.org.

The EDC thanks its funding partners for support of this and other EDC programs: San Juan County, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Washington State Department of Commerce, the ports of Friday Harbor and Lopez, the Orcas Island and San Juan Island community foundations, and individual and foundation donors.