Industry Standard Vacation/Sick pay
Posted By: Carol J on 2006-05-02
In Reply to:
I am an at-home Transcriptionist for a major hospital system. As of a year ago, we have had our earned vacation/sick pay reduced by 15% of our hourly wage. We were told this is industry standard. Is this correct?
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I think the industry standard is using
independent contractors and you get neither vacation or sick pay.
I think this is probably the industry standard
.
An Industry Double Standard??
All of the posts about some potential blacklist started me thinking this week. First, let me say I don't think one exists, and I do think there is an informal network where someone any of us may have worked with might work at a company or whatever and information is shared. But here's my question.
While I don't believe in a blacklist concept, we DO seem to have that with employers here. So my question is, what's the difference? Why is it okay for MTs to say DO NOT work here... and it's not okay for an employer to say DO NOT hire this person... And I'm asking aside from the legal reasons of what can and cannot be given in a formal reference check. I'm talking about the informal network that we have in our industry.
The reality is, like it or not, all MTs are not created equal just like all employers are not created equal. And there is no one size fits all company or MT in our industry.
So what makes this different? Why is okay for MTs to blackball a company and not the other way around? I'm not asking for argument, purely curious about your thoughts on this. Thanks.
There is no industry standard for pay dates.
The industry standard is leaning more......... sm
toward the use of numerals rather than spelled out words as numerals tend to stand out more. The use of Roman numerals is also being phased out, except for things like cancer stages. I don't think Webmedx is cheating anyone out of lines by requiring the use of numerals.
As I said below, not every company is a good fit for ever MT. Why not just let this all go and find a company with which you can be happy?
if you want to work for super below industry standard - go for it.
It's great money if you haven't ever had an MT job (EVER!)
Have done QA and trained folks and will tell you, not all experience is industry standard
x
The industry standard is biweekly. It costs money
to process payroll and unless they are a very small company and do payroll in-house it isn't cost effective.
The last time you asked, or the time before that, there were a few companies listed who pay weekly.
The industry standard is NOT indepedent contractors. I wish people would sm
only post facts, not what they think, with something so important.
There are strict guidelines for ICs. Most companies have gotten away from that as it can backfire on them. Some companies have both ICs and employees, but most have moved to employees.
They have NO paid sick or vacation time
You will likely not find any full timers who are happy there.
That is not much when MT's required to use those days for sick, vacation, and holidays.
So don't plan a vacation, or get sick, or want off any holidays for to spend with family. 11 days are just not enough for a year's work for any company. The office staff, I am sure, get to take a vacation, or sometimes sick, and are off holidays to be with their families.
Why do at-home MT's get treated like this when we are paid on production and have to really PUSH to get a decent living, and then not be respected the same as an office employee. We produce piece work !
That is what I just said. !0 days PTO, period. That includes vacation, sick days and personal days
They should have paid holidays so that you are paid if you take off. Also should inculde extra hours for sick days and personal days.
That annual raise of .002 is kind of a joke especially when at the same time they upped the minimum line requirement from 10,000 lines to 12,000 lines.
OSi just does not have the qualified people in management positions that I wish to work for.
I am glad that you are happy at OSi and all is working out for you. Their dishonesty and the way they treat people just does not work for me.
Of course they can get by cheaply by hiring unqualified people so that is very good for the owners.
Vacation for SEs
Anyone know what is the procedure for taking vacation(s) as a MQ SE? How far in advance do you let them know, do they have a problem with it, etc.? Is there a limited amount of days you are allowed per year?
Vacation
All MQ offices seem to operate differently, but in mine I have had no problems. I usually give several weeks to a month's notice, then I also remind them a week or so before I'm off. I have never had any problems whatsoever. I took off about three different weeks last summer over a 6 month period. Plus, right after I was hired I had to take off for an already planned vacation and they didn't say a word.
I don't know the answer as to how much time you are allowed to take off. It would seem to me being an SE (basically an IC) that legally they could not limit your time off. Of course, that doesn't mean they won't complain about it. I think if you give a few weeks notice there shouldn't be a problem.
I have vacation and PTO. I take off when I need to. I
usually take 10 days off in a row and then long weekends various times throughout the year. I have even taken a day off with just 1 day notice when I was just needing a break. I don't take advantage and I have about a month of accrued time now. Sometimes if I'm taking off on a Friday for a long weekend I'll work extra during the week, or get up very early Friday and work, so I get my lines in, though I'm not asked to. I think my company sees that so they don't hassle me when I take off.
Someone needs a vacation and bad!
Vacation? What is that?
:-)
Thanks! Im on vacation
until mid next week. More later!
Some MT's on vacation right now, but
But sometimes there is not even work on weekends. Yuk! Going to get worse before it gets better at Transtech -- too many MT's hired now and slow holiday period coming up. Some of the accounts are only overflow accounts and temporary accounts that TT picked up recently, so look out for the bill collectors at the our doors around the first of 2008.
No, she is still there but has been on vacation. sm
If this is the right account. Actually, I think all the leads are there still and a few have been added. ***Edited by Moderator***
Please do not post initials and/or names here.
That would be for standard
transcription, editing is less.
The standard used to be.. SM
10 lines for every minute, so if that still stands, then that would be correct
60 = 600.
WE CAN SET A NEW STANDARD!!!!!
All right, calling ALL MTs!!!!! It's time for a very, VERY important step in getting our industry back in line with the skill set it takes. From now on when looking for more work or a new job, JUST SAY NO! to low line rates. If we keep letting them jerk us around and try to pay 1990s wages, they'll keep doing it. There are enough of us here to start the ball rolling in the right direction, and if we don't, we might as well get a job at McDonalds!
It's time to set some standards that are realistic for what we bring to the table. If you have 5 to 10 years of experience, 7.5 to 8 cpl should be the rock bottom. At 10+ years 8.5 to 9 cpl should be the standard, etc. MTs UNITE!
NOW HEAR THIS, MTSOs...it's time to start bidding work higher because within the next year, you'll have MTs who will only laugh and ask, Are you SERIOUS!??? if you try to offer us the wages we were making 20 years ago. I mean come ON...no one in their right mind works for less money than when they started out way back when.
Fellow MTs, it's up to us to change the industry standards. If you aren't up to the task to be proactive, it's time to stop whining and take the beating. I don't think any of us professionals are willing to do that...at least I'm not!
300-400 lph standard?!
I am in the same boat you are, I can type standard at around 240-260 on a good day. I also do VR and can do up to 500-600 lph but VR you get paid much less.
All in all I like standard much better, it does hurt like *&%$ at the end of the day but time flies by for me and I have a chronic problem of boredom when I work VR and I keep checking the clock and my lines just waiting to be done.
I make the same whether I am doing VR or standard, trust me, I have checked, I just earn more with standard because I get in a zone and type like a madwoman and like I said, time goes by very fast which I like.
Regarding vacation and PTO,
do you mean they are separate, 6 vacation days and then 1 week PTO, meaning 13 days total? and how do they differ between the 2? Thanks for your help.
VBC Standard
Katherine, I am just passing on information in case there are those MTs that have not heard of VBC. You are not expected to do anything. This was merely an informational memo. NO PAY CUT NO ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT, Just trying to do a good thing by giving info where none might not be available. Thanks Linda
No, it is not standard. Those are
the crappy companies with horrible pay. 2-3 cpl is most definitely NOT the standard. Geez people.
I was offered what seems to be the standard.
Considering it will be an OP account, I figure I can make good use of normals, etc. and make some good money.
Your standard response ... sm
I've seen the same reply for years. Yet the chaos continues.
Companies that allow you to take vacation
I work for a company that has paid time off, thing is they don't like you to take it. If you want to take off more than 1 week a year, they won't let you even if you don't care if you are paid for it. Does anyone work as an employee where you can actually take vacation without being without a job when you come back, the work is steady and the pay is good?
Vacation Coverage - IC
I work as an IC also, and I'm taking a few days off in just a few weeks. I let them know a month ahead of time. I'm the only one working for this company (very small) and she won't hire anyone else, so they know what they're in for when I'm gone. I don't know what they're going to do because they always had another girl for back up. The only bad thing I'll have more work than I can handle when I come back. I'm not sure how other companies handle the situation.
Why would they? The standard is by the line.
x
How much maximum vacation can you get
working at Webmedx. Thinking of applying but need to know about paid vacation days. I believe you get 10-11 the first year but I'd like to know how much vacation you get maximum after a few years. TIA
I think this is pretty standard, unfortunately. sm
When I worked in-house we the option of A) Work an 8-hour shift with only one 30-minute break or B) Work an 8-1/2-hour shift with a 1-hour break (or two 15-minute and one 30-minute). I think, however, most places require you to work 8-1/2 if you are going to take a 30 minute break...seems like that is against the law, but I don't know. I thought you were entitled to two 15-minute breaks for an 8-hour shift.
Uhh, as an IC? Vacation is unheard of in that
Staff appropriately and you won't have this problem. The problem is relying on ICs as employee. You cannot expect someone to just work and work with no time off - not gonna happen!!!
This is what goes against my grain. These companies want employee types but only want to pay a very minimum line rate for evenings and then now are requiring that you take no time off or schedule time off and never have an emergency????
Actually, with computers, it's a standard to only
Two spaces were used with typewriters to make a document easier to read, but computers have proportional fonts, so the extra spacing after punctuation is no longer necessary. One space has been rule in desktop publishing and it's actually easier to read, IMO, than 2 spaces. It's definitely hard to get used to at first, but it's actually easier once you do and saves keystrokes. Of course, if you've been using 2 and getting paid for the extra space, you'll lose out, but most places seem to prefer one space now. You can sometimes set grammar checks to watch for 2 spaces and alert you so you can change it to only 1. I know Word has that option and it does help when you are transitioning.
KS Vacation question (sm)
How does KS calculate your vacation time? If you had 1 quarter in the year that did not meet the 12,000 lines, does that mean you get no vacation at all for that year? In other words, If every month has 12,000 lines per pay period, except 1 or 2, no vacation at all for that year?
standard keyboard
welcome aboard
standard lines
Okay - I have posted about this before when we first found out our company PM was going to start paying 2 cpl for ALL standard lines including headings!! A couple of days ago this really started and I am really iritated! Is this a common practice now for MT companies? Yes the headings may come up in the software automatically, but we are also having to spend lots of time changing the templates to the correct ones, changing info that is entered wrong like dates of service etc. and also Emdat is sooo slow half the time between notes!! So, I was under the assumption that even though you have headings and they, for the most part, are standard lines, that it kind of helps cover the time it takes us to fix the templates and stuff like that!! Am I way out in left field here? What do you all think? Im not going to be able to work for a company that does this, it will really cut our pay quite a bit!! Not too mention a letter was sent out to all explaining that they could lose the accounts because of off shore lower prices, whatever if they did not change to this.....but in the same email they slipped up and said that they have always given the doctors the 2cpl rate on standard headings and had not passed it on to us until now....well then they just screwed up because if that be the case they were not in danger of losing the accounts when they were already giving them the discount, they just wanted more money in their pockets and taking it away from the MT in this economy, seems pretty crappy to me! It seems like do more and we will pay you less, definitely time to find a new job!!
standard lines
They are paying the regular 8 cpl for what you straight type, but headings, templates, macros etc. are considered standard lines and are paid at 2cpl. So you still lose money because all of your Chief complaint, HPI etc. are all paid at 2 cpl. it will add up
double standard
Since you're so knowledgeable about how to treat people and what's insensitive you surely know that you came off looking like the bigger jerk with your condescending, bullying way of making your point. There are ways of educating people without making them feel bad about something that was unintentional to start with. I don't know if you actually have a double standard or are just a bully, but I have much more respect for the OP as a person since she admitted her mistake and apologized and you still wouldn't let it go. You may be an expert on PC, but it seems a little phony when you present it in such a hateful way. Grow up.
Can you take vacation days with no pay
and can you have holidays off with no pay. Is there a limit to how many days off a year you can take? Do you have to make up the time you are off? TIA
Each company has their own standard
for this. I have worked for companies where you were on it 3 days and if okay then you were released. The Q was known for telling you to do 3 to 5 reports, send for full QA and then take off--all with absolutely no feed back. Most, however, take it on an individual basis. If you are getting conflicting info from different people, refer all to your supervisor and ask which is correct. If it is different feedback from different accounts, each probably has their own way of doing things.
One week of vacation (IF you don't need it for something else)
Holy-moley, what have we come down to?
Vacation should be holidays
8 cpl for standard and 3 cpl for VR - that's a crock!
There is little to no standard typing for which you can make 8 cpl. It is 90/10 in favor of VR. If you buy into the slick sales job the VR snake oil vendors put forth and can actually double your output per hour, you are making 6 cpl. What a joke!
Remember when Don was on vacation?
Some were not keeping to their daily line commitments and a couple of accounts were out of TAT. She wrote: WAIT TIL YOUR FATHER GETS HOME! I like a spoonful of sugar with my medicine! And humor is quite unusual in a boss.
To the poster who said 2-3 cpl is standard for VR:
Don't fall for it. It most certainly is NOT standard for VR. From what I've seen, the standard rate for VR seems to be about 60% of your regular line rate for straight typing. I was working for Alltype when they tried to force feed us the line that 3 cpl is the standard and IMO that's insane. Also IMO, anyone who tries to pay 3 cpl across the board without taking into consideration the length of experience on VR and the straight typing rate is ripping you off.
It is Lkeystrokes@aol.com but she is on vacation through next week. sm
Your best bet would be to call Becky at the main office at 630-739-5520.
question about IC and vacation coverage pls sm
I was under the impression that as an IC I am not responsible for finding vacation or sick coverage for accounts; that would be up to the company I am contracted with (no written contract, just verbal but don't flame me it's worked for 4 years now). What do other ICs do when they want to take time off (a foreign concept, I know I know)? Do you find your own coverage or let the company who has the accounts handle it? This company has flip flopped so much - at one time we had to have our own coverage, another time we got major slapped for doing so as the accounts were theirs and they would handle coverage, and now seems to be swinging back to find your own or don't take vacay. TIA.
anyone know of overflow or vacation work available?
I work 2 jobs that I love, but both of them are 2-3 times a month and average 100 minutes of dictation at a time. I rather like the nature of this work as it is given to and I usually have 2-3 days to complete it. I have lots of experience--ER, other hospital (except ops), psychiatric hospitals and offices (which I loved!), specialty clinics of all types--it's just that I really don't want to give up the 2 jobs that I already have and love, so I would like more of the same kind of thing. I thought overflow or filling in for vacations would be a good option, if I could find it. Anyone know of anything like this? I am considered an excellent Transcriptionist by all whom I've worked for.
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