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Has anyone tried the 'shared work' layoff alternative

Posted By: MTsitter on 2009-03-04
In Reply to: Can I sue MT company? - ex-MQer

plan? I know they have this in New York state and actually know someone whose employer does this. The employer must participate but you can always ask about it. There are very specific requirements but it seems if your company does not pay down time, wouldn't it be to their benefit also to keep good MTs this way?


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job layoff
Voice recognition. Lost 2 jobs to it already. I'd go to school for something better if I were you. I have been doing this for 23 years, but when I started we were on typewriters and never knew how computers were going to change the future of transcription. Good luck, but if I was investing my time in school, I try to find something that's hopefully not going out.
Insurance and layoff question.

There's a possibility that my boyfriend might be getting laid off from his job. Apparently, because the company he works for has less than 20 employees, Cobra does not apply here. Any help? I have no idea about any of this. TIA!


fer cryin out loud. Now this md says "she was placed on layoff"

In my state you can, it's considered a permanent layoff NM
NM
Double major - BA English/journalism. Did MT while in college and came back after layoff.
amazing, just amazing.....
SM for alternative
It runs up and down with the text sideways on the start menu. Mine says Windows XP Professional.

You can right-click on My Computer, select properties, and a window should pop up that shows your system information.
Here's a better alternative..
Medifast 5 and 1 plan. You eat 5 of their meals a day and then what they call a Lean and Green that you prepare yourself. I've only just started, but have lost 9 pounds in 4 days. Check out the website... Medifast1.com

Read the info and check out the message boards. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

You can spend 17+ thousand dollars for a band and eat 6 small meals a day or spend a couple of hundred dollars a month and eat 6 small meals a day.
Not OP, but I think this is an alternative to.
Trick or Treat. Instead of going to stranger's house the kids go to the church and people pass out candy from their decorated car trunks.
alternative

My docs just attach the voice file to the email and send it to me.  There is no encryption.  If you don't want to use email, you could use an FTP site I suppose for a safer transfer...


Another alternative.
Not sure about that but the program, Switch, can change one audio file into any other type of audio file to play on whatever player you want to use.  I love it.  It has a free demo.
Alternative
I thought it might be an alternative to having to rename WP 5.1 documents with .doc extension if they could be loaded on Google docs.  I have not researched it extensively, either. 
Unfortunately I have no answers but I have an alternative for others...sm

If your computer is about to bite the dust, if you have ANY computer geek friends who can build you a computer, ask them to do so.  My husband always rebuilds and updates my computer.  The cost for parts is about the same as the "sale" price on new computers and the advantage is that you can have it custom-built to your specifications.


Even if you have to go to a computer shop to have a computer built, it is still less expensive in the long run.  Initially it may cost $100 or more than that "sale" computer, but you won't run into problems like being forced to have Vista as your OS and trying to retrofit everything.


We have had a computer since about 1990 and, besides our very first, DOS-based computer, we have only bought two "brand new" computers.  One was when Windows first came out, and the second  was when I started working at home and needed my own computer.  At that time, Windows 95 had been out for a couple of years and most of the bugs had been worked out, so we took the plunge and bought a new one.  Since then, we have simply updated and upgraded, including adding a new hard drive, new motherboard, sound/video cards, flat screen monitor....


Just wanted to show you can get a "new" computer without buying a "brand-new" computer. If you see what I mean.....


Housekeeping as an alternative ...
... has anyone gone from MTing to housekeeping in a hotel?  I can't support myself as an IC and can't meet the requirements for employee status.  What are the going wages in the South?  Do I have a snowball's change of being hired in my 50's???  I'm desperate.
Please email me! I was considering an alternative..
like this one, because at this time I also have a 2yr old that I'm trying to keep at home during the day by starting and ending early in the day.  I have some more questions if you don't mind.  Thanks so much!
alternative keyboards
Is anybody using an alternative keyboard? I have seen some pretty nifty designs and wonder which one has the most sensitive touch. Any users of the kinesis contoured keyboard?? Please give your comments, as I am currently shopping...
An alternative would be to purchase and download
a product called Phone Tools by BVRP.  It functions as both a fax and answering machine. I've been using it for >5 years now and have never had any problems. 
Foot pedal Alternative
is there an alternative to the traditional foot pedal? I know i could probably use the keyboard, but I am wondering about devices.
Need alternative to usual Labor Day cookout
We are having a family get-together on Labor Day. We usually grill hamburgers and hot dogs, but I was trying to think of something different this year. Any suggestions? There will be young kids there, so it would have to be something they could enjoy as well. Thanks!
Easy free alternative to FTP for uploading lots of files?
I currently have a temp account that wants to send me a large # of files. I have tried to set them up with a free FTP utility but she is having trouble using it. For some reason she can receive files from me fine but cannot upload them from her computer, and I am stumped as to why this would be. So I am wondering if there is an alternative out there to FTP that is both easy and free (or low-cost). She's willing to FedEx them to me on CD if all else fails but any suggestions would be helpful! Thanks.
slow periods, seek alternative extra cash? sm
Docs, like us, have busy family lives. I found that after Hannukah and Christmas (or sometimes with a break from family stuff) they "catch up" on dictation. Hopefully, this is what still happens. I have a son who is a professional and he likes to go in on Christmas Eve morning because it's so "slow" that he can get a lot of paperwork done. So hang in. Another aspect of today's world is that docs are carrying laptops now as is my family PCP and they are all doing their own notes. I think it's a "wait and see" thing, the world is changing and hopefully there is a survival tool for us somewhere. We are all being replaced by technology, sadly. Only time will tell. I was told several years ago that I should go into "scoping" which is kind of like editing, etc., you go into public stenographers machine gibberish and make sense out of it, kind of like making sense out of what comes back from India. I was offered this but refused to clean up someone else's "mess." Everyone should be thinking of alternative ways to get by, it's never easy. It's sad, as I have put a lot of time and $$$ into a profession that doesn't appreciate my knowledge. From your posts, Blondie, you have a good heart. I hope things get better for you. Try to have a happy holiday. How did you make out with those dogs you took in? Did the owner take them back or at least pay you? This may be an alternative few extra bucks for you. You seem to be an animal lover and a caring person.I don't live near you, but I would rather leave my Golden with you than some kennels around here. Thus, I do not go away if I can't take my dog. Hope things pick up for you work-wise.
Easy backup file transfer alternative for non-tech-savvy client
Hello all,

I have a new client who is not tech-savvy at all. She lost her Transcriptionist and transcriptions are backing up. She is so desperate she is willing to try digital with me. (yay) I hope everything with the FTP setup goes easily for her, but if for some unforseeable reason we cannot get it to work, I was wondering if someone here could recommend an easy alternative, if only to get the first few dictations to me while we work out the FTP. She is incredibly frustrated and on edge at the moment, so anything to ease this transition would be a lifesaver!

Thank you all so much for your help!
I get my work from an FTP site that they load the work to, however I don't have pool work so to
speak, but I tell them how many minutes a day I want.  The work is generally put in my box by 5 pm every day, then I have until 10 am the following day for some priority work, or 3:30 pm for the rest, so TAT is not too bad. I would like to work less at night though, but I working on that. My downside is I do not get the same dictators day to day, there are a few I do on a semi-regular basis though, some generate great lines but take longer to do that other doc's and are not "money-makers", I also do not get paid for spaces so that hurts a bit too.  This is WP5.1 too.....so very antiquated but that is what the hospital uses, so not much choice there. But I understand what you mean about the C-phone. I was just doing another job with C-phone recently...they incidentally did not tell me how to get off of the system, which was very simple.  I'd finish a job, then hit stop and hangup if I wanted to get off or quit working.  That is what you need to do if you want to sleep, eat, etc.  Don't feel guilty, do what you signed up for, believe me they watch the pools and will get others to do the work you don't finish.  If they get on your case remind them that you are only PT and only want 500 lines a day, etc.  It's not worth killing yourself over.  Good Luck.
You go by your schedule and have no work. Everytime I get on to work, there is always work.
x
Then you would have no life at all except work, work, work if you did that. I wouldn't do it. nm
.
Same thing with nationals. You work all the time to keep the account caught up when others dont work
and then when they decide to put a whole lot of extra people on your accounts and run you out they could care less about how much you worked.
Have a hospital I work for and they consistently change work types and do line counts. (sm)
Management just doesn't understand in order to crank out the work you need to be proficient by typing the same accounts. Go figure, they just don't get it ??
Usually work "live" on a Cphone, while connected. There are ways to record & work off line, bu
s
steady work...gearing up to start new account....but there was no work on Tues as it was a holiday
Be patient with your eyes open....
I work for Warminster at MQ and I am sick to death of being jerked around with no work all the time.
I would like a job where I can depend on the work and it does not seem to be in this office of MQ.
Speaking of offshoring MT work, who does not directly send work offshore?
Just curious.  Has anyone got a list of companies who do not send work offshore?  Precyse?  MQ?  Spheris? 
Becky you work in a great place. With no one hovering, I bet you get a lot more work done w/o agoniz
wants what. The only people qualified to do QA on my reports are the dictating doctors and the rest is just pure waste of money and time. If I have a question fine. But this random QA bites and hurts everyone. BTW, I don't have random QA for those who seem to think I may have an ax to grind. No dog in this fight. Just common sense.
Good. Why dont you send some our way. What office do you work for so I can call and get your work.
:
Before needing to work, I did volunteer work through the Junior League where I am from in Texas. lm

Junior League was like a full-time job sometimes, but I loved it. Now that I have to work, even though it is from home, I still volunteer through my son's school.  I am a school teacher in my previous (pre-MT) life, so I volunteer my tutoring services for children who need the help beyond what the schools are able to provide but whose parents cannot afford to pay for private tutoring. I also know how you felt about being afraid.  I was strangely afraid before I joined the Junior League.  It was just the unknown. But I was SO blessed by being able to help.  Honestly, I am sure that it helped me just as much, if not more, than I helped others.  Go for it.  You won't be sorry.  (Just remember that you have to say NO when you have to say no, okay?  Remember that and you will be richly blessed by the experience!)


nm would you mind if I asked where you work and what type of work hosp, clinic ?
x
All I know is it caused the company I work for to be unable to do all work due today and the rest
:+
Just return the work, submit your bill, the scurry and find more work elsewhere. sm
They will never meet with you before next week. It is Thursday, already. Be prepared to sue for payment, because you will probably need to. But, most of all, find other work elsewhere, because I have a feeling this final payment will be a long time coming.
I work on Escription platform and the adapter didnt work for me. I tried it on my laptop though
and the foot pedal would just not play correctly with the adapter. I think others have tried it and done it but it just didnt work for me.
IC sets their own hours. As long as the work is done by the deadline, you decide when to work.

Glad I work somewhere where you cannot cherrypick....our work is divvied out by minutes and - sm

the office manager (who does not normally transcribe) dishes out the work, so some days are easy, others are a mix.  So no cherrypicking is possible.  You type up what is given to you, period.  She will alternate the tough one's out so no one person gets him/her all the time unless they want him/her and are used to that doc, or everyone gets a little piece, etc. There are days when I ask for easy work (tired, chemo day, Jen sick, or a lot going on, etc.) but not often, generally I get a mix but they all get easier the more you do them.  I am not working as much as I should be of course, every week is different here so I adjust my limited work schedule accordingly, so sometimes it hard to get better at certain docs.  I used to have a lot of blanks with the Trauma ER unit, but I have been doing that a lot lately and now and very good at it, still a time consuming account but at least I am improving. -----------------------  But I believe the OP was stating she did it to clear out the log, not to make more lines, and only when she was asked to do so.  At an old job I had #s meant everything, everyday we would get report (2=4 x a day) of the backlog, and emails pleading us to work, work, work.  The QA rules sucked  (MQ probably is basing their new plan loosly on this one), however we did not get penalized, just chewed out if you sent in too much work to QA (over 5%, and was 80% ESL), I would imagine eventually fired if you continued to do it. They were a great place to work for until they re-organized....it all went downhill from there.  This is why I prefer smaller MTSOs, it's not all about the #s, yes, they want production too but at least it's not so cut-throat. 


i used to work for a company that divided the work types up and i loved it. sm
there were only 4 of us working a major teaching hospital. someone was assigned surgery, different assigned discharges, different admits, etc. we all had the backup work type in case the original assignee wasn't available and were cross trained. it made us much more efficient, ability to get used to dictators, set macros, and in the long run we were all much happier.
Used to work in Cooperstown, NY - and on the way to work is a huge turkey farm
It made me never want to eat turkey again - seeing them all cramped up against the fence and cages, packed tightly, no room to move. Actually, it made me want to do some harm to the farmer who found this acceptable.
Do not work for Amherst if you can work for any other office in MQ. It is terrible. They overload
accounts terribly. We are always running out of work or need to have 8 or 9 backups to get lines in. This is the way it is. There may be a few out there that it is different but I do acute care and was just transferred there along with my office and everyone in my office is in the same boat. Not a good deal at all.
An MQ recruiter told me yesterday if work is low they "cut off" the work

SEs are doing it.  She also told me that it is written in MQ policies


that MQ can let go EMPLOYEES without notice (I'm not saying statutory employees here, I'm saying employees).


 


You're lucky they work for you. I've never gotten a refill to work right, ever.
x
Has anyone breast fed while trying to work at home, can you do this and still work full time?
It seems like the more literature I read on the subject, the longer it seems to take, especially in the beginning when you are breast feeding every two hours, or does it really just depend on the baby?
HAHA! Yes! I have those daily! But it's not really work as I work nights, it's little things l
turning on the pool filter in the morning and then in the afternoon running out there because I thought I forgot to turn it on. Or preheating the oven and then 5 minutes later saying "shoot! I forgot to preheat the oven!" It's really bad. And I'm only 31. I'm not 90!

I don't know if dementia or Alzheimer's runs in my family, but this could be a sign of something to come. Or as my husband says - you jut don't pay attention to much. He's probably right!
I work Sun.-Thurs. normally and will work on Fridays to get Sunday off if I need it. Works
s
The company I work for said cable phone wouldn't work, just FYI.
nm
Easy to work with. You can look up old reports. Your own word expander will work
s
I just work with ShortHand minimized. Smarttype doesn't work the same way? nm
s
Work for 1 hour, then count your lines of the completed work - sm
either check you total characters in word (with spaces) then total them all up and divide by 65, and you get your total lines per hour. 10,000/65 is 153 lines. Or if you have a line counting program us that to figure you count, either way will work quite well. Maybe do it a few times and then figure an average over 3 hours or something like that, it will vary with the ease/difficulty of the work you are doing.