I've been meaing to post on this subject, but have to work too many hours now just to pay the bil
Posted By: Texas MT on 2006-03-03
In Reply to: low pay - chelle
I've been at this for 16+ years and when I started, there were few big nationals, just small transcription companies that cared about their MTs and paid very well. Once I got trained on an account, I usually averaged over $30 an hour, always had work, and was proud of the living I could make in this profession. Now, pay keeps going down, down, down and I am panicked by how little money I am able to make, and even more panicked when I read the jobs for MTs and see the pay being offered is insulting and dismal. I cannot believe this is the pay being offered for those of us trained in highly technical medical terminology and responsible for the accuracy of documents that affect people's lives. I urge everyone with experience in this field not to accept this kind of pay - maybe if enough of us make a stand, something will have to change for the better. As it is, I might just have to take a job at Wal-Mart.
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- low pay - chelle
- I've been meaing to post on this subject, but have to work too many hours now just to pay the bil - Texas MT
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I've found you have to work more than 8 hours a day to
If I had to stick to an 8-hour time period, I couldn't afford to continue.
my post did not all post in the subject, my apologies...
I think you can get the idea.
thanks.
Post was removed because it was not on this subject.
It was not against offshoring, it was against the other poster as well as this site.
You posted a hostile response without reason, and it was removed.
Per TOS, offshore discussions by US MTs are allowed, only postings by offshore posters are not.
Why do people post and say "This is off subject"
being discussed here. I thought ANY subject pretty much was fine (unless something that has another board specifically FOR that subject).
This is the last time I will post on this subject or back to you beacuse
you are most definitely a very unhappy person who needs something to fuss about...... It can never only cost 7.5% more because your social security and taxes are based on how much you make. When you add your IC income it is different for everyone, depending on what tax bracket they are in, and yes it cost me more. Even if it were 7.5% I would still say it is not worth it for ME but that is my opinion - you are free to have yours.
P.S. I do fill out my own taxes because I also refuse to pay anybody more than it is worth to do them when I can go buy Turbo Tax and fill them out myself. If you really want to see the difference, fill out your Taxes without your IC income and then put it in and see the difference!
Personally, I post all in subject line so dont
x
But in transcription, if you are good at what you do, you can do 8 hours of work in 4 hours. So eit
you slice it, both companies will still get 8 hours worth of work out of you.
That is the problem I've been having lately being an MT. Companies want to pay us on production and they set minimum productivity standards, but want us timed in for 8 hours a day. My thinking is, if they want 8 hours of work out of me, pay me hourly with production incentive. If they want to pay me on production and tell how much I have to produce in an 8 hour period, then when I hit that mark, I should be able to call it a day even if I've only worked 4 hours.
Seems these companies want it both ways and it is simply not fair to us MTs. JMO, tho.
if the post were pulled wouldn't there be no subject line to open? sm
They don't just delete the guts, the whole thing would disappear.
I must say, I work long hours, sometimes 12-14 hours a day.
I thought it was important to mention that. However many hours it takes to get the work done is what I do. Some days 12 hours, other days 6 hours and sometimes 14 hours. So, I guess there really is no easy answer.
I've been off in 5 hours - nm
xx
YOUR age. I've been typing for 9 hours now,
.
IC sets their own hours. As long as the work is done by the deadline, you decide when to work.
What hours do you work?
I am having a hard time setting a schedule. I would like to work early mornings, but it is hard ot get motivated.
So how many hours a day do you work? nm
xx
So-you work 13 hours a day?(sm)
I can't even get 8 in without falling asleep, most of the time between the hours of 7-9 a.m. My first 3 hours, I can do almost 200 lines an hour. After that, it's downhill. I rarely hit 1,000 lines a day let alone what you do. Thick ESL account.
We are not allowed to work more than 8 hours a day. I use an expander, but I'm slow with it. Still have a lot of words that need to go in. The worse part of this is remembering that I have a short cut for the words!
Another problem I have is that I hate leaving blanks and I will take time to research and look things up. I know I could cut the time a bit, but . . .I can't stand to do that. I freak out with an ESL if I have to leave 2 blanks.
It's the falling asleep I can't handle. Yet, we have to work our scheduled hours or suffer the consequences, so I'm stuck. I guess I'll be out the door soon.
I'm getting so-o-o depressed because of it. I left a job earning $1400 for 15 days for 1/3rd that I am getting now. Can't afford the health insurance, can't afford to save money. Heck, can't afford to pay my bills anymore.
I work about 5-1/2 hours a day, five...sm
days a week as an IC and make about $27,000/year contracting with a national at 0.0975/line. I feel like I represent the norm, but I could be wrong. Sounds like a lot of people on this board are doing a lot better, although I don't know of any personally.
I work 24 hours
and make around $22-24,000. And I am NOT glued to my computer (because of small children). I could make $30-32,000 if I really tried.
How many hours do yo work a day
to get these lines? I would think it would take you more than eight. I would hate to spend more than eight hours working, but that is me.
I only work 35 hours and anything/ sm
over 35 hours is OT. If I work before or after my scheduled shift on any day, I get OT pay. This is before I have reached my 35 hours too. Whenever I work when it is not my normally scheduled time, it is considered OT.
No & if you work the same hours SM
and same production year after year, you will actually see a DEcrease in your income over time. Isn't that nice? The only way you can maintain or increase your income in this biz is to work longer and faster.
and work more than 40 hours/week you are due
compensation. If your company requires you to work 7 days a week I'd find a new job. They may ASK you to work extra as workload dictates but by no means should you be required too. Many companies require 1 weekend/month or every other weekend, but there are off days during the week, unless you WANT to work.
If you are an IC you work what you commit to. If a company can get you to work as an IC by holding over your head you dictate the hours you work, versus working a set schedule, why not. With having to compete with companies offshoring they have to cut expenses where they can and cutting benefits, etc. is where they do it. I don't like it, but in order to stay in business they have to, but they also can't require you to work 7 days/week either.
Looking to pick up some prn work, about 10 hours per
week. I have Word 2000 and Transnet or can use FTP. Acute care or clinic. Email me for details if interested.
where do you work that you just do lines, not hours?- nm
nm
I take a 5-10 min break every 2 hours I work ...
barring that, I try to have as close as possible productive hours during my shift.
A little over 1100 - 5 hours work. nm
x
Only work 8 hours a day?? (Anon)
I honestly don't know how you do it. After 17 years of doing MT, my C-spine is a mess, i.e. DDD, bulging disk, bone spur, cord compression, disk dessication, etc. Four hours of transcribing IMHO, considering the intensity of the work (eyes on screen, hands on keyboard, foot on pedal, headphones on, glued to chair) is equivalent to the 8 to 9 hours I used to put in daily as a medical secretary with the breaks at the water cooler, and just having different tasks to break up the day. An MT can't even listen to a radio while working. Four hours is my limit. Friends and family will comment on how lucky I am to only work a 4 hour day. If they only knew how much work I do in those 4 hours...
sorry, but some ICs have specific hours to work (nm)
x
I work 8 hours a day and average anywhere
between 1700 and 2000 with 65 character line, spaces included.
I'm with you! So I work the hours people don't want
to work. Much too stressful to fight for work. Life is too short for me to take the money I already earn to spend on a physician prescribing nerve pills.
I work 40 hours a week and more
if there is work and I don't slack off and barely take a break. I do acute care and seldom leave a blank. According to my Expander stats, I am saving myself 23 hours of work and do 22% of the total in expanders. My pay has actually gone down especially this year and I am using more Expanders every day. That's my story.
I currently work 70 hours a week and three jobs...
so it is physically possible to work that many hours. I am going down to 50 hours a week in two weeks, but you do what you have to do.
No one could pay me a big enough salary to work 80 hours per week
Also, if you can switch the hours you work, get up earlier,
and work after he goes to bed. Make the time for him while he's young. In about 3-5 years he'll be less worried about you working and wanting to spend time with you, so enjoy him while he's young cuz it doesn't last long. :)
Her point is that IF she gets her work (quota) done in 6 hours - sm
does she still have to work the full 8 hours she is scheduled for. She is not "stealing" unless she is paid hourly and is being paid for 8 hours but only working 6. As for knocking off early, it depends on the company, some don't care as long as you do your daily minimum, others want the full 8 hours regardless of how many lines over you go from the daily minimum (as long as you achieve it)--this means more $$ of course. I work for PT for 2 companies with no line minimums, which I love, and no set schedule to boot. This is hard to find though. I have a very wacky schedule and need this though, very hard for me to commit to a firm schedule due too many external factors here, every week is different, some crazy, some calm. So if you have a pretty set routine you should be able to handle a schedule....just find out beforehand if it is carved in stone or not (get it in writing). Good luck.
With regular dictation it would be at least 12.5 hours of work- sm
as I do not do radiology I don't know what that would mean in those terms. What is the average time for the radiology reports you do now? Take that # and divide it into 250 minutes and that will give you a ballpark idea on how many reports.
not stretching. I work about 12 hours a day and make--sm
on average of 3500 gross lines a day. disbelieve if you want, but my money is in the bank. It is possible if you want to do it badly enough. ppfffttt.
Disagree. I work 48 hours a week for $65K.
If you can't make a living, it probably isn't the job for you.
Not everyone can do this work successfully.
Of cours. I only work 48 hours a week. ?
I work 5 days a week. Have plenty of time in the evenings and all weekend with my family, my friends and to go out of town, etc.
What kind of quesiton is that?! LOL
I'm no Olympiad but I do workout. Do YOU? LOL
I work on my days off, but mainly because I haven't gotten 40 hours in for the
week and if I feel like working I am able to do so. Not working extra or anything, just have not gotten in a full week.
Split shift MTs---what hours do you work? sm
I'm trying to revamp my schedule around transporting kids. Would be interested to know what works for you. Thanks! 
Any companies out there that allow you to work 5-10 hours a week?
I posted this on the company board, but didn't get any responses, so I'm hoping there will be some help here. work full time outside the home and I am looking for something for just 5-8 hours a week to supplement my income. I worked for MQ for 6 years, but certain things led me to quit. Is there a good company out there where I can work 5-8 hours? Back at the Q I think now you have to commit to 24 hours and I just can't swing that. Is there such an option out there anywhere? Any input would be very much appreciated.
I have a 10-hour window to work 8 hours
and that works fine for me.
All MTs are asked to work a couple of hours
if they can to keep the clients covered. No one is "assigned" holidays. Normally, this takes care of everything.
I beg to differ. I work 35-40 hours a week
FT and have an IC job I work maybe 3 evenings a week for 3-4 hours. I easily make over 50K a year. There are good jobs out there that pay wages one can live on.
They can't "tell you when" to work, but if they need someone to cover certain hours ...
such as noon to 8 pm it's up to you whether to accept the work or not, you are still an IC. I had a job doing radiology where I "had" to be online between certain hours and work had a 4-hour TAT. I was an IC, I only had to work those hours because I AGREED to it. So in effect I did "choose" to work those hours, I could have turned down the job if I didn't want to work those hours.
I guess that depends on how many hours you work. sm
Do you save yourself 2 hours because of your Expander and then quit for the day? Or do you work more hours because your expansions allow you to = more on the paycheck?
This is the way I look at it. I could work 4-5 hours and meet the 1890 they required for FT, but th
When they did that, it just made me care a whole lot less, so I try to get my 945 as a part-time person in my 4 hours. I know some of the reports I get are just horrible, but I can deal with them.
Bullfeathers. Americans work the longest hours.
We average 1960+ hours worked per year. Google "Americans work the longest hours". Nobody else can touch us. Provide us with a link proving your theory that Americans don't want to work. Young people want to work as well. Every young person I know of is working on top of going to school fulltime. Maybe it's just the people you know who don't want to work, because I can tell you that everyone in my family has a good work ethic. Google "American youth don't want to work". Oopsy, no hits. Guess that blows your theory.
I work for a small MTSO about 25-30 hours a week
nm
No kids, husband gone 12 hours, you work at home? SM
Priceless! That sounds like the perfect arrangement to me. I'm not kidding, either.
And then consider when you work 9 hours a day 7 days a week...that adds up to way TOO much!
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