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UnitedHealth Group
Waukesha, Wisconsin

Care Coordinator / Social Worker Per Diem

Social WorkerIncludes weekendsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$29-$52/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

$2,500 SIGN ON BONUS FOR EXTERNAL APPLICANTS

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology, to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best.

Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Social Worker is responsible to act as a liaison and assists in coordinating resources for the care of health plan members with multiple co-morbidities and/or psychosocial needs.

The primary scope is to provide counseling and assistance to patients and their families as requested with personal, financial, ethical, and environmental difficulties that predispose patients to illness.

The Social Worker acts as an advocate for members and their families linking them to community resources and financial assistance programs for continued growth toward a maximum level of independence.

The Social Worker will interact and collaborate with the interdisciplinary care team, which includes physicians, nurses, case managers, pharmacists, laboratory technologists, other social workers, dietitians, and other educators.

The Social Worker (SW) is responsible and accountable for coordination of patient services through an interdisciplinary process, which provides clinical and psychosocial approach through continuum of care.

Discharge planning will begin at the time of (or prior to) admission, and reassessed ongoing throughout the course of hospitalization. Provides direct social work/case management services to patients and/or families and hospital staff to ensure needed assessment intervention, support, and referral.

Coordinates services with other members of the health care team community wide. Respond to information and referral needs of the community.

The foundation of the SW role includes crisis intervention, comprehensive understanding of mental health diagnosis, brief counseling, working collaboratively with community vendors, identifying resource needs, arrange and facilitate meetings with the health care team as needed, problem solving and promoting patient wellness.

This position is per diem (as needed). Employees are required to work weekend shifts, with the expectation to work one weekend a month. Our hospital location(s) are in Waukesha WI.

Training will be paid and the schedule to be determined.

Primary Responsibilities

Coordinates patient care processes to achieve desired quality outcomes and identifies / controls appropriate resource utilization

Provides skilled interventions for: patient/family support and/or resolution of patient/family crises; facilitating problem-solving and decision-making; advocacy and facilitation necessitated by life-changing events (new diagnosis, abuse, loss of independence, bereavement); and mediation of risk factors and various psychosocial issues

  • Assesses need for post-hospital services and community resources at the time of discharge
  • Develop plans of care and management plans for patients who frequent the Emergency Department in partnership with patient physician, ED Provider, and community resources
  • Support patients, caregivers and/or family with psychosocial or behavioral needs
  • Educates patient/family on options and choices available within the appropriate level of care
  • Reports child and adult abuse and neglect to community agencies as mandated by law
  • Assesses patients who may have experienced violence and makes appropriate reports and referrals
  • Educates and collaborates with Care Team on care planning and discharge resources
  • Involves staff at the next level of care when appropriate to promote continuity of care
  • Interfaces with Department Leaders, Risk Management and patient representatives to identify potential QA or risk issues

Participates in Departmental Quality Improvement Projects

Initiates all necessary paperwork for all reports, plans of care, referrals, and community resources

Must be able to functionally coordinate and discharge plan for all age groups, including the unborn child through geriatric age groups

Is familiar with and expected to comply with all regulatory requirements, including CMS and Joint Commission Standards

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW)
  • 2+ years of experience working in a healthcare setting
  • 2+ years of knowledge of healthcare terminology
  • Ability to effectively read, write, and speak, cognitively process, and emotionally support performing other duties as assigned
  • Ability to work onsite at hospital location(s) in Waukesha WI regional area
  • Ability to work any of our per diem (as needed) shift schedules during the weekend once per month

Preferred Qualifications

  • ACM – Social Work Certification
  • Clinical social work experience
  • Hospital discharge planning experience

Soft Skills

  • Critical Thinking skills
  • Excellent written and oral skills
  • Oral & written communication skills

Please Note

The sign-on bonus is only available to external candidates. Candidates who are currently working for UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare or a related entity in a full time, part time or per diem basis ("Internal Candidates") are not eligible to receive a sign on bonus.

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements).

No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The hourly pay for this role will range from $29 to $52 per hour based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location, and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life.

Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups, and those with lower incomes.

We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

#RPO #RED

Key Responsibilities

The Social Worker acts as a liaison to coordinate patient care, manage discharge planning, and provide psychosocial support to patients and their families. They collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to link members to community resources and ensure continuity of care.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in Social Work (BSW) and possess at least 2 years of experience in a healthcare setting. Proficiency in healthcare terminology and the ability to work onsite in Waukesha, WI are mandatory.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Key Skills

Patient advocacyPsychosocial assessmentCare coordinationInterdisciplinary collaborationResource coordinationRegulatory compliance

Social Worker Career Context

UnitedHealth Group holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 76/100, 1,189 active listings.

Of the 40 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 50% are remote, 15% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top contract/1099 Social Worker Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution21 jobs · 20 employers

6
<$75k
1
$92k
3
$100k-125k
11
$125k-150k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks10 jobs

401k / retirement match
90% this job
CME allowance
40%
Sign-on bonus
20% this job
Loan repayment
20%
PSLF eligible
10%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Therapist (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, Psychologist) – Remote California – 10991099

Open Mind Health · Stockton, California

$70-$80/hr
#2

Social Worker Hospice (LMSW) (Per Diem) - Rockland, MEPer Diem

Constellation Health Services · Rockland, Maine

$70-$80/hr
#3

LCSW III, Transplant

$56.78-$79.49/hr
#4

Home Health Medical Social Worker

$60-$75/hr
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Social Work listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 6,492 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends

Living in Waukesha

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$404k
Typical market rent
$1,481/mo
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
96.9
State income tax
Up to 7.7%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

UnitedHealth Group logo

About UnitedHealth Group

Hospitals and Health Care
Eden Prairie , Minnesota
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Sign-on bonus $2,500
Comprehensive benefits package
Incentive and recognition programs
Equity stock purchase
401k contribution