Document:

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                                  EXHIBIT 4(b)

                            ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
                                       OF
                        UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.

                  The undersigned, desiring to form a corporation for profit
under Chapter 1701 of the Ohio Revised Code, does hereby certify:

                  FIRST:   The name of the corporation shall be United
Community Financial Corp.

                  SECOND:  The place in Ohio where the principal office of
the  corporation  is to be located is the City of Youngstown, County of
Mahoning.

                  THIRD:   The purpose for which the corporation is formed is
to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be formed
under Section 1701.01 to 1701.98, inclusive, of the Ohio Revised Code.

                  FOURTH:  The authorized shares of the corporation shall be
eight hundred and fifty (850) common shares, each without par value. The
directors of the corporation may adopt an amendment to the Articles of
Incorporation of the corporation in respect of any unissued or treasury
shares of any class and thereby fix or change: the division of such shares
into series and the designation and authorized number of each series; the
dividend rate; the dates of payment of dividends and the dates from which
they are cumulative; the liquidation price; the redemption rights and price;
the sinking fund requirements; the conversion rights; and the restrictions on
the issuance of shares of any class or series.

                  FIFTH: (A)  The board of directors of the corporation shall
have the power to cause the corporation from time to time and at any time to
purchase, hold, sell, transfer or otherwise deal with (i) shares of any class
or series issued by it, (ii) any security or other obligation of the
corporation which may confer upon the holder thereof the right to convert the
same into shares of any class or series authorized by the Articles of
Incorporation of the corporation, and (iii) any security or other obligation
which may confer upon the holder thereof the right to purchase shares of any
class or series authorized by the Articles of Incorporation of the
corporation.

                  (B)  The corporation shall have the right to repurchase, if
and when any shareholder desires to sell, or on the happening of any event is
required to sell, shares of any class or series issued by the corporation.

                  (C)  The authority granted in this Article Fifth shall not
limit the plenary authority of the directors to purchase, hold, sell,
transfer or otherwise deal with shares of any class or series, securities or
other obligations issued by the corporation or authorized by the Articles of
Incorporation of the corporation.

                  SIXTH: Notwithstanding any provision of the Ohio Revised
Code requiring for any purpose the vote, consent, waiver or release of the
holders of shares of the corporation entitling them to exercise any
proportion of the voting power of the corporation or of any class or classes
thereof, such action, unless expressly otherwise provided by statute, may be
taken by the vote, consent, waiver or release of the holders of shares
entitling them to exercise not less than a majority of the voting power of
the corporation or of such class or classes; provided, however, that if the
board of directors of the corporation shall recommend against the approval of
any of the following matters, the affirmative vote of the holders of shares
entitling them to exercise not less than eighty percent (80%) of the voting
power of any class or classes of shares of the corporation which entitle the
holders thereof to vote in respect of any such matter as a class shall be
required to adopt:

                  (A)   A proposed amendment to the Articles of Incorporation
                        of the corporation;

                  (B)   A proposed amendment to the Code of Regulations of the
                        corporation;

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                  (C)   A proposal to change the number of directors by action
                        of the shareholders;

                  (D)   An agreement of merger or consolidation providing for
                        the proposed merger or consolidation of the corporation
                        with or into one or more other corporations;

                  (E)   A proposed combination or majority share acquisition
                        involving the issuance of shares of the corporation
                        and requiring shareholder approval;

                  (F)   A proposal to sell, exchange, transfer or otherwise
                        dispose of all, or substantially all, of the assets,
                        with or without the goodwill, of the corporation; or

                  (G)   A proposed dissolution of the corporation.

                  SEVENTH:   No shareholder of the corporation shall have, as
a matter of right, the pre-emptive right to purchase or subscribe for shares
of any class, now or hereafter authorized, or to purchase or subscribe for
securities or other obligations convertible into or exchangeable for such
shares or which by warrants or otherwise entitle the holders thereof to
subscribe for or purchase any such shares.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name this
26th day of January, 1998.

                                      /s/ Douglas M. McKay
                                      ----------------------------------------
                                      Douglas M. McKay, Incorporator

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[LOGO]                      CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
               BY SHAREHOLDERS TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF

                        United Community Financial Corp.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              (Name of Corporation)

Douglas M. McKay                                                     , who is:
--------------------------------------------------------------------

[ ] Chairman of the Board        [X] President       [ ] Vice President

And Donald J. Varner who is
[X] Secretary        [ ] Assistant Secretary (Check One)

of the above name Ohio corporation for profit do hereby certify that: (check
the appropriate box and complete the appropriate statements)

[ ]      a meeting of the shareholders was duly called for the purpose of
         adopting this amendment and held on            , 19   at which meeting
         a quorum of the shareholders was present in person or by proxy, and by
         the affirmative vote of the holders of shares entitling them to
         exercise   % of the voting power of the corporation.

[X]      in a writing signed by all of the shareholders who would be entitled
         to notice of a meeting held for that purpose,

         the following resolution to amend the articles was adopted:

                                 See Exhibit A.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the above named officers, acting for and on the behalf
of the corporation, have hereto subscribed his/her name this 21ST day of
MAY, 1998.

                                  By /s/ Douglas M. McKay
                                     -----------------------------------------

                                  Its   President
                                      ----------------------------------------

                                  By /s/ Donald J. Varner
                                     -----------------------------------------

                                  Its   Secretary
                                      ----------------------------------------

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                                    EXHIBIT A

RESOLVED, that the Articles of Incorporation of United Community Financial
Corporation be amended by deleting Article FOURTH in its entirety and
substituting therefor the following new Article FOURTH:

         FOURTH: The authorized shares of the corporation shall be Five Hundred
         Million (500,000,000), Four Hundred Ninety Nine Million (499,000,000)
         of which shall be common shares, each without par value, and One
         Million (1,000,000) of which shall be preferred shares, each without
         par value. The directors of the corporation may adopt an amendment to
         the Articles of Incorporation in respect of any unissued or treasury
         shares of any class and thereby fix or change: the division of such
         shares into series and the designation and authorized number of each
         series; the dividend rate; the dates of payment of dividends and the
         dates from which they are cumulative; the liquidation price, the
         redemption rights and price; the sinking fund requirements; the
         conversion rights; and the restrictions on the issuance of shares of
         any class or series.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Articles of Incorporation of United Community
Financial Corp. be amended by adding thereto the following Article EIGHTH:

         EIGHTH:  No shareholder of the corporation shall have the right to
         vote cumulatively in the election of directors.<PAGE>

                                                                 Exhibit 10.16

                      MUTUAL TERMINATION AND RELEASE AGREEMENT

      This MUTUAL TERMINATION AND RELEASE AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated
as of May 3, 2000, is by and among Westaff Acquisition Corp., a Delaware
corporation ("Merger Sub"), Westaff, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), The Stover Revocable Trust, The Stover 1999 Charitable Remainder
Unitrust, The Stover Foundation, Cornerstone Equity Investors IV, L.P., and
Centre Capital Investors III, L.P.

      WHEREAS, the parties hereto are all parties to that certain
Recapitalization Agreement and Plan of Merger dated March 7, 2000 (the
"Recapitalization Agreement");

      WHEREAS, Merger Sub and the Company desire to terminate the
Recapitalization Agreement in accordance with Section 9.01(a) thereof; and

      WHEREAS, in connection with such termination the parties hereto agree
to provide for the mutual releases and to make the payments as provided
herein.  Capitalized terms which are used herein and are not otherwise
defined have the respective meanings set forth therefor in the Purchase
Agreement.

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual
covenants and agreements herein contained and intending to be legally bound,
the parties hereby agree as follows

      1. Effective upon receipt by the Investor Group of the payment
contemplated by paragraph 3 hereof, the Recapitalization Agreement is hereby
terminated pursuant to Section 9.01(a) thereof and is of no further force or
effect.

      2. Upon the execution of this Agreement and receipt by the Investor
Group of the payment contemplated by paragraph 3 hereof, each of the parties
hereto, on behalf of itself and each of its Affiliates, and their respective
officers, directors, divisions, subsidiaries, employees, agents and attorneys
(and the predecessors,  heirs, executors, administrators and successors of
each of the foregoing), hereby releases and forever discharges each of the
other parties hereto and its and their respective Affiliates and each of
their respective officers, directors, divisions, subsidiaries, employees,
agents and attorneys (and the predecessors, heirs, executors, administrators
and successors of each of the foregoing), from any and all claims, demands,
actions, causes of action, and suits, in law or in equity, whether now known
or unknown, fixed or contingent, which any such party ever had or now has, or
hereafter can, shall or may have, for, upon or by reason of any manner, cause
or thing whatsoever, arising from the beginning of time relating to or
arising from the Recapitalization Agreement.

      3. Promptly upon execution of this Agreement, the Company shall make a
payment in the aggregate amount of $500,000 to the Investor Group by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to an account or accounts designated
by the Investor Group.

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      4. Each of the parties hereto represents and warrants that this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized
by all necessary action on the part of such party, and that this Agreement
constitutes a legal and valid obligation of such party, enforceable against
it in accordance with the terms hereof.

      5. Each of the parties hereto shall not issue any press release or
otherwise make any public statements with respect to this Agreement or the
Recapitalization Agreement, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or
thereby, without the prior consent of the other parties (which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld), except as may be required by Law or any
listing agreement with the NASD or any national securities exchange to which
Merger Sub or the Company is a party and, in such case, shall use reasonable
efforts to consult with all the parties hereto prior to such release or
statement being issued.

      6. The provisions of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware (excluding any conflict
of law, rule or principle that would refer to the laws of another
jurisdiction).

      7. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile
transmission) in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement.

      8. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties
with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements
and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of them,
with respect to the subject matter hereof.

                              *      *      *      *

<PAGE>

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers
thereunto duly authorized.

                                       WESTAFF ACQUISITION CORP.

                                       By: /s/ Michael E. Najjar
                                          --------------------------
                                          Name: Michael E. Najjar
                                          Title:    President

                                      WESTAFF, INC.

                                      By: /s/ Paul A. Norberg
                                          --------------------------
                                          Name: Paul A. Norberg
                                          Title: Executive V.P. and C.F.O.

                                      THE STOVER REVOCABLE TRUST

                                      By: /s/ W. Robert Stover
                                          --------------------------
                                          Name: W. Robert Stover
                                          Title: Trustee

                                      THE STOVER 1999 CHARITABLE
                                      REMAINDER UNITRUST

                                      By: /s/ W. Robert Stover
                                          --------------------------
                                          Name: W. Robert Stover
                                          Title: Trustee

                                      By: /s/ Parker Williamson
                                          --------------------------
                                          Name: Parker Williamson
                                          Title: Trustee

<PAGE>

                                      THE STOVER FOUNDATION

                                      By: /s/ W. Robert Stover
                                          --------------------------
                                          Name: W. Robert Stover
                                          Title: Trustee

                                      CORNERSTONE EQUITY INVESTORS IV, L.P.

                                      By: CORNERSTONE IV, L.L.C.
                                      Its: GENERAL PARTNER

                                      By: /s/ Michael E. Najjar
                                          --------------------------
                                          Name: Michael E. Najjar
                                          Title: Managing Director

                                      CENTRE CAPITAL INVESTORS III, L.P.

                                     By: Centre Partners , L.P.
                                         As general partner of such partnership
                                         By:   Centre Partners Management LLC,
                                               attorney-in-fact

                                                By:/s/ Robert Bergmann
                                                   --------------------------
                                                   Name: Robert Bergmann
                                                   Title:    Managing Director

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