<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xbrl
  xmlns="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"
  xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019-01-31"
  xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"
  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
    <link:schemaRef xlink:href="tbi-20200316.xsd" xlink:type="simple"/>
    <context id="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000768899</identifier>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2020-03-16</startDate>
            <endDate>2020-03-16</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <dei:AmendmentFlag
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF80L2ZyYWc6MTRkMTE4OTJjNzI5NDk2ZTlmZDEyNDhlOGYwM2IxYmQvdGFibGU6MzQ1YTUyYzI2MTZjNDBjMTkxOTg3NjZlZTU4MThmMDcvdGFibGVyYW5nZTozNDVhNTJjMjYxNmM0MGMxOTE5ODc2NmVlNTgxOGYwN18yLTEtMS0xLTA_3169258d-4584-4302-864a-651a2a29e85a">false</dei:AmendmentFlag>
    <dei:EntityCentralIndexKey
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF80L2ZyYWc6MTRkMTE4OTJjNzI5NDk2ZTlmZDEyNDhlOGYwM2IxYmQvdGFibGU6MzQ1YTUyYzI2MTZjNDBjMTkxOTg3NjZlZTU4MThmMDcvdGFibGVyYW5nZTozNDVhNTJjMjYxNmM0MGMxOTE5ODc2NmVlNTgxOGYwN18zLTEtMS0xLTA_80f961cc-47d5-46c6-beae-63ca5c76262b">0000768899</dei:EntityCentralIndexKey>
    <dei:DocumentType
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDU3_9fb1baba-c5b0-4611-a2c3-f49ffd283d29">8-K</dei:DocumentType>
    <dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18yMjc_1ddf8e33-739f-4f49-8a5d-513a48378f50">2020-03-16</dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDUy_155fc13e-ddbc-4583-b50e-7342db4d5775">TrueBlue, Inc.</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDU4_c67a1065-431a-420e-ab0a-5aa8d985d2a0">WA</dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode>
    <dei:EntityFileNumber
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6Yjk5MDQxMmU4MWRkNDE0OTgyNTU2ZDViZGVmMjRiOWQvdGFibGVyYW5nZTpiOTkwNDEyZTgxZGQ0MTQ5ODI1NTZkNWJkZWYyNGI5ZF8wLTAtMS0xLTA_3ab8a560-4c99-426b-a397-0842c0d51fce">001-14543</dei:EntityFileNumber>
    <dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6Yjk5MDQxMmU4MWRkNDE0OTgyNTU2ZDViZGVmMjRiOWQvdGFibGVyYW5nZTpiOTkwNDEyZTgxZGQ0MTQ5ODI1NTZkNWJkZWYyNGI5ZF8wLTItMS0xLTA_1ae1097b-b81b-4176-8827-f4617b31aa69">91-1287341</dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber>
    <dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDU0_80039e61-6ab9-4234-9b28-3550ded6ee99">1015 A Street</dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1>
    <dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDU1_a25a7ae3-8e84-437e-8c6f-91f40b897738">Tacoma</dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown>
    <dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDUz_b3fe09c8-882c-4ae2-96d8-462b833e0baa">WA</dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince>
    <dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDQ5_0702c391-7098-4a21-baab-89d403741980">98402</dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode>
    <dei:CityAreaCode
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDUw_a1092b29-4c72-4d2e-b798-c47b131763c8">253</dei:CityAreaCode>
    <dei:LocalPhoneNumber
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDU2_a390acf0-5596-4d0d-b199-ebe9448a74f1">383-9101</dei:LocalPhoneNumber>
    <dei:WrittenCommunications
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6YWUyOGFiYmJiMDA5NDhmNDhjYmY0MDIzNmI5MjkyYmUvdGFibGVyYW5nZTphZTI4YWJiYmIwMDk0OGY0OGNiZjQwMjM2YjkyOTJiZV8wLTAtMS0xLTA_1de2af3f-a366-40db-a55a-367a7a515ff2">false</dei:WrittenCommunications>
    <dei:SolicitingMaterial
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6MGRiYjUxNzFiOWU4NGYwZjlhMGFlMWZiMjk4NWY1NmQvdGFibGVyYW5nZTowZGJiNTE3MWI5ZTg0ZjBmOWEwYWUxZmIyOTg1ZjU2ZF8wLTAtMS0xLTA_74e583d8-85b4-4194-97d4-e509615fc711">false</dei:SolicitingMaterial>
    <dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6YzU1MzhiOGZiZTc3NGYxMWFmNTMwNWIxOTA5MGE1NTMvdGFibGVyYW5nZTpjNTUzOGI4ZmJlNzc0ZjExYWY1MzA1YjE5MDkwYTU1M18wLTAtMS0xLTA_e89d3535-7fa7-4ed4-90d5-a0791c2b9440">false</dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer>
    <dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6OTFlZTQ1NDE1NzY5NGFjYjhkODU1NmUxM2VjMzE5YmIvdGFibGVyYW5nZTo5MWVlNDU0MTU3Njk0YWNiOGQ4NTU2ZTEzZWMzMTliYl8wLTAtMS0xLTA_92f71693-c726-4862-9408-66983fd3219f">false</dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6NDUyMWEwZDVmMTkyNGQ2NmJjZDI5OTcwOWY2ZTcxZTIvdGFibGVyYW5nZTo0NTIxYTBkNWYxOTI0ZDY2YmNkMjk5NzA5ZjZlNzFlMl8xLTAtMS0xLTA_01901ab5-37bc-471e-a346-0093791d35bc">Common stock, no par value</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6NDUyMWEwZDVmMTkyNGQ2NmJjZDI5OTcwOWY2ZTcxZTIvdGFibGVyYW5nZTo0NTIxYTBkNWYxOTI0ZDY2YmNkMjk5NzA5ZjZlNzFlMl8xLTEtMS0xLTA_8de77495-1cc0-404e-b4d6-17cfbe9c0a3a">TBI</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGFibGU6NDUyMWEwZDVmMTkyNGQ2NmJjZDI5OTcwOWY2ZTcxZTIvdGFibGVyYW5nZTo0NTIxYTBkNWYxOTI0ZDY2YmNkMjk5NzA5ZjZlNzFlMl8xLTItMS0xLTA_72ad2597-d7d0-4358-8fd8-6431bb75f9f7">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany
      contextRef="i40b60f1208814c8e8c9cd02dc9d5a2b7_D20200316-20200316"
      id="id3VybDovL2RvY3MudjEvZG9jOjQ5YzU5MDQ5NDk2MjQwYTdiOTc0ZWNlMGI3ZDJiY2VkL3NlYzo0OWM1OTA0OTQ5NjI0MGE3Yjk3NGVjZTBiN2QyYmNlZF8xL2ZyYWc6YjZiZGU1N2RmMTVkNGJhZmJmZWE1N2MxOTA0Y2MyYWMvdGV4dHJlZ2lvbjpiNmJkZTU3ZGYxNWQ0YmFmYmZlYTU3YzE5MDRjYzJhY18xNDUx_fd3d9abf-9b6b-4e86-81fc-0ec76f849483">false</dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany>
</xbrl>
