Heard no more raises or cost of living either.
Posted By: Lucy on 2008-11-14
In Reply to: is eMTS out of Coral Springs for sale? - Curious
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You either need a job to fit your cost of living or a cost of living to fit your job. sm
While I agree that you cannot live in California on $35,000 a year, no one is forcing you to live in California. Suze Orman says either find a way to lower your expenses or find a way to earn more money. It's common sense :)
There was a post a few weeks ago about not everyone being cut out to be an MT. I agree.
The original poster needs to stop whining and either get a job that pays more or get a new career. She can make $15,000 on minimum wage at a mall or Walmart.
BTW, it was insulting of her to say that MOST woman don't need to work. How dare she? In this day and age, most adults need to work. This is not 1958, this is 2008. I am not a bra burner, but my husband and I both make similar money, clean the house, cook, raise our 3 children. I am just lucky to have a job where I can work from home. I hated commuting anywhere, hate traffic, no patience.
But that doesn't mean that I work less. I treat my job like a job. I work in my home office but I work all day. I do not do laundry, chat with friends, cook. I go to work each day by getting ready as if I were leaving for an office, pour my coffee, make sure I have everything I need and start. I take bathroom breaks and a lunch break and take the full hour that I would somewhere else. I work 8 full hours as I do not include my lunch hour, so my day is 8 to 5. When I am done for the day, I turn everything off, leave the room and close the door, as if I were in an outside office.
My husband has a salary of $71,000 and I make near the same as him each year. I do not work overtime except very rarely, an occasional Saturday here and there, just like if I were on salary in another profession.
I am not perfect, but I love my job and do it well. I also know that MT'ing is not for everyone, although it seems as if a lot of MT's who are not very good at their jobs have a sense of entitlement.
Variables in cost of living
Some states sound good, but then check out the taxes - real estate tax, personal property tax, sales tax, cost of heating/cooling, transportation, license plates, insurance, etc. A lot of it balances out in the end. Some states have outrageous license plate fees, (I paid over $600 for my car last year). I also get a personal property tax bill each year for everything including my dishes and silverware. State income tax is out of sight. Cost of heating in winter is unbelievable. I have to have 2 sets of tires for the car, 1 for winter, 1 for summer. I have to have 3 complete wardrobes for the weather changes.
does anyone know the cost of living in Bangalore? I need a job... lol nm
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Cost of Living Increases
I work for a large MTSO and after four years have not received a cost of living increase. Is this standard operating procedure? Things cost more than they did four years ago. Do you think CEO is getting the same pay as four years ago? Any thoughts?
Cost of living is higher
In eastern bloc and Ireland and India. They're gonna want as much as we make. And if not now, then soon once they seal the deal. Plus our HIPAA laws still don't apply anywhere but here. There is still that.
It also depends on your cost of living.
I live on the California coast, which basically means I can't make a living at the national going rate. Fortunately, I also have one small local account that pays at a rate commensurate with the local cost of living, and because I have this, I can survive. Not sure I'd call it a good living, but I can get by.
They haven't forgotten about the cost of living.
They are having to compete with India and other countries and to do that they have to hold their line rate. Their rent goes up, they have to pay support staff, etc. I'm sure the majority of the companies are not struggling to meet their obligations every month, but the profits aren't what they used to be. As MTs we were spoiled when we were making $60,000+ year when that was very good money, but now that $60,000 doesn't go very far, but you'll be hard pressed to find that kind of money in most positions in other job markets.
But the MTSOs knew the cost of living would
contract with the hospital was even dry. They cut it too close by too much bottom-line bargaining, and didn't leave any wiggle room in order to be able to continue to pay the MTs that are the ones who actually produce what it is they're selling. No wonder we all play job-leapfrog all the time! The way they do business is too short-sighted to even be believed, sometimes. And the hospitals (most of which are WALLOWING in money) are taking total advantage of the average MTSO's lack of foresight, and most MTSO mangers' lack of even the slightest clue as to what medical transcription is, or how it's done. It's all too pathetic for words.
to long time MT - the cost of living is about the same as the midwest - sm
you can have rent ranging anywhere from $500-900/month depending on where you live and what you want. It's not expensive like NY or DC or VA. The line rate is ABOVE - A-B-O-V-E 8.5/line and the docs are fairly easy with the exception of a few marblemouths, but I think every hospital has to have a few marblemouths, or it just wouldn't be right. If you are seriously thinking of it and would like to send us a resume, let us know your email and we will contact you!
We posted this because we wanted to know our options - rather than to have an outside service take the overflow.
Medware has been paying $14 for years, No cost of living increases there! nm
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Slipping Backward - Line Rates and Cost of Living
This is for those of us who have been in the business awhile.
I stumbled across an online calculator that lets you input a dollar amount and a year in the past, and see what it would be today with cost of living increases. (Link below).
You can use this with line rates and do it two ways - either as cents, which gives you a whole number result, or as dollars, which gives you the decimal portion as well. In other words, if you made 8 CPL, you can either enter it as $0.08, or you can enter it as $8 and then move the decimal point over to the left two places in the result. The multiplier is the same either way, so the dollar method with the extra decimal points is more precise. Just remember to move the decimal point over.
I was making 10 cpl in 1990, so I gave it a spin and ran some different line rates through it using 1990 as the base year:
8 CPL = 12.96 in 2009
9 CPL = 14.6 in 2009
10 CPL = 16.2 in 2009
11 CPL = 17.8 in 2009
12 CPL = 19.4 in 2009
Is there any doubt that if the line rate had even kept up with the cost of living, people would not be feeling the way they do about this industry?
Then I did something else and tried different input amounts to see what amount in 1990 would have equalled 9 CPL today - a typical line rate. I had to back off to 5.56. Someone earning 9 CPL today is making the equivalent of less than 6 CPL in 1990.
It's kinda fascinating playing with this thing (the way watching a train wreck is fascinating, I mean). Here's a link you can paste into your browser, or you can follow the link at the bottom of the post.
http://www.aier.org/research/worksheets-and-tools/cost-of-living-calculator
Anyone heard of Career Step program?..cost?..legit?
I checked out the Spheris website and I don't have enough experience to apply...but they directed me to Career Step kind of as a prerequisite to get your foot in the door for employment....there's gotta be a some kind of cost, but I didn't stick around to find out....link, after link, after link..yada yada...anyone have any comments on this setup?
Does FutureNet give annual raises or any type of raises? nm
nm
Wonder if those support in the office get any raises. We are paying their raises, huh?
you know they ARE getting raises!
Isn't that what we do for a living?
That's why keyboards were invented.
raises
best way to get a raise with MQ is to ask for it and keep asking. I don't know why they don't give "across the board" raises. The thing I have heard in the past is type more to make more. I say learn every work type you can and make yourself indispensable!
raises with MQ
would you mind telling which office that is? used to be in Houston and it closed down and now in Dallas. you had to ask for a yearly review. they didn't volunteer that info unless you asked. first time when i asked for a yearly review they got around to it 6 months later. gave me all kinds of BS why I didn't qualify for a raise. i asked for a yearly review this year and i was told that i sent over 20% to QA. all i have to say is that you were extremely lucky. are you SE or FT?
Who says ICs can get raises. You obviously
work at a small company to brag like you do. I just hate it when someone like you comes here and tells people that they can earn like you do only it takes a while. Well guess what I am not new to this. However, I don't have stable accounts. I did have but the company puts whomever they want on them and dole the work out. You can't get ahead. I was doing fine finally until they put another greedy MT on that account and now my good account and the one I depended upon for most of my earnings is now hardly anything. I resent this. Accounts are not yours. They belong to the company. Yet, you say you have stable accounts? My God. You are unreal.
Go peddle your lies to someone else.
raises
I don't think any of us TT employees want to say what we make. Every account is different. It really is nobody else's business what each of us makes. TT is very fair and we do get rewarded for good work. Didn't you used to work for us at one point, Olive Oyl? If you did, then you should already know that we are the best in the industry.
raises
You should probably ask Transtech this question directly, Olive Oyl. The reason the rest of us don't tell you what we make is because it is confidential to each of us. It really doesn't matter to me what anyone else makes, because I'm very happy here. Transtech is about SO much more than cpl. I don't think you're going to get the answers you want from any of us TT employees, which is why I suggest you make a list of all your questions and ask Transtech yourself. :)
COL raises
What companies have you or do you currently work for? Every company I talked to that does pay wages said there would be no raise in the future. If you want to email me . . . . . . I honestly don't want to fritter away my time and energy. I have worked very hard to get to where I am (as you know this is not an easy job to do) and am proud of the work I produce but I will not work for a few pennies. Perhaps I am wanting what will never happen.
Raises?
How are they with giving raises, is there any set protocol, or like MQ whenever they felt like it (never)?
WHO gives raises?? ;)
I've never heard of an MT company giving raises. Please advise if I'm wrong. Whenever I wanted a raise (at any company over the last 18 years) I worked more. My arms and hands are now shot, so I have to make do with what I have, no matter how big the incoming bills are.
LOL! Just had to comment. It was a funny question to me. :)
Raises
I'm lucky enough to be an employee of a small local company and I get yearly raises. Good luck with yours.
Raises
Is a year too soon to ask for a raise or should the company offer one automatically? I just do not want to ask but I am afraid if I don't, I will never get one. Any thoughts?
Ain't no raises in the MT biz..........
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Yes there are raises...
I would say after 1 year, if you have a good track record, is fine to ask for one.
Where R Our Raises?
While the town meeting was informative, where was the mention of raises? Cost of living? Anything?
What, are we getting raises?
wasn't up on the home page yet when I last checked and I had to work my other job when it was going on.
No raises, what to do?
You have the choice of 2 things, a) type faster and b) work more hours. If you asked for a raise just after 2 years, do you have any idea how long most have worked in this profession without having a raise at all?
No raises here.
I haven't had a raise since 1997 when I was raised to 10 cpl. Really. Yes, I still am an MT, 25 yrs. Crazy?
The last year or 2 has been the worst with the economy and my single policy health insurance premium going up to almost $500 a month.
It's all wrong, and something is not right in this industry for this to have happened. Like others, when I started in mid 80s, it was decent and then good money.
No raises/VR
Spheris never gives raises plus all accounts are eventually going to be VR. Plus they send a lot of work to India. The only good thing is PTO. I like my supe but now there is almost no communication.
TT raises
Does anybody give raises? I haven't had a raise in my line rate in over 10 years. My income has actually gone down, and I believe that is probably true no matter what company you work for in this business now.
I do get my lines at TT no problem, and as far as the VR, works out fine for me.
They will not hire MTs living in CA or CT.
nm
How can she pay living expenses on that? nm
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making a living
Is there anyone out there supporting themselves and able to make living with a transcription company? i I have been wanting to make a switch but need a push. thanks so much 
making a living
I have been an independent contractor for over 20 years (MT for 30) and have 5 kids which I have raised alone with no support from their dad. I have bought my own house, have a decent car, pay all my bills and my kids have many excurricular activities (which runs into moocha dollars). Hope this answers your question.
making a living
I would definitely recommend Transtech for you, and if you are full-time, they offer you benefits, and can provide you with a computer if needed.
Decent living..
In short....the answer about Is it possible to make a decent living with them, without having to work 40 or 50 hours per week?.... NO 
This is where living in a certain state...
makes a HUGE difference in such things. I currently pay for the insurance for my husband and I (no kids but still need family plan) through DeVenture and it costs me a brutal $136 per WEEK, and the copays for office visits and drugs are still hefty. This is one of the main reasons so many people in this state (Maine) are uninsured...it's just too frickin' expensive 
MQ looking to earn a living
With ASR making money is getting tougher and tougher. Years of transcription experience counts for nothing here.
Try living in Delaware where the just
1,100 workers worked their last day on Friday. What do they tell their kids. You are worrying about a measly Christmas bonus and jealous of CEOs? What about these auto workers?
Have some dignity and stop with the 2-year-old me, me, me. Be lucky you have an income and are not being told sorry this is your last day a week before the holiday season.
No one is ever just happy they wake up in the morning these days. It's always want, want, want...
Not sure what us living in the same state has to do with anything. sm
Everyone's experience with a company is different. I think it just all depends on what your specific needs are. It's disheartening when I hear that other people have had a bad experience with a company that I think highly of.
It's because they are living in a falsehood.
If the person just does a one liner to sound like they are bragging, they are just trying to ruffle feathers. Don't believe everything you read on this board. Its anon and it is open to the public.
Living Wage
I don't know exactly what I would call a living wage for a weekly amount. I can tell you that for my family of 5, the GOVERNMENT says that if I make less than approximately $40,000, that I qualify for various forms of government aid due to low-income status.
$40K divided by 52 weeks per year works out to about 1700 lines per day at 9 cpl.
If you're only making 5 cpl (case in point: That recent ad on the Jobs Bank!), then you would need to type 3076 lines per day in order to keep a family of five above the cut-off for food stamps and free lunches!
I think a living wage is
1 thousand dollars a week.
No cost here either
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cost...
For medical and dental it is around $85 biweekly. SGS is also the only company I know of that allows contractors to have medical and dental, around $110 biweekly, as long as you meet 9600 lines minimum biweekly, which is pretty low these days.
how much did YOU cost THEM?
If the FOB belongs to the hospital, why in this world would you not want to do the right thing and send it back even if it means going out of your way (although it is crystal clear here that this would be against your nature) to do right by the hospital?
I could never, ever do something that could cause an MTSO to lose a client and if you chose to follow the road you are on that is what could happen. It doesn't belong to you. It has security codes on it. The hospital is upset. The MTSO is upset. You are upset. Crimy!! God save the MT profession from crabby, nothing-better-to-do-with-their time old timers like you!!!!!!
Do you think that you are so special that you were the only one who lost money on trying to get you started up? People in the hospital were helping. People at the MTSO were helping. You were sitting around waiting, not helping and you continue not to help.
Send it back all ready and be done with it!!!!!!
Reviews, raises???.....
What part of that was unclear. Anyone can check production - you won't get a review after 6, 10 or 20 years much less right after your probation. If you aren't producing to suit them - you are gone, unless of course you are a pet and then you can do whatever you want..
Do they give raises?
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