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Workers' Compensation Claims - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Estimated future liability for unsettled workers' compensation		$ 215,982,000us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent	$ 112,444,000us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent	$ 70,564,000us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent		$ 51,193,000us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent
Total workers' compensation claims expense	101,200,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationExpenseAccrualClaims	164,984,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationExpenseAccrualClaims	87,267,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationExpenseAccrualClaims	50,730,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationExpenseAccrualClaims
Change in estimate workers' compensation claims expense relating to prior period	61,300,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationExpenseAccrualClaimsForPriorPeriods	67,101,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationExpenseAccrualClaimsForPriorPeriods	23,445,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationExpenseAccrualClaimsForPriorPeriods	12,344,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationExpenseAccrualClaimsForPriorPeriods
Receivable from insurer for insured claims liability		781,000bbsi_ReceivableFromInsurerForInsuredClaimsLiability	768,000bbsi_ReceivableFromInsurerForInsuredClaimsLiability
Long-term workers' compensation claims liabilities		271,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationLiabilityPortionOfWorkRelatedFatalitiesInClaim
Aggregate undiscounted payout amount		360,000bbsi_AggregateUndiscountedPayOutAmount
Balance in trust account		50,100,000bbsi_InsuranceDepositAsSecurityForFuturePaymentObligationsUnderWorkersCompensationProgram			20,000,000bbsi_InsuranceDepositAsSecurityForFuturePaymentObligationsUnderWorkersCompensationProgram
Specified investment balances or other financial instruments		198,500,000bbsi_SpecifiedInvestmentBalances	72,900,000bbsi_SpecifiedInvestmentBalances
Letter of credit		114,300,000bbsi_LetterOfCredit
Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Discount rates applied to discounted liabilities		4.25%us-gaap_WorkersCompensationDiscountPercent / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember
Pay-out periods to the beneficiaries		7 years
Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Discount rates applied to discounted liabilities		9.00%us-gaap_WorkersCompensationDiscountPercent / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
Pay-out periods to the beneficiaries		32 years
California [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Surety bonds and standby letters of credit		194,900,000bbsi_StandbyLettersOfCreditAndSuretyBond / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_CA
Increasing Company's surety deposit requirement		190,600,000bbsi_SpecifiedInvestmentBalancesIncreaseInSuretyBondRequirement / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_CA
ACE Group [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance coverage with ACE group		5,000,000bbsi_ExcessWorkersCompensationInsuranceCoverage / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_AceGroupMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember
ACE Group [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance coverage with ACE group		15,000,000bbsi_ExcessWorkersCompensationInsuranceCoverage / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_AceGroupMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
ACE Group [Member] | Colorado [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance coverage with American Insurance Company		Statutory limits
ACE Group [Member] | Colorado [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance coverage with ACE group		2,000,000bbsi_ExcessWorkersCompensationInsuranceCoverage / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_AceGroupMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_CO
ACE Group [Member] | Maryland [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance coverage with ACE group		1,000,000bbsi_ExcessWorkersCompensationInsuranceCoverage / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_AceGroupMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_MD
ACE Group [Member] | Maryland [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance coverage with ACE group		25,000,000bbsi_ExcessWorkersCompensationInsuranceCoverage / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_AceGroupMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_MD
Wells Fargo [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Certificates of deposit posted as collateral		114,300,000us-gaap_CertificatesOfDepositAtCarryingValue / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_WellFargoMember
AICE [Member] | Self-Insured States [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance retention		5,000,000bbsi_ExcessWorkersCompensationInsuranceRetention / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_AssociatedInsuranceCompanyExcessMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = bbsi_SelfInsuredStatesMember
AICE [Member] | Colorado [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance retention		2,000,000bbsi_ExcessWorkersCompensationInsuranceRetention / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_AssociatedInsuranceCompanyExcessMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_CO
AICE [Member] | Maryland [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess workers' compensation insurance retention		1,000,000bbsi_ExcessWorkersCompensationInsuranceRetention / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_AssociatedInsuranceCompanyExcessMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = stpr_MD
Barrett Business Services Inc [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Worker's compensation risk claim		5,000,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationClaims / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_BarrettBusinessServicesIncMember
Worker's compensation risk claim maximum		$ 5,000,000bbsi_WorkersCompensationClaimsMaximumCoveragePerIncident / dei_LegalEntityAxis = bbsi_BarrettBusinessServicesIncMember

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