I also want a living wage for MTs. Don't mind hard work and longer hours, just want to be paid
Posted By: what I am worth. nm on 2005-12-19
In Reply to: Add yours: All I want for Christmas is - Poll taker
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How many hours a day do you work? Are you still paid per gross line?
Not saying I don't believe you. One has to consider too that you have 20 years of experience, that makes a BIG difference in production. I'm about four times faster now than I was when I first started out. Newbies need to consider this too when contemplating MT as a career.
I want a decent job at a living wage and less stress in my life.
O
The result of MTs' efforts to make a living wage are (sm)
And of COURSE we don't want less - we DO want more. That goes without saying. But you see - the type of verbal attack that you and other "Debbie Downers" like you launch every time an MT says, "Wait a minute... maybe there IS something we can do is so typical of the type of thinking that holds not just MTs, but women in general back. I have already checked and made sure my doc's MTSO doesn't offshore. If that changes, my ins. (which is just your average, run-of-the-mill HMO) STILL allows me to go to other providers. If you "don't have many options", have you ever wondered WHY? Could it be that you keep SETTLING for less and less? And could it be that other MTs, when they read the gloom and doom in your post, will think THEY have to settle, too?
As for pulling other endeavors out of other nations, hey - there are quite a few that I think others would LOVE to see pulled out. Such as tech help for just about everything from your PC to your cellphone being sent to places where they can't understand what you're trying to tell them, and vice versa. I have a friend with a Masters degree in software engineering who is working menial jobs right now in order to pay the rent, while he looks for a job in his field that is a full-time, benefitted position, rather than as a part-time IC with no benefits. He says even the part-time jobs are getting hard to find because so many employers are sending EVERYTHING out, including part time.
The old, "Go ahead and try! Why don't you quit MT? Oh, boy - more work for ME!" song and dance may fly for a while, but why sit back and seemingly enjoy watching your profession go extinct, when eventually it WILL affect you, too? Do you really want to sit there all day as an "editor" and stare at work typed by other entities? How boring is that? Where is any ounce of creatitivity? At least when you transcribe, you are producing something of value, and can take pride in it. And at a lousy 3-to-6 cents a line, where is the pride in speech-rec or editing work?
If those companies paid a fair wage, and paid more
all came out equal, people wouldn't feel the need to try to make up the deficit by going for the good stuff. I actually prefer the harder, juicier reports. But I can't make a living doing only that, because the pay is not commensurate with the difficulty. So even though I prefer not to, sometimes I have to pick up some of the easier, more boring 'line-o-matic' reports just to make ends meet. Tell your MTSO to make it work their while, and MTs will stop taking all the easy work away that you obviously would prefer to keep for yourself.
I will stay in Podunk and make a living wage if you will take it to a blog. sm
Is that concept so hard to understand? I you cannot understand that simple idea, maybe that is why the lot of you don't have the sense to do something about your situation other than just whine. Take it to a blog, where maybe between you will be able to help yourselves. Or better yet, think of it this way,,, take it to a blog and then you won't have to navigate around the other posts to whine to each other.
My father is no longer living, but he was never a part
of my life. He worked and worked and worked, and worked some more. When he came home he sat, read the paper, watched TV and fell asleep in his recliner. He NEVER told me he loved me until he was in advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease. We did not get along at all and my mother always said we were so much alike that we clashed, but I don't agree with that at all. My father was not a bad father, just wasn't a good one. I am #4 out of 5 and I always felt I was the only one he didn't love, though I don't know he really knew how to love and probably did the best he knew how - wasn't good enough though.
My DH on the other hand is everything my father wasn't.
welcome to communal living..think hard about how much trouble you want to cause.
nm
I don't mind working more than 8 hours a day; however,
I would rather be compensated hourly and not by salary.
Here is what is holding me back also ~ I make a bit more than than 52K a year as an IC and work 6 hours a day, 5 days a week.
I will continue to keep that job as an IC, but I am thinking "wouldn't I'd rather just put more time into that IC job and make more on production than be on a clock making less money?"
PTO includes holidays. So, if I want to take Christmas off, it goes against my PTO hours.
The health insurance benefits are really not that good, though I don't need them at this time. I may in the future and they are not great. No reimbursement if you opt out.
The 401K matches up to 4% - pretty much the same as others.
I don't know ~ There doesn't seem to be anything "special" to convince me to take this job. I was hoping someone would give me their opinion to change my mind!!!
I really need to think this through.
So, you think it is okay for hard-working MTs to earn 7-8 cpl for their hard work?? nm
:{
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.
At the hospital, I did - only not 39 hours, 40. But I was a paid SM
employee (production only) with benefits. It was always kind of an iffy thing as far as labor laws went, as I was considered an employee, but we did it nonetheless for the whole 2 years I worked there...until the day I did 3000 lines and was chastised because "other people need to work too" meaning the 4 in-house people who sat there on their tails and yakked all day.
Yep, I bailed. :-)
Doesn't matter, IF you are not paid an hourly wage, i.e. a set amount no matter - sm
how much or how little you type, say $12.00/hour, you do not get OT. As someone mentioned here, certain jobs are exempt, and as most of us are paid a flat rate of .08 cpl or .09 or .10, whatever it is, that is all we get regardless of how many hours under or over 40 hours we go. If you want OT then go get an in-house job or get a job doing something else.
I don't work for them but I think they can get away with paying less than min wage
becuase you are an IC and not an employee.
If you're an employee then, yes, I'd say you'd have a leg to stand on but if they have min line/production requirements then more than likely those min requirements would equal out to at least min wage so it would still fall back on you. These MTSOs are usually pretty savvy about getting around legal issues.
Minimum wage requirements when there's no work, perhaps?
Looks like the Q is having to pony up minimum wage to a lot of MTs when there is NJA and this, I believe, is the highest in CA. Interestingly, CA-based employees of the Q seem to get NJA less frequently than other regions.
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 have more than paid for VR. I achieve 1200 lines in 3 hours. No need to hate sm
the MT to use technology to its full capability. Do you think a company cares if you type everything no. The bottom line is you have to get you line count.
I work on Escription VR and if you cannot make minimum wage, then
something is really wrong with either you or your system. I make a very good salary on VR. It can be done even at 4 cpl and that is what I am paid. I have occasional straight but 90%+ is all VR. I do not understand people saying minimum wage- that is only 6 or 7 dollars an hour, ridiculous to work for that in this kind of profession.
But how much are the US EDs gonna be paid? Typically this work is paid at 2-3 cpl. nm
:+
Made 60K last year working 50 hours a week being paid on gross line
nm
nm would you mind if I asked where you work and what type of work hosp, clinic ?
x
I work for an agency, type for a major hospital - no hourly wage - just production. nm
x
IC sets their own hours. As long as the work is done by the deadline, you decide when to work.
I no longer work for a company just for that exact reason...had me questioning everything I typed.
nm
10$ late if invoice is not paid within 10 days. At day 15 work stops until invoice is paid. Hardly
xx
NEVER MIND...IT DOES NOT WORK. nm
nm
I know...Trust me, I WORK HARD when I work! lol nm
..
I don't mind working some. When I work
weekends I'm not on a schedule and I don't usually do a full day, so it isn't too bad. I don't mind working a rotation, but don't want to work every weekend, although I do get a differential for working weekends.
I work almost every weekend, but I don't mind so much. sm
I don't have a husband or kids, and I'd rather work and let others be off, if possible. It would be different if I worked in an office every weekend, but somehow, working at home, it doesn't seem so bad. I can get up early, get my work done, and have most of the day left if I want to do something.
Sorry that you're unhappy with it. Just part of the business, I guess. 
Would you mind sharing who you work for?
Please email me if you're not willing to post it. Tx.
How many of you ICs have to work really hard to
make double your money in one week in order to take a vacation for one week. I'm forever finding myself wanting to go on vacation, working doubly hard to make up any money I will lose while I'm off either before I leave or when I come back. Is this the way everyone takes a vacation or is it just me? I can't seem to give myself a break and just take off any time without making up my money that I'll lose. GRRRR. I think I need a break!
 
hard ever, except now no work
at MQ, so I have to do something while I keep logging on/off DQS hoping a doctor will dictate a report.
You did all the hard work. If someone wants
their own accounts they need to do whatever work needs to be done to get them. People are frequently asking how to get their own accounts - well DUH.
Just like people asking which is the best company and who pays the most, etc. If they want a job do the research. I don't mind helping guide someone in the right direction, but I'm not going to do their leg work for them.
I wouldn't fill bad at all.
I believe it can be done, but I know how hard you must work...SM
I just finished my 12-hour day and did about 2,500 lines. I'm exhausted. I had a bit of interruptions today, so I possibly could have done more. Yesterday I did about 1,700 lines in a 10-hour day, which again was full of interruptions. I can't see myself consistently producing that amount day in and day out. My wrists and arms already hurt.
All the power to the 3,000 line a day producers! You are awesome and a very hard worker!
We all work hard, MT and QA both
no doubt
There's a lot of hard work that goes into
"being the middleman". They have to secure the account, make sure it stays in TAT, keep their eye on any errors or changes and make sure the MTs understand and follow the rules, make sure the clients are always happy, hire the most competent MTs, make payroll, etc., etc.
So before you jump to conclusions and think MTSOs have nothing better to do than being the middleman, think again. I'm not being nasty, just pointing out some facts.
Which office do you work for if you dont mind.
:
what company do you work for if you dont mind saying?
I have not yet done it, but from what I hear its on the horizon. To me it sounds wonderful, being able to free up your hands. What do you find to be the biggest problem? Are you losing money? Does it cater to your own voice? Do you have at least an option of typing the whole thing out or how do you do corrections?
Maybe you should just hang in there, unless you're really losing money. From what i've heard, it takes months to master, but once you do, you'll be making double or even triple what you're making now.
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.
The work just trickles in every day. Hard to get
get on the dictation system, only to find NO WORK. Or just a report or two. And a bunch of other transcriptionists fighting for what little there is too.
I think my company overhired BIG TIME. I think they hired a bunch of the people who jumped the ship from Medquist.
If you are really feeling like this is hard work...sm
then maybe you are one of the many transcriptionists out there who are working HARD and not SMART. If you are SMART you will learn how to use your skills to acheive the MAXIMUM payoff.
The majority of Transcriptionist I have met really do not KNOW how to increase their line counts, how to be INDEPENDENT, how to SELL their services, etc. Instead, they are CONTENT making under 30,000 . You have to be SMART in this business and quit SELLING yourself SHORT. Learn everything you can about BEING THE BEST in your profession. The work is OUT there!!!!!!!! You need to seek it and turn down the CRAP that doesn't make $$$$. I am only a 5 year MT and last year I made close to 52,000 after taxes. Get motivated and get moving. The work is there!!!!
P.S. - Not saying I don't work hard and don't deserve
good money but I just mean that you've got to have some incentive to work as hard as you have to work to get through medical school in order to have people willing to do it.
The MT world is hard work (sm)
Honey, I've been a Transcriptionist for 20 years and believe me, it is hard work. But it was even harder when my children were small (I had 3 of them). It sounds like she knew the job wasn't working out and had to do something about it. I agree with the other poster...try not to take it personally.
Actually more than being lucky, your hard work
paid off. This was what I posted about. You, like me, had on the job training for about a year and it was hard and I really worked hard to get the transcription part right while striving to make production. I worked some on Selectric, even though clanked did not mind at all. This was not a job I took in order just to work from home. It was done because I loved the medical field and never had a clue some day I would be working at home but that was yearsssss down the road. We were a training hospital and some nights I would go home almost in tears, really hard but I really did not think all the others in the room smarter than me and that was my incentive. It paid off big time. My speed has always been about 140 while helps and even now after all these years look forward to each day. I do not work full time any more but hey, I deserve some extra time to myself now. I have earned it!
I work every holiday -- don't really mind, but would be nice to have extra pay. sm
When I worked for YOG, we got holiday pay and weekend differential. I guess those days are gone. Now, I'm just expected to work every holiday and every weekend and smile and say thanks for letting me be your slave.
I should probably stay away from the boards today ... Guess I'm Bad Mood Betty! (ha)
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