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UW Health
Madison, Wisconsin

Social Worker – Emergency Department

Social WorkerIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$66K–$99K /yr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Work Schedule

Full-time, 100% FTE, night shift. Shifts will be scheduled as 10-hour shifts, Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday between the hours of 9:00 pm – 7:00 am.

Hours may vary based on the operational needs of the department

Be part of something remarkable

Join the #1 hospital in Wisconsin!

We are seeking a Social Worker – Emergency Department to:

  • Provide psychosocial assessment, intervention and support to Emergency Department patients and their social supports.
  • Provide response and intervention in the context of Trauma activations, provide acute grief support, assist with psychiatric dispositions, support patient needs being assessed and met (including but not limited to: transportation, mental health, housing/homelessness, in-home support, hospice, and insurance programs).
  • Serve as a support to patients, families, and the ED team in the context of abuse and neglect concerns.
  • Connect patients with community programs and resources to support resolution of psychosocial risks and barriers to discharge from the hospital and overall health and wellbeing.
  • Intervene with support systems that are caring for patients with complex medical needs, providing support, crisis management, and education as indicated.
  • Support the Social Work team via case consultation, coverage support, and as a partner in improvement projects, as indicated.
  • Optionally participate in clinical supervision to elevate to advanced clinical licensure status in the field of Social Work.
  • Optionally participate in Social Work staffing models to address Social Work needs in the various care environments across our care continuum.
  • Utilize Social Work interventions to enhance patient and family functioning.
  • Collaborate with the multidisciplinary Emergency Department team to develop patient goals, monitor progress, address barriers to goal achievement, and evaluate outcomes of individualized care plans.

At UW Health, You Will Have

  • An excellent benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, two-week paid parental leave and adoption assistance.
  • Options for a variety of schedules and shifts that offer flexibility and allow for work-life balance.
  • Access to great resources through the UW Health Employee Wellbeing Department that supports your emotional, financial, and physical well-being.
  • Tuition benefits eligibility - UW Health invests in your professional growth by helping pay for coursework associated with career advancement.
  • The opportunity to earn a referral bonus for referring friends, former colleagues or others to apply for open, posted positions.

Qualifications

  • Master's Degree in Social Work Required

Work Experience

  • 2 years prior hospital based social work experience Preferred
  • 2 years prior hospital or community-based social work experience if supporting the HIV Clinic Preferred
  • 2 years prior hospital or clinic based pediatric experience if supporting American Family Children’s Hospital (AFCH) Preferred

Licenses & Certifications

  • Certified Advanced Practice Social Worker (CAPSW) in the state of Wisconsin within 90 Days Required or
  • Certified Independent Social Worker (CISW) in the state of Wisconsin within 90 Days Required or
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Wisconsin within 90 Days Required

Our Commitment to Social Impact and Belonging

UW Health is committed to fostering a workplace that creates belonging for everyone and is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.

Our respect for people shines through patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day.

It is the policy of UW Health to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

University Hospital

[https://www.uwhealth.org/files-directory/position-descriptions/zImages for Social Media - DO NOT REMOVE/University Hospital Tour Video HR 1706631-24 v3. mp4] in Madison is a Magnet®-designated facility that’s ranked Wisconsin’s #1 hospital and considered one of the nation's leading hospitals, teaching institutions and referral centers.

View Full Job Description

[https://uwhealth.marketpayjobs.com/ShowJob.aspx?id=4334&entityid=3&p=UWH]

UW Hospital and Clinics Benefits

[https://bynder.uwhealth.org/m/4ff969af085a8835/original/Total-Rewards-at-UW-Health-UWHC-1.pdf]

Key Responsibilities

The Social Worker provides psychosocial assessment, crisis intervention, and support to Emergency Department patients and their families. They collaborate with the multidisciplinary team to develop care plans and connect patients with essential community resources.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Psychiatric dispositionPatient advocacyMultidisciplinary collaborationCare planningCommunity resource coordinationTrauma intervention

Social Worker Career Context

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 38% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

Social Work pay on WeekdayDoc is down 2.9% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$83k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $88k in an average-cost state. 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Social Worker Jobs

35 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution35 jobs · 21 employers

6
<$80k
6
$80k-100k
12
$100k-120k
9
$120k-140k
2
$140k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks33 jobs · 21 employers

401k / retirement match
97% this job
Sign-on bonus
33%
CME allowance
33%
Loan repayment
18%
PSLF eligible
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Therapist

New Dawn Treatment Centers · Wasilla, Alaska

$125k-$150k
#2

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

LifeStance Health · Corvallis, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$115k-$135k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 33 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 6,101 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Madison

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$433k≈ 6.5× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,616/mo≈ 29% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.3
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 · Madison, WI metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

UW Health logo

About UW Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Madison, WI
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health insurance
Dental insurance
Paid time off
Retirement plans
Two-week paid parental leave
Adoption assistance
Tuition benefits
Employee Wellbeing Department