Maybe they think a lot of MTs are going to leave en mass with the new pay plan so they are getting
Posted By: MQTOO on 2005-08-24
In Reply to: I wonder what the work looks like with entry level MTs bouncing around in these accounts. Well, they - MQTOO
ready. Have you noticed how they have been dragging their feet to let us know probably until Summer is over so they have plenty of staff. You KNOW they already know what it is so it is just a matter of timing is all. Yep.
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Don't worry just find out and then have a plan A and plan B
I have gone through something like this but not with that company. I too am the insurance provider for my family and there are preexisting conditions, so a private policy is no good.
First of all, I work elsewhere but had the same situation. I fell short of line count, but not because of me, because they did not have enough work, and I like many others cannot make quota because of the way they count lines. Then, on last paycheck there was a negative on insurance money taken out of check. I thought I lost insurance, but found out at the end of the year, they did an audit and found out that I overpaid all year and so I actually was owed money that check.
In the meantime, I found another job but have to wait 90 days for insurance. Can't find a policy to bridge the 2 jobs, insurance is on my mind all the time. My heart is with you. Personally I am getting the 90 day meds, working on my second job which will become my real job and if I lose the insurance, Cobra will kick in in case of disaster so that is like major medical.
Sorry such a long post, but I suggest: Not to panic. You probably did not lose insurance. Call the benefit provider to see you are still covered, not the employer. If you are not still covered, get 90 days of Rx if your plan covers by mail and be billed, immediately get another job which is a better place to work anyway (I found one) and in 90 days you will be okay. Some places like Disriter cover the first of the following month, but I would not necessarily suggest you work somewhere which is not so great just for insurance. You can consider TransTech. That would be my suggestion. Sorry for such a long post. But this hit a nerve and I wanted you to understand some options, as I have gone through it. Good Luck.
Mass exit sm
Sorry, but I don't think this is the answer. Back in the 70s? 80? (sorry, I forget which) our man in the White House swore he would break labor unions (though he, himself, was a card-carrying member of the actor's union) and he DID. The American workers bought into the "unions have outlived their usefulness" propoganda and now union membership is at an all time low. Without bargining power, workers have nothing...united we stand, divided we fall. And EVERY American worker is falling FAST. Wake up America.
Springfield, Mass. nm
x
Has anyone who received the mass
emailing from Keystrokes received the promised phone call yet? I have not and am just wondering
Breitner in Mass. NM
><
StenTel in Mass.
Sorry, I meant to add that I would like info on StenTel in Springfield, Mass. Thanks in advance.
mass firings
They had a conference call recently for which US editors were asked to call in. When they were all on the line, they were ALL fired! Talk about unprofessional!
Also, when people quit or are let go, they are not being replaced; often, when they ARE replaced, it's not by other US employees.
They are taking the easier, longer-winded docs and giving them to offshore workers to do, leaving the US employees with the more difficult, hard-to-understand dictation to do while at the same time are pushing for more and more production/lines AND stepping up the auditing AND requiring feedback to be done on worse and worse work from overseas - basically resulting in people not being physically able to make quotas nor keep quality at a premium. They then are firing people who fall below what they say are the minimums, not taking into account the conditions which THEY are imposing on us and which make the job more difficult and much more time consuming, and the massive also-time-consuming amount of feedback on crappy transcription (and HA! editing) overseas. It's discriminatory no matter how you look at it, too: There is no way that the work of the overseas 'editors' can hold a candle to that I've seen from US editors, yet the US people are being fired & forced out left and right while the overseas folks are being allowed to keep their jobs and even being promoted.
SPi has been 'testing out' voice recognition on a major account for quite sometime; when they started it, they fired most of the US MTs and promoted offshore MTs to Editor positions.
They are losing accounts like crazy; some they lose on purpose, but others are lost because the clients are upset and/or dissatisfied with the lack of quality, service, etc.
Run, DON'T WALK, away from this unethical company while the choice is still in YOUR hands...before they fire you or sweep you up in one of their recent mass 'layoffs'
and when you DO leave, make absolutely certain that they pay you any unused vacation (AND unused/owed PTO for those prior Cymed employees). They don't do it automatically. They told one person who quit recently that they had just decided not to pay the PTO out - even though they put it in writing in the benefits package cover letter in January! Someone else who left tried to collect unemployment but couldn't because SPi had her listed in another state completely than where she'd lived for all the years she worked for them - she got hired after months but never did collect any of the benefits she was entitled to.
This company represents all the worst of human nature.
Mass Firings
What can one do to protect themselves from these evil doings? How can they get away with not paying out PTO? I am beginning to think that their transcription branch is just not important to them and they don't care what happens to it (at least in the US). It is obviously clear they don't care about the US MT.
Is this the Sten-Tel in Mass?
If it is, then I worked for them for about a year over a year ago. I do not remember that statement in the IC contract. That must be something new. I left that company because their QA would mark something wrong one day and then mark the same thing right the next day. You never knew what you should do and then they would send you nasty emails saying you need to get off of QA or else. I wouldn't recommend working there.
With all of the mass hysteria can we please
I have to be honest... I love my job at TT and when I got the e mail it did not bother me at all. I simply did not sign up to be one of the first to try the VR (I have done it elsewhere and did not care for it personally, nor did my bank account). Anyway, my strategy was to work as hard as possible now, and keep an eye open toward other companies that do straight transcription. If I am forced to do VR, then I would still stay at TT and train as best as possible with a second job picking up the slack of the bills. It would be more hours, but it would have to happen b/c I cannot afford a paycut as I have only me to depend on (no other incomes to help). Then, I came on today and unfortunately, I read all of the posts of panic and hysteria and felt like giving up, going to bed and pulling the covers over my head and or getting an Rx for Xanax....
I understand we all need to vent, but is it possible to try to work together to find solutions or boost each other up while this is going on instead of fighting or getting into a panic? One poster here, I see, is looking for suggestions for companies with straight typing options. That is a good idea... What other positive options can we come up with together so that we all don't go down in negative doldrums. Panic will not help my line count today, but the bill collectors don't understand, nor do my children who depend on me...
Anyway, my approach will be if my check takes a hit, to continue as I am, and if I am asked to train VR without a complaint while I take on another job to fill in the gaps. Does anyone else have any positive ideas to add? If we can come up with a list of options instead of griping, maybe we can all have a good and profitable day with a plan for the future.
Thanks in advance for reading this... Even if no one has an answer to this, at least I got it off my chest...Have a profitable and enjoyable day/weekend.
This law only applies to mass
X
I had a feeling there was a mass exodus
earlier this year. I hung in there with them for six months, but they kept running out of work. I asked to be trained on a second account, but it didn't happen. My supervisor was very nice, but it just didn't work out. I also have 17 years of experience, and had 99+% QA scores. I agree with some of the comments above about looking things up, etc. Oh well...
Sten-Tel in Mass. pays this way. nm
s
Also, don't mass mail your resume.
If I receive a resume and I can see that it has gone to a dozen other companies, too, I'm not feeling the love.
Sten-Tel, Springfield, Mass.
Anyone familiar with this company? Could not find any current info in archives. Pros and cons, please. Also, what platform do they use or does it depend on the account? Thank you.
Am I the only one who works for Sten-Tel in Mass?
I am having probs with their QA and wonder if I am the only one dealing with this?
Hoffman Transcription (Mass.)
Anyone work or have worked for the above company, would you please state how you liked working for them, pros and cons, please. Thanks.
Someone said Transtech sent out mass Email
saying which shifts and days they are hiring for. Care to share what they said so I will know whether to bug them. If it is not allowed here on this board no problem and I will apply anyway. Thank you.
Bet a mass exodus is taking place.
cc
This was a mass email, about docking $10 per report.
p
Trying to beat the mass exodus. May be hard to
Lots of info in the archives. Seems to be a mass
exodus going on.
Well I hope they are ready for a mass exoduos over this
not sure why they think people will hang around not getting paid.
Here's The Federal Law on Mass Layoff Notice
http://www.doleta.gov/programs/factsht/warn.htm
Sten-Tel in Mass. and their testing process
I need a 2nd job really bad. I have worked for Sten-Tel in Mass. before and know that they do not require you to work any certain hours and do not have a minimum line count for you to meet. They also pay on time. I applied to them and went through their entire testing process. I finished this last Friday. By Monday evening, I hadn't heard anything so I emailed human resources asking for an update. No reply. So, I emailed again Tuesday and I finally got a reply back saying that my test was received and that it takes 5-7 business days for me to get an answer and the human resources person said she should have an answer by today. I wait all day and hear nothing. I email her again asking about the status and I do not get a reply. This is really irritating me. I know I did good on the test. I don't understand why it is so hard to get back with someone. Should I just say forget it and try to find somewhere else? I really don't know of any other companies that are very lenient with the schedule and have no minimum line requirements. If you know of any, please email me and let me know.
They have a "front" office in Mass.. but your supervisors and QA are in India.
Your tech support is also based in India. You communicate with your supervisors via Yahoo IM. They are in India so when you have questions they are the ones answering your questions. Good luck with the communication. Also, remember your paycheck is penalized for errors. This would not be so bad if people sitting in India were not the ones QA-ing your work. That is where the real issue comes in. If I can hardly communicate with them, why would I want them in charge of my paycheck. I mean truly do you want them deciding what is proper English, I think NOT
OSi has had a mass exodus so there should be plenty of room for newbies
x
They are strictly Indian-ran with a "front" place of business in Mass.
If you like getting low pay and badgered everyday by people either A. Do not understand English or.. B. Do not WANT to understand English, then finish their test.
The only positive is that they pay on time, but they do move paydays a lot so that you would count on having so many days in that pay period and a day or two before the pay period is to end, they move that day of the pay period end so you'd end up with a day cut off your check that you expected. It seems very odd to me why the pay period would change so much. Also, your line count never seem to match up. You will work on a 5-page report for an hour and somehow you only end up with $8. The other down side is that you will have Indians quality checking your work, which is bad enough.. but then your pay is docked according to what accuracy rate they give you. As you can see... too many red flags. The best word I can think of to describe them a company is.. RIPOFF...
Acutally it's the Mass. Sten-Tel. Hmm...same state as your company. In cahoots, maybe? nm
s
I dont answer the mass emails she sends out. What bothers me is we are not anywhere
near out of TAT and she just then sends out these mass emails and everyone piles on and runs the account out. Then when you get a few more reports she does it again. It just keeps going on like that. I have no idea what the problem is. I dont acknowledge the emails at all I just cant get a grip on why someone would function like that. It is almost like she isnt happy until she runs the account out and then expect all the ICs which we are to sit around until it comes back in and then be at her beck and call. It seems to be getting worse and worse lately with this. She has taken the word control to extremes especially with ICs. She expects you to let her know if you are going to move your butt of your computer for a half hour. I just dont get it but it gets extremely old I must say.
Larry doesn't know if he's coming or going! One day a mass email to employees begging them to
even though no work, and the next day mass email begging people to hire anybody they can scrape up and now accounts out of TAT, etc. Different story every day of the week, and I don't wanna hear about the company perils! Just let me type! No thanks.
They've all said Woburn, Mass when I asked...same time zone as me grrrr! nm
n
new MQ pay plan
It's been in QNews, snail mail and on MQ's home page under the QNET as promised by Frank for the last six mths.
What do you like about this new MQ plan?
I would just love to know what people like about this new plan because the way I see it they are not paying for your internet service anymore which is essential to getting this job done and they are not offering any kind of weekend incentives which is when they are always begging people to work and also, the part that really is laughable is even if you are part time and say work 15 hours a week and want to work 20 instead one week you have to get that approved. Now, they are always begging people to work so why do we have to get approval to work extra. I can understand over 40 hours but if you are part time what is the big deal. As long as you put your hours in that you are supposed to, why do we have to go through the trouble of calling our supervisors and asking to work an extra hour or so.
I don't see much of any kind of incentives in this new plan. I mean if you type over 1200 - you get a small increase. Say you type 1500 well you would make an extra $1.50 that day. What kind of incentive is that?
I just don't get it. Maybe I am missing something and people can explain to me what they like about it. I would LOVE to hear it.
new plan
There is nothing to like
well i DO like the new plan
It adds up to a lot of $ to have 18 days PTO at production rate vs. 10 days, plus now the 6 holidays at time and one-half. The difficulty premium adds another level of fairness and compensation to the skill tier.
As far as part-timers having to ask to work an extra hour or two -- where do you read that? i went back and looked and see that your option is to work between 8-39 hr a week -- if it requires permission, i guess i missed it. I can see where it would help in scheduling and TATs though.
As far as the lack of I/N payment now, that's not a plus, BUT you CAN claim it on your taxes along with your books, etc.
It may not be an exciting plan for those who have limited skills and just can do the easy stuff, but for me, it works well enough.
Better than MQ's new plan. sm
You would need to check with their recruiter for what you would make. They have the MQ-type quarterly bonus and shift bonus for night, which allows one to make good money.
TRS pay plan help!!!
I have been working at TRS almost a month now and still cannot undestand the pay scale. I thought I did,but I am lost. I am on a difficult account and I am having trouble making line count. My first pay check is coming up soon, and I need to get another job. Should I hold out, or run for the hills? I hate to jump ship, but I don't want to stay too long if I cannot make any MONEY!!!!!!! thanks
Pay Plan
Well I am one of the MTs who does like the pay plan. I've done quite well on it. I would suggest that you talk to your supervisor and ask for a better explanation of it and be sure you understand it. Once you have a good grasp on it, it's not that tough. Good luck and I hope you stick it out!
The plan is this
IMHO: Hire good typists to transcribe for peanuts; then hire qualified MTs to QA for peanuts.
Ain't globalization fun?
Thank you - I may have a plan now!
Thank you all for your comments...
I am still racking my brain (which is not helping my production by the way)...but I may have just brewed up a plan!!!
Since I was meeting double the LPH requirements, I am just going to slow way down and meet the required production - they require set hours...they are going to get it...they will still get quality work, but I am not going to stick my neck out anymore...
Instead, I am going to focus on the smaller company and pray it turns out good. I will take the extra time from the national and even out the line count I need with the smaller company..and hopefully, it will all fall into place and I will decide the smaller company is my answer...
In the meantime, I am keeping my foot in both doors and looking out for myself for once!!! Staying more and more loyal to the one who actually appreciates me....yup, the smaller company
Thanks!!!
What new plan?
xx
But it isn't quite going according to plan.
I like how you stated that the benefits SHOULD flow into our countries when companies are allowed to compete better. Unfortunately SHOULD and ARE are two different things. So far the only things happening is that the companies are getting huge, billion-dollar tax breaks that are benefitting other countries. The profits that the companies are making are not benefitting the US workers, they are lining the pockets of shareholders and CEOs. They're not creating jobs here and they're not benefitting this country. Whereas, look at India and China and all the news reports of how their economy is growing at an unprecedented rate. This theory can only work if other countries cooperate and the American companies use profits to grow their businesses, instead of lining the pockets of their CEOs.
Having a plan
is always a good idea but no one should have to try to juggle 2 jobs just in hopes of staying employed. I personally think the best strategy would be to find some way to become self-employed. Everyone has some marketable skill or talent, even me. I wouldn't recommend anyone to get into the field of MT as it appears to me with all the changes, offshoring, no work, etc. ect. etc. it is a pretty poor way to make a living. I know that many people swear they are doing great in the business although how is beyond my comprehension. I'm more inclined to believe those who say they spend 24/7 praying for a job to pop up. I know my own income toward the end of my career went way down and I'm one of those who can do anything that is thrown at me. THAT didn't make an iota of difference, I got the same no available work that the majority seem to be getting. I could think of half a dozen ways just off the top of my head that I could start and operate an at-home business outside of MT. No one should have to hold 2 jobs unless they just want to.
Have heard nothing about the pay plan,
SE possible health insurance, or anything else that is being talked about by certain MQ MT's.
I have had the web-based email since "day 1", and did not need 800 DICTATE to set it up for me. It was simple! Just not getting any of the emails that some are speaking of receiving. Get PLENTY from my supervisor. Guess having no problem receiving emails . . . so where are all these other emails I did not get???
family plan
Anyone know what the cost would be for a family plan?
family plan
I can't find the info they sent me...It should be here somewhere. I'll look some more Sunday and see if I can find it.
family plan
I've looked everywhere and can't find the initial info they sent. Maybe someone else who has a family plan through MQ or at least can find their introductory info on the insurance plan can answer this. Sorry!
How do you think this will be affected with the new pay plan.
:
Has anyone gotten the new pay plan packet yet?
I haven't gotten any information at all regarding a new pay plan. Was the first of this sent out to ME's only. It seems that only MQ ME's have mentioned anything about their pay.
I have a hard time believing that MQ HR would call EACH and EVERY MT. Do you know how many phone calls and how much time that would take to accomplish. They probably hired temporary employees again to do this calling, as they did when the new benefits package was rolling out to work on the benefits hotline!
If ANY of you receive any letter/packet/phone call about a new pay plan, PLEASE post for us. TIA
No. There has been announcement of the new plan yet....
and we have not been able to even verify the few random reports on here of ASR 20% reduction...whether they are for a specific office, etc.
Please, stop trying to scare people with the implication that you know something, that there IS a pay cut, etc.
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