SingleMothers.us
Flexible jobs for single mothers in Washington
Washington pays one of the highest state minimum wages and runs its own paid leave program, which changes the sums for a working parent.
Pay in Washington
Washington’s minimum wage is $17.13 an hour in 2026 and rises to $17.73 on January 1, 2027, according to the Department of Labor and Industries. Seattle sets a higher rate for all employers: $21.30 in 2026 and $22.14 in 2027.
Under the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, employers with 15 or more employees must include a wage scale or salary range in job postings, with a general description of benefits and other pay. Since July 27, 2025 a posting may not ask for a driver’s license unless driving is essential to the job.
Leave for parents
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave is run by the Employment Security Department. People could apply from January 1, 2020, and the first benefit was paid on January 8, 2020.
Paid sick leave
You earn at least 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, and you can carry up to 40 unused hours into the next year. It covers caring for your child.
Help with child care
Working Connections Child Care, run by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, helps pay for child care. Family income must be below 60 percent of the state median when you apply. You can apply online, by phone or on paper at a Community Services office.
The state’s free preschool program, ECEAP, serves eligible 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds for between 2.5 and 10 hours a day, four or five days a week.
Tax credit
Washington has no state income tax, so its Working Families Tax Credit returns part of the sales tax that working families pay. For tax year 2025 the maximum ranged from $335 with no children to $1,330 with three or more. You must be eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit to claim it.
Scheduling in Seattle
Seattle’s Secure Scheduling Ordinance, in effect since July 1, 2017, covers hourly workers at retail and food service businesses with 500 or more employees worldwide. Covered employers must post schedules at least 14 days in advance.
Getting into work
WorkSource is the state’s network of job centers, a partnership that includes the Employment Security Department. Insurance producers are licensed by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Pharmacy technicians apply to the Department of Health.
Questions about working in Washington
What is Washington’s minimum wage in 2026?
$17.13 an hour statewide, rising to $17.73 on January 1, 2027. Seattle sets its own, higher rate: $21.30 in 2026 and $22.14 in 2027.
Can I get paid leave to care for a new baby or a sick child in Washington?
Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave, run by the Employment Security Department, has paid benefits since January 2020. For a child’s everyday illness, paid sick leave covers caring for a child.
Do Washington job ads have to show pay?
Yes, for employers with 15 or more employees. The ad must include a wage scale or salary range and a general description of benefits and other pay.
Send us the hours you can keep
Send us your hours and your Washington ZIP code. We look for flexible roles near you, or remote roles open to Washington residents.