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What concerns me is that the rule is

Posted By: if you do not want to apply, then just stay quiet. on 2007-05-23
In Reply to: making fun? - clk

Unless you like being banned, then keep on having laughs over the job seeker's board posts.  It happened to me, so I like to tell people that I was instantly banned for pointing something out on a job post.  It is not acceptable no matter what the forum or nature of the job posting.  It is not really up to you or I to decide what is just having a laugh!  The moderator has posted this in the past.  NO MAKING FUN OF THE JOB POSTS.  Someone may want to apply, do you think that there are only American MTs in America?  Do you think only foreign MTs stay in their country?  Even if the job was foreign in nature, that doesn't give anyone the right to poke fun or have a laugh at someone else's expense especially someone who is offering jobs!!!!!!!!!   


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    My concerns
    First with the job application. They already have all this information on me. I am not giving out references again, and I am not agreeing to a credit/background check. Everytime someone pulls your credit file, it lowers your score slightly. Not going there. Plus, will they somehow use this against us in the future as far as our years of service and make it appear as we did not start with the company until September 15, 2007?

    Second, employment agreement. I have a problem with items 4 and 5. I don't plan on sticking around with this company forever. The only reason I stay is because I love my accounts. If they move on (very likely), then so will I. It is quite possibly that I might indirectly divert business from SPI if I go work for a company that has taken one of their accounts. Agreeing to $1000 sanction if that is the case? I don't think so.

    The whole arbitration agreement is just a complete farce. From everything I have read, the employee really suffers when matters are taken in front of an arbitrator rather than an actual court of law. SPI knows they have issues. What about the fact that they don't pay time and half for OT? I bet the DOL would love to hear about that one. I could see down the road a whole bunch of MTs trying to file a class action suit, and I think the legal team at SPI is really worried about the same thing, hence this agreement.

    Off my soapbox. And it's very early. Too early to worry about spelling or typos, so don't beat me up.
    none as far as it concerns me
    My point was only that MDI isn't taking on VR to pocket more for themselves. I'm well aware how this affects me personally.
    Concerns
    I understand your concerns. I am an employee and would not have it any other way. Every individual’s situation is different and the company is aware of that. I am sure they will work with you. Give them a chance, you might be surprised.
    I understand your concerns
    I have google'd myself to death, LOL. I did get an interesting email today, but I have a hunch it's not what you're talking about. I wish I could leave my email address, but I have the same problem as you do and my email would be too easy to track down. I guess I'll just have to wait .
    I have my concerns too. This year not even a
    Christmas card.   There have been a couple other things that when added to this pot leaves me wondering what is going on.  
    I certainly have let D know my concerns but to no avail. nm
    nm
    Sorry..I meant THIS concerns their
    medical records
    I know the feeling here and that is what concerns me. nm
    x
    I definitely share your concerns...

    In my previous post I was and am trying to stay hopeful, as I really enjoy working with MDI like you, when I talked about possibly changing to another account.  In reality, I feel as you do, that I just don't think there will be enough work on straight MT side to provide that.  I just don't understand why such a great company like MDI is offering such a pitance for VR when most other companies are offering 4-5????  Just don't get it.  Again, I'm trying to remain hopeful and would like to believe what the leaders at MDI told me about tripling the line count, but seriously, in reality I really KNOW it is just not possible. 


    Does anyone have any ideas about anything we can do?  Perhaps approach MDI/Dorothy as a group with our concerns??


    Hospital concerns for benefits.

    Many MTSO's are hiring only ICs now with no no benefits given.  Now given these are mostly smaller company's.  But why don't the hospitals form their own and contract out.  That's basically what some of the smaller MTSO's are.  They use the hospitals equipment.  I work for a small rural hospital as an independent contractor.  I worked inhouse for 2 years doing their Basic 4 and radiology reports.  For family reasons I was planning to leave but they offered to send me home to work.  Since my husband had medical benefits, I did not miss the benefits at the hospital.  But this situation worked out fine since I had a sick child that I was paying daycare for when he was not even there but home sick.  Ten years later, I am still working at home for the same hospital.  Hospital's work has grown and I am not willing to work so much now.  The hospital thought about hiring a MTSO but decided not to after they found out what they charged.  Which was about 3 times what I did.  They hired part-time Transcriptionist themselves to cover what I could not do.  So, to all those below who thinks it wound not benefit the hospitals, here's one story where everyone benefits. 


    Do you really think owners have time to come on this board to know there are any concerns? sm
    If you really and truly believe they are offshoring, ask them. Tell them you have concerns and that you have heard they were outsourcing!. I know for a fact that L is still quite involved in the company and believe me, they have hired new people; people who just couldn't cut it and were not good enough to put out quality work; QT has always, always prided themselves in quality! If an MT can't do quality work, why keep them? It's a waste of time and money! I just know one thing, I will do my all this week to help get us back in TAT. You do what you have to do!
    I don't think there would be any greater conflict concerns than there would be with any kind
    ;+
    I'm not saying you don't have valid concerns but I sincerely feel...
    You all should be entitled to have your own board. I've done the Transtech thing a few years ago. This is all old news. Same as most of the companies on here, you either love them or hate them but I feel there is a ton of people that work there or people who want to work there and you should have your own board to discuss this.
    well I sure didn't I was fired for voicing my concerns
    Would they take me back?
    Transcend Line Count Concerns - SM

    Any fellow Transcenders have knowledge of how the company handles not meeting line requirements, especially if low to no work on your account.  Are there warnings given or do they just pink slip you immediately?  Anyone had ANY experience whatsoever with this....Thanks so much.  Am worried. 


     


     


    Do Not Fear Retribution for Sharing Concerns
    Denise:

    Thanks for the kind words about my post. It is my sincere attempt to ensure that every team member feel valued and empowered to be successful. It is regrettable to hear your concerns for simply sharing your feelings and yet I can understand because I do know that these types of passive/aggressive response have been taken by managers of our organization and virtually all others.

    Denise, it is my job and responsibility to make sure each team member has a voice and that their concerns are heard. While I can't always provide everyone with exactly what they want I am typically able to help. I hope you will feel comfortable sharing your concerns with me.

    Thanks again for the reply and sentiments.

    Jeff E. McNeese
    SVP, Operations
    DTS America, Inc.
    T: (877) 387-6876 ext. 115
    F: (615) 329-2298
    jeff.mcneese@dtsam.com

    yourvoice@dtsam.com




    Once upon a time, a surgeon responded to my concerns
    The girls were tearing up the 3 surgeons up one side and down the other. And OMG, what they had to say about the office manager!!! I felt they were betraying the man who fed them. So...I went into his office and said, Dr., the morale is very low, the office staff are very upset, threatening to find new jobs and I thought it should be addressed during a staff meeting.

    His response was: Do not pay attention to what they say. Venting is a necessary part of being a part of the work force (when you are an employee). The doctor brushed it off,did not want to hear the details and he did not really care who was the instigator. He felt that as long as they showed up on time, held up their end of the load and were pleasant with the patients (anorectal surgeons - ouch).

    That office staff who whined and complained and ridiculed was with the surgical team for over 10 years - An RN, 2 front office, insurance cler and med Records gal.

    Huge Bonuses (which say THANK YOU!) at Christmas brought momentary pleasantness but come mid January, they'd start again, feeding off each other, like a bunch of women at a Sewing Circle (have you seen the pic on this website depicting us as women in a sewing circle, dear?)

    Bottom line - it is harmless. If money is there and then not there, without warning, a person who is not complaining about it is the one I'd be curious about.
    I've had concerns for at least a year. I'm a long-term

    QTer so I have seen lots of changes.  Not that I expect anything, but we've always gotten something for MT week and this year not even a card and the whole stink over Christmas.  The IRA thing doesn't have me really concerned.  From what I understand they only hire ICs now.  I know they've had some long-term people leave who might have been employees, so it might not be cost efficient to continue the program.   I haven't had a raise in several years and these days I'm just glad to have a paycheck.  I don't know how much of the work is being offshored, but you would think that would free up some $$, unless they have had to hire extra QA people.  I like not having lots of e-mails/phone calls, but I also would like to know what is going on.  I denied for months they were offshoring, but when I got proof it was a slap in the face and I felt like we should have been told about it.  There seems to be plenty of work on my account so the offshoring hasn't  affected me directly.  So far the checks are always on time and have never bounced. 


    Things have definitely changed and I don't think for the better, though I've interviewed with several companies lately and haven't found one yet that is better than QT.  I just try to do my lines and be thankful for a paycheck and just accept the fact that the company will never be what it was. 


    This is the thing that concerns me about this field. Pay is staying the same not increasing!

    Every OTHER medical field, nursing, therapists, techs, etc. are all experiencing the yearly salaries going up.  Transcription compensation is not increasing. 


    While they may increase the RATES the ability to make the more money is not there because of VR, taking away the header allowances, more difficult accounts, more ESLs, stricter QA, etc., etc. slow platforms that require information inserted that you don't get paid for and anything else that lowers your salary.  If hospitals are looking to slash their transcription budget, they are going to pass that onto the service and the service will pass that onto to the employee. 


    I know transcriptionists that were making 45-50K in 1987 working 40 hours and now they are making 35K and often times working more than 40 hours to make that lower amount.  Or I hear people say I can make the same money but I must work much harder and longer hours.  I think wow...you have to work harder and longer to make what you made in the 1980s. 


    Other occupations have gotten consistent raises without the need for more hours and I don't think employees would put with up it.  Imagine a well qualified R.N. being offered a 1987 salary?  The hospital would have a hard time hiring nurses.  But the transcription service environment is so competative if they can offer the work cheaper and cheaper while guaranting accuracy they will get that contract.  So in order to stay in business they have to find a way to pay the Transcriptionist the least amount of money to see their profits which they need to stay in business. 


    Of course if transcription is all you know and you don't to work in an office or get a job at Starbucks you keep going and accept the pay because we really have no control.  You have to work with what they offer you. 


    I've never had a problem with checks or insurance before so that is what concerns me.
    But, I will be following up on Monday. I was just hoping that anyone who had this happen could confirm that is the way it is done. Thus far, no one has really confirmed this so that is a good sign.
    Not saying this is the rule, but (sm)
    It could be a regional thing. I used to do a lot of accounts in S FL and it was pretty ESL-intensive. I then did some N FL accounts and it was the opposite, but believe it or not, the dictators were MUCH worse.

    Regions of California, Florida, Texas, and NY probably have more ESLs than other states. I could be wrong on this and probably a gross generalization, but I'm only speaking from experience.
    My new rule
    With rare exception, I don't do any test without the courtesy of verbal communication in advance with the company advertising. If they can't or won't even speak to you via phone to answer a few simple questions, how do you know if you even want the job?

    I don't have *any* problem testing, but if the management can't or won't even speak to you first, it can be a sign of under-staffing/poor organization.


    Funny some of us were written letters by company attorney when we posted our concerns here
    :(
    You seem to be the exception, not the rule. nm
    ..
    You are the exception rather than the rule. ....
    Most companies pay nothing, or next to nothing. Then you have to consider that you have to deal with the very personal fact that AAMT loves its Indian MTs more than you, and you are just funding their growth...it's just not worth it. I've been on thier boards, I have been a CMT, and I'm more than happy to shred AAMT's pleas to have me maintain their lifestyle. NO SOUP FOR AAMT!

    AAMT Nazi.
    is that a rule on the website or something?
    If so, sorry....didn't know
    As a general rule....

    75% is a pretty heavy figure on terms of ESL.  That sounds like an account no one else wants to do. 


    You are an exception rather than the rule....
    I learned on the job too, but that was a LONG time ago. It has been my experience nowadays that you have to pass testing for most nationals to get hired. Those who can pass testing with no experience are few and far between and you are to be commended. This particular person already has acknowledged that she could not pass testing and does not have the knowledge required, and was asking how to gain that knowledge.
    Then it must the the exception, not the rule. sm
    According to everything I've heard and seen, the offshore work is garbage. That doesn't mean there may not be a service or two in other countries that hires educated MTs, who are proficient in English and conscientious at their jobs. I have worked with people from other countries that did as well as I do. But they are few and far between, and if every company let their offshore work stand on its own, or had it being QA'd offshore, most of the accounts would be back on shore in a short time. JMO
    The exception to the rule.
    x
    There is no set rule. A lot of it depends
    on your bank as to when they will accept the money and let you have access to it. If you know in advance that they will hold your check if date falls on a Saturday until Monday, then you just have to adjust to that.
    I think you should rule the world
    with that attitude. I tell them, I do this, I do that, well goody for you.
    First rule: DON'T assume
    Can see you are frustrated but don't assume people who *might* have answered your original post saw it.

    If you were going to take the time and effort to write a second post - why choose such an off-putting tone?

    How about: I know you all are very busy trying to work 24/7 to make HALF of what you used to make - but my first post went unanswered. Would someone KINDLY please point me in the right direction?


    Rule #1 about job-seeking: Never, EVER, pay
    'background check', NADA. The company should always pay for those things. If not, look elsewhere. I learned that one the hard way a long time ago.
    Well, don't look at me, I didn't set the rule. :)
    I just tried to 'splain it.

    Just another minion here.
    exception to the rule
    I agree with you completely, but yesterday I had to delete an entire report and retype it. After I downloaded it, I noticed it was totally nonsensical. As I began listening to the audio, I found out why. There was a TV in the background that was actually louder than the dictator and VR was trying to pick up what the person on TV was saying. It made a total mess of it and of course had nothing at all to do with the patient's report, so this was a case of having no choice. Luckily these are few and far between. This morning I had a report with absolutely no corrections needed and it was wonderful! But then I thought, Whoa! If they all get this perfect, I'll be history! So I'll gladly make a few corrections!
    Ladies we rule the MT world!!! nm
    a
    That is what happens when corporations rule our government. sm
    In a global economy, quality of life will have to readjust to the lowest common denominator because there are always third world countries that will do it cheaper.

    Welcome to the New World Order that Bush told us about!

    Allstate is definitely an exception to that rule
    I know who each of those persons were that posted. I also know that Allstate believes in their ICs working as a team and helping each other. There are no secrets -- in fact, just the opposite. Interactions amongst MTs and QAs is encouraged. Names, email addresses and phone numbers are openly shared (with permission) if it means making help more readily available to other MTs when they need it. Everyone on the company is provided a direct number to reach even the owner/CEO at any time. And by the way, yes all those MTs do work for Allstate, and no they are NOT the same person. I know all of them.
    That was the rule when the site was owned
    by Sheri..guess it doesn't apply anymore.
    You, my friend, are the exception, not the rule.

    There are very few people making that kind of money in transcription anymore.  Have you even read the ads posted recently?  Fewer and fewer MTSOs are even hiring employees and when they do advertise, their IC compensation is 7, 8, or 9 cpl.  Even those companies that are hiring employees are doing so at extremely low rates, at the same time overhiring to make sure that their *contract enticements* will be met on the backs of the MTs.  Have you noticed the postings from MTs of, not 1, not 2, not 3, but SEVERAL different companies stating that there is no work??  When an IC is working for 8 or 9 cpl or an employee for even less, and there is no work available, how is that person supposed to make $50-60K annually?


    People like yourself will criticize others for their opinions and will brag about your own situation, but when push comes to shove do you state what company you work for that allows such a wonderful wage with your abundant work load?  What is your fear?  That others will jump on board and soon you will be facing the same situation??  Until you have experienced what the *majority* of MTs in this field have been facing, you really have no valid facts to make such a request that other MTs be fired because their situation forces their loss of employment (if they quit because of it), their loss of compensation (if they are docked), or the loss of quality (which will certainly occur) due to the punitive compensation policies in place. 


    I don't know about Stentel, but a good rule of thumb seems to be SM
    that if you are an extremely fast MT, you will likely not make as many lph doing VR.  However, if you are pretty average speed at transcribing, you may be able to increase your lph significantly with the VR once the system has been trained pretty well.  Just something to think about....
    I think they changed that rule a year or so ago. They can post.
    nm
    Who needs it? We don't. Just don't buy anymore with their silly rule changing.
    nm
    If I knew the answer, I could rule the world. Too
    x
    Was always told a general rule of thumb...
    60 minutes equals 600 lines, 80 minutes, 800 lines and so on.  The formula did pan out for me.  I was always able to figure out how many lines I would get by how many minutes I pulled from the system. 
    You my dear are most certainly the exception to the rule because MQ does not pay that base rate to
    start people and give them 11.5 cents after 16,000 lines.
    General rule is 3-5 minutes transcription/1 min of dictation.(nm)
    x
    I betcha it IS HIPAA regs that rule out wireless
    Doctors etc. cannot use cell phones to dictate their reports, right? If this is true, I bet the use of wireless to deliver their dictations to at-home transcriptionists is considered potentially not secure. Well, two modems it is for me and I am really glad I asked this question. Thank you all for your feedback.
    My thoughts exactly. Need an IC job so can deduct equipment, etc without having to meet 7.5% rule.
    My normal company gives garbage as equipment, and I can't meet the rule for unreimbursed employee expense because I'm a high producer and don't have the other expenses that you can add to it.
    Maybe it's a "pick and choose" rule.. depends on who is being talked about
    I see a couple of names in that post, but haven't seen it deleted yet. Hmmm. Wonder why?