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Universa Care
Pound Ridge, New York

Per Diem Occupational Therapist

Occupational TherapistPer Diem

Listed compensation

$40–$50 /hr

The week · per this posting

Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 3mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

There For You Home Care Services is seeking per diem Occupational Therapists (in the New Haven, Branford, and Valley areas) to join our home care team and support patients in achieving greater independence in their daily lives.

This is an excellent opportunity for an OT who values flexibility and meaningful one-on-one patient relationships. Per diem scheduling allows clinicians to take visits on a day-rate basis that fits around their availability, making it well suited to therapists seeking supplemental work or a better work-life balance.

We are looking for candidates who are dependable, thorough in documentation and compliance, and genuinely committed to helping patients thrive in the comfort of their own homes.

Clinical Assessment & Planning

  • Conduct initial and ongoing OT evaluations in the patient's home, assessing functional status, ADLs/IADLs, cognition, fine motor skills, and home safety
  • Develop, implement, and update an individualized plan of care (POC) with measurable, functional goals
  • Contribute to OASIS data collection where the OT is the qualifying or assessing discipline

Direct Patient Care

  • Provide skilled therapeutic interventions to improve independence in daily activities (dressing, bathing, grooming, meal prep, etc.)
  • Train patients in adaptive techniques and energy conservation
  • Recommend, fit, and train patients on adaptive equipment and durable medical equipment (DME)
  • Perform home safety and fall-risk assessments, recommending environmental modifications

Education & Coordination

  • Educate patients, families, and caregivers on therapy techniques, safety, and home exercise programs
  • Coordinate care with the interdisciplinary team (nursing, PT, SLP, aides, physician) and communicate changes in patient status
  • Make recommendations for continued care, discharge planning, or referrals
  • Documentation & compliance
  • Complete timely, accurate visit notes, progress notes, recertifications, and discharge summaries
  • Ensure documentation supports medical necessity and meets Medicare/payer and agency standards
  • Adhere to the POC, physician orders, and state practice/licensure requirements

Requirements

  • Proven working experience as occupational therapist
  • Excellent knowledge of principles and practices of occupational therapy
  • Hands-on experience with computer programs and creative media

Familiarity with ADLs evaluation tools ( e. g. Katz ADL scale, Lawton IADL scale)

  • Ability to manage patients with different types of personalities
  • Current knowledge of treatment practices per discipline and drive to learn continually and grow in the profession
  • Professional behavior
  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills
  • Valid license to practice Occupational Therapy
  • BS degree or greater in Occupational Therapy

Compensation

  • $80.00 - $100.00 per visit
  • Mileage Reimbursement
  • Pay: $40.00 - $50.00 per hour

Benefits

Mileage reimbursement

Medical Specialty

Home Health

Education

Master's (Preferred)

Experience

Home care: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification

  • Occupational Therapy License (Required)
  • Work Location: On the road

Key Responsibilities

Conduct initial and ongoing occupational therapy evaluations in patients' homes to develop individualized plans of care. Provide skilled therapeutic interventions and educate patients and caregivers on adaptive techniques and home safety.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

ADL EvaluationCare CoordinationHome Safety AssessmentPatient EducationDME FittingInterdisciplinary Collaboration

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In New York, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$94k (347 salary observations; 1,014 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (5,562 salary observations; 29,543 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-11-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Occupational Therapy market look like in New York?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score7.2 / 10 · top 10% in occupational therapyranked against 9,043 Occupational Therapy listingslisting-based score, 0–10
New York vs national$94k median in New York$97k nationally (−3%)347 state / 5,562 national salary observations
Cost of livingNew York index 107.9US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Occupational Therapy listings in New York363 active9,039 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 42% no call · 63% no weekends43 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedNew York occupational therapist listings (all specialties): 7% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 7% offer loan repayment405 active listings, Nov 2026
New Occupational Therapy listings3,212 in the last 30 days1,658 the 30 days before (+94%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Occupational Therapy pay trend+3.8% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (9,043 Occupational Therapy listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Per Diem Occupational Therapist at Universa Care a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 10% in Occupational Therapy — ranked against 9,043 active Occupational Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc.

Top contract/1099 Occupational Therapist Jobs

43 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

20 jobs
9
<$120k
4
$120k-145k
5
$145k-170k
2
$187k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

25 jobs · 24 employers
401k / retirement match
84%
CME allowance
72%
Sign-on bonus
28%
Loan repayment
20%
Relocation assistance
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Home Care Occupational Therapist- Independent Contractor (Ocean County)Per Diem

US Physical Therapy · Toms River, New Jersey

$74-$95/hr
#2

Home Care Occupational Therapist- 1099 (Eastern Suffolk County)Per Diem

US Physical Therapy · Selden, New York

$65-$90/hr
#3

Occupational Therapist - $80 to 90 per hour - Part Time

$80-$90/hr
#4

Occupational Therapist, OT

$70-$80/hr
+ 41 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 7.2
Among the best 10% of Occupational Therapy listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 9,043 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

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About Universa Care

Hospitals and Health Care
Queens, New York
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Mileage reimbursement
Flexible per diem scheduling