Occupational Therapist OT - Cape Coral FL - W2 or option

Occupational Therapist

They don't need another temp. They need you. Mid Cape Global Academy — Lee County, FL (Cape Coral) | Full-Time W-2 Employee

Lee County just gave OTs a 5.25% raise. We're offering 25–35% more than that.

Mid Cape Global Academy is a school full of students who are waiting for a consistent, skilled Occupational Therapist — not a revolving door of short-term contractors who leave before they learn which kid needs a fidget tool and which one needs a bear hug. These students deserve someone who knows them, who builds trust over time, and who shows up on Monday already thinking about what Tuesday's session will look like.

That's the kind of OT we're looking for. And we've built a compensation and support model designed to make sure you can be that person without sacrificing your own wellbeing, your finances, or your professional growth.

Lee County School District recently gave special instructional staff a 5.25% raise — an acknowledgment that the talent market is tighter than ever. Our offer starts well above the district's adjusted scale. We don't match the market. We set it.

The Position

School: Mid Cape Global Academy, Cape Coral, FL

Start Date: July 2026

Schedule: School day hours, Monday through Friday. Optional paid Extended School Year available.

Workload: Aligned to AOTA best practice standards. We negotiate workload expectations with our school partners because your sustainability is what makes student outcomes possible.

Setting: K–8 global academy serving diverse learners in a collaborative, supportive school environment

Compensation — Southwest Florida's Best Offer

Lee County District - Thrive @ Mid Cape

Base Hourly Pay - $35–$42/hr (after raise) - $45–$52/hr (W-2)

Annual Salary (est.) - $57K–$69K - $73K–$85K

Health Insurance - District plan (employee cost) - Full medical/dental/vision paid

PTO - Per district calendar - 10 days PTO + sick leave

Retirement - FRS pension - 401(k) with company match

CEU Stipend - Limited - $750/year

NBCOT / Licensure - Self-pay - Fully reimbursed

Signing Bonus - None - $2,000 (paid at 90 days)

Retention Bonus - None - $1,000 per semester

Cape Coral offers waterfront living, no state income tax, and a cost of living well below Miami or Tampa. A Thrive salary in Southwest Florida buys a quality of life that most metro OTs can only dream about.

Why W-2 Changes Everything

The staffing agencies that serve Lee County schools pay OTs $35–$42/hr as 1099 contractors — no benefits, no PTO, no stability. Those same agencies bill the schools $68–72/hr. The math isn't hard. The people doing the actual work are getting the smallest share of the value they create.

Thrive flipped the model:

W-2 employment with full benefits — not a 1099 arrangement with a handshake

Higher base pay than any staffing agency in the region

We cover your employer taxes, your health insurance, and your professional dues

A dedicated account manager who knows your campus and goes to bat for you

A clinical community of OTs, SLPs, and BCBAs who meet regularly, share resources, and support each other

When a workload becomes unsustainable, we step in. That's not a slogan — it's a structural commitment.

The Work That Matters

You already know why you became an OT. Here's what this role looks like at Mid Cape:

• Provide direct OT services to K–8 students — fine motor skills, sensory processing, self-regulation, handwriting, functional independence, and classroom participation

• Conduct initial evaluations and triennial re-evaluations with the depth and care each child deserves

• Partner with classroom teachers to embed OT strategies into daily routines — making therapy part of school life, not separate from it

• Bring your clinical expertise to IEP meetings where your voice is valued and your recommendations are implemented

• Build the kind of trusting relationships with students and families that only come from consistency and commitment

• Be the person a child looks for when they walk through the door. That's the privilege of this work. We want to make sure the work is worthy of you in return.

What You Bring

• Master's degree (or higher) in Occupational Therapy from an ACOTE-accredited program

• Active Florida OT license (or ability to obtain within 30 days)

• NBCOT certification (current or eligible)

• Pediatric or school-based experience preferred — but new graduates are warmly welcomed with structured mentorship from a clinical lead who remembers what those first months feel like

• Bilingual (Spanish) is a meaningful plus — premium compensation applies

Why Thrive

• Workloads aligned to AOTA best practice standards — because quality outcomes require sustainable conditions

• A company that sees you as a person first, a clinician second, and a line item never

• Professional development that's real: $750/year for CEUs, conferences, and materials, plus all licensure and NBCOT fees covered

• A no non-compete policy. We believe if you stay, it should be because this is the best professional home you've ever had — not because a clause in a contract says you can't leave

• The chance to be part of something different. We're not a staffing agency that happens to care. We're a company built from the ground up on the belief that investing in providers is the only way to truly invest in students.

Don't wait — apply right now. There are students at Mid Cape Global Academy who need an OT who will stay and build something real. If that sounds like you, we want to hear from you today. Email View email address on click.appcast.io or apply at thrivestaffing.com/careers. We respond to every application within 24 hours.

Thrive Staffing is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.