City of New York logo
City of New York
New York, New York

Social Worker II

Social Worker Top 25% in Social WorkFull-Time

Listed compensation

$71K - $82K

  • 80%better work-life than Social Work peers
  • 59%of Social Work listings state pay
  • +67%Social Work listings, last 30 days

The week · per this posting

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

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

ALL CANDIDATES MUST BE EMPLOYED BY A NYC AGENCY AND PERMANENT IN THE TITLE SOCIAL WORKER, INCLUDE YOUR EMPLOYEE REFERENCE NUMBER IN YOUR RESUME.

The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is an integral part of the City’s evolving criminal justice system, participating in reform initiatives and strategies aimed to move the City towards a smaller jail system without compromising public safety.

The DOC is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment for our employees, visitors, volunteers, and people in our custody. Importantly, safe jails enable DOC to provide people in custody with the tools and opportunities they need to successfully re-enter their communities.

The DOC operates facilities and court commands across the five boroughs with more than 7,500 diverse professionals and knowledgeable experts.

DOC seeks to recruit a Social Worker to join the CARE Unit as a Staff Social Worker.

Under the direction of the Executive Director assigned to the CARE Unit, the Social Worker will support the wellbeing of Department staff by providing confidential counseling, crisis intervention, and referral services to uniformed and non-uniformed employees.

The Social Worker will work exclusively with Department staff to address issues such as occupational stress, trauma, grief, and other personal or work-related concerns that may affect employee wellbeing and performance.

Additional typical duties for this position include but are not limited to:

  • Provide individual counseling to Department staff on a regular basis.
  • Implementation of staff wellness and support programs and services.
  • Assess needs of Department staff on caseload and provide therapeutic interventions to support their personal and professional wellbeing.
  • Follow up with staff on assigned caseload to monitor progress and ensure continuity of care.
  • Encourage staff to maintain positive coping strategies, attitudes, and overall wellbeing.
  • Prepare reports and document interactions, complete progress notes, and use other tools as assigned.
  • Attend training sessions, workshops, and staff meetings to improve knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  • Assist with deescalating crises and provide short-term crisis intervention for staff in distress.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality of staff records and communications in accordance with professional and ethical standards.
  • Perform related duties as assigned.

SOCIAL WORKER - 52613

Qualifications

Qualification Requirements

A Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited school of social work.

License Requirements

You will be required to have a valid Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license issued by the New York State Department of Education within one year of the date of appointment. This license must be presented to the appointing officer at the time of appointment or, if it is obtained after appointment, at the time it is received. This license must be maintained for the duration of your employment.

If you fail to obtain your LMSW or LCSW license within one year of the date of appointment, your probationary period will be automatically extended for six months. If you fail to obtain the required license by the end of 18 months of service, you will be terminated.

Special Note

Section 424-a of the New York Social service Law requires an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate for employment with child-care responsibilities has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report. The agency has the discretion to assign a candidate who has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report to a position with no child-care responsibilities.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

  • Agency: DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION
  • Job Category: Social Services
  • Salary Band: $80,000 to $90,000
  • Compensation: USD 71008 - USD 81659

Key Responsibilities

The Social Worker will provide confidential counseling, crisis intervention, and referral services to Department of Correction staff to support their wellbeing. Responsibilities include implementing wellness programs, assessing staff needs, and documenting therapeutic interactions.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Occupational stress managementTrauma-informed careGrief counselingCase managementDe-escalationDocumentationReport writing

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Social Worker II at City of New York a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Social Work — ranked against 6,104 active Social Work listings on WeekdayDoc.

Social Worker Career Context

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 32% are remote, 32% have no call, 82% require no weekends.

Social Work pay on WeekdayDoc is up 4.0% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$76k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $71k in an average-cost state. 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Social Worker Jobs

38 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution38 jobs · 34 employers

13
<$80k
12
$80k-100k
6
$100k-120k
7
$120k-140k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks31 jobs

401k / retirement match
90%
CME allowance
23%
Loan repayment
19% this job
Sign-on bonus
13%
PSLF eligible
6% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Social Worker / Clinical Supervisor

Willamette Wellness Center · Oregon

starting at $137,000
#2

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

Integrated Pain Management Medical Group · Walnut Creek, California

$115k-$135k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 36 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 7.2
Better work-life than 80% of Social Work listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 6,104 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in New York

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$876k≈ 12.3× annual pay
Typical market rent
$4,154/mo≈ 70% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
40 min
State income tax
Up to 10.9%
Sources & methodology

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

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

City of New York logo

About City of New York

Government Administration
New York, NY
5,001-10,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible
Government benefits