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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Above poster is right --- a lot of unpaid downtime.

Posted By: Ex-ATer on 2009-04-09
In Reply to: 39% pay decrease - tiredfingers

I've never worked for a company that ran out of work as much as this company did. I do not recommend this company!


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unpaid OT
   My daughter reported a company for this practice year before last (she's not MT, is A&D counselor).  It was investigated by Labor and she was paid all OT due her, over $3,000.  The co. was fined for illegal practices and is being monitored regularly.
Unpaid
I worked for a company almost 3 years ago who never paid me.  They still owe me over $1,000.00!  I did what the other MT suggested.  First I went to Labor and Industry (by the way they won't help/cannot help you if you are IC) and I also filed papers with the Attorney General.  It does no good --- unfortunately.  The AG told me to hire a lawyer.  I did ask a lawyer -- he said maybe I could get back 1/2 of what I was owed -- and that was a big if.  The courts can place a judegment but they don't have to pay or they could file bankrupcy. 
Unpaid was for another post....
I tried to remove it, but it changed back when I posted. I am wondering if I should go any further with this company in the process of being hired.
Unpaid work
How can you say that looking up demographics is unpaid work? We get paid so much per line and that is part of our job. We need to make sure that patient information is correct and to do that, we need to look things up. As far as I am concerned, that is what we are paid for.
UNPAID WORK -- sm

I think by now it's pretty much understood by both sides re. engaged to work & requiring MT to be at desk even if no work, etc. 


But what about all the GRATIS, UNPAID and UNAPPRECIATED work we're required to do in exchange for the privilege of typing for what is already substandard pay.  Note, I said REQUIRED - MTSOs not asking you to attend to occasional CC's, check docs, research, e-mail, I mean full-fledged exploitation requiring us to do their record keeping, told to Do an EXHAUSTIVE search if something cannot be found in database, all ON OUR TIME, filling in endless demographic info - could go on and on - and is very profitable for the MTSOs, who probably use it as a selling point to their clients (but who knows, they might also actually be billing the client for work they REQUIRE us to do for nothing. 


Any law on this? 


I do not want to spend my UNPAID time...

on the phone dealing with computer problems almost every day and then make less per hour while doing it. 


I was thinking that maybe they would up the pay after a period of time and then it could be a decent place to work as far as editing compensation goes.  Like I said before, I think MQ has the right idea.  They are paying 80%, which would equal 6 cpl if Transcend went with 80% instead of the current 55%, which equals around 4 cpl.  I wouldn't be on here fussing if that were the case.  Hopefully, management will come to understand that the cut was just too much for a lot of us, especially the higher producers.  And you are right, there are a lot of people making the same amount or more editing than they did typing, but these are the people who were slower to begin with.  THAT IS A PROVEN FACT!!  I believe they will love the new editing and compensation.  I do, however, feel that it is not a fit for the higher producers, plain and simple.  So what more do I want, I want to paid a fair wage for my experience and the work that I produce.  That is what I want, and I don't think that is too much to ask.  I am not trying to break the company, just make a decent living.  I want the company to profit along with the employees.  That is what I would want if it were a perfect world. 


UPTO (unpaid time off) ?

Since the 8 hour part-timers can't earn PTO, can they take UNPAID time off? 


Amphion....ask about unpaid demos
nm
I agree - don't want to be an unpaid IT liason

I've been put in that position quite a few times.  I get stuck in the middle between both help desks, ours and the client's.  One platform I have has ongoing issues, and neither side wants to own the issues and deal with them.  What bugs me is our IT desk expects MTs to call the client's IT desk and try to pursuade them to fix it, IMHO that's an issue for the suits to deal with!  It doesn't help that our IT desk is secretive and elitist, and won't explain to the MTs the inner workings of our programs - yet the client wants technical explanations in order to understand the problem, and when I have been kept in the dark its pretty hard to tell them!  So I get asked technical questions I can't answer, and am forced to call back our IT desk, and have to pry the answer out of them, and call the client back - and of course, you get to go through all this again each time there is a problem, you'll never get the same tech twice.  Then after all that malarky, the client tells me to call back my own IT desk as its our responsibilty to make the fix, so I do, and they say to me Yeah, I figured they would say that and wouldn't do anything about it, but it was worth a try!  Worth it to WHO?  Certainly not me - I just wasted hours at your demand and ended up where I started!  Its ridiculous and unfair they expect us to do IT's job with no information and no pay!


I'm in the same boat - I don't even call our IT anymore because I know they're not going to do anything, and I've flat out told them that and my supe as well.  I'd rather wait for the problem to resolve itself - if I'm forced to sit around and lose money I'd rather be doing something I enjoy instead of IT's job!


Unpaid time off - a benefit?

New one to me.  Never heard of it unless ofcourse you have used up your PTO and need to take off unexpectedly.  As far as using your PTO when there is no work, I think that is totally unfair.  That should be your OPTION, not a requirement.  Suppose you had plans for that PTO?  I also do not believe you should have to clock out when there is no work, unless you want to work outside of your shift.  I mean your shift is your shift.  It should be up to the company to supply you with work during your shift and if they can not do that, then THEY should be the one with the problem. 


I worked in-house for many years by the hour.  When there was no work, I left the office.  To tell you the truth, when I started working at home I worked longer and harder than I ever did in the office.  Ofcourse since I was more productive, I made more money.  I think our jobs should be considered just as valuable as any inhouse employee, maybe even more so, and should include the same benefits if we are more productive and cost inefficient.  I mean, can they really have it both ways?


More information... training is unpaid.

Practice and training time:


                As you begin with DIT, we will send you detailed instructions along with some practice files.


Please note that you are not paid for the practice files. 


 


Your practice files must score 98% accuracy before we move you to real work.           


 


usually 55 does not count spaces and that's a lot of unpaid characters. NM
.
This is hilarious, a company I just applied for had UNPAID
How is that a benefit? Where do these people come up with this stuff......Gee thanks guys for letting me have a day off without pay, you are such a wonderful company to work for, I feel so fortunate!!!
I don't. I trust the software and feel it is a waste of unpaid time.
nm
Seems you're spending more UNPAID time/work e-mailing..sm

and xeroxing as if you were sitting there with no work.


Downtime? What's that?


Downtime
They pay $12/hr downtime, includes system/platform problems (on their end) and periods of no work. It does not cover things on the MT end, including electric failure and internet failure.
Downtime
Can anyone name a few companies that pay downtime?
downtime
Because I hired on as a FT employee and constantly running out of work which is out of my control - I have to sit here and wait while I pay daycare and not make any money - I need 40 hours a week to live - I wasn't looking for parttime work.  I think all companies should pay downtime when it their fault we have no work
Some do pay downtime, not all like MQ.
.
Downtime
Thanks, and I will check on that this morning. I will come back and post what I'm told. When I was hired and also during training, they went over the procedures for downtime pay, both no-work and technical. I'll definitely put it on here, though, for confirmation. Thanks, Dolfan!
Don't lie about it. They don't pay for downtime.
xx
Downtime (sm)
If you're out of work, you are paid downtime, but you have to keep checking back every 10-15 minutes.

Answering of questions isn't as bad as other poster said. First couple weeks it is great, though, when you really need it.

They were up front with me about no shift differential before I took the position and pay, etc.

Yes, there is a lot of preemployment stuff, but it is the hospital requirement and not DR.

If you live in the tricounty area (Dade, Broward, Palm Beach) the health insurance is very good, so the preemployment is kind of worth it if you need insurance.

Regarding samples. I'm not even sure if the other poster was on this account because with the software, you have access to all reports dictated and transcribed by all physicians or any reports typed on the patient you are transcribing. So no samples are really necessary.

Definitely shift intensive. But every job has it's drawbacks. It's all about a good fit. Maybe DR isn't for you, but I just wanted to correct a few incorrect statements by the other poster.
downtime
Does KS have a lot of downtime? Do they pay you for it?
they don't pay for anything, no downtime..sm
no holidays, NO overtime...8 cpl that is it, nada, nothing more. Owners are making a killing tho....
And they don't pay 1 penny of downtime
when the system is down for hours at a time.
I hear they pay for downtime; don't know much else
Never worked there, and of course I would defer to people who have!
So when you say paid for downtime...

do you mean that they actually pay you if no work available, not just for equipment failure on their part? 


If compensated for times of no work on your schedule (at what rate?  minumum wage or other?), some of the folks on the MQ Board need to hear this, I think. 


What companies pay for downtime? sm
As in, you are an employee (not IC) and you run out of work.
Transolutions Downtime
This is true. They pay both technical and no-work downtime. I was hired a month ago (WONDERFUL company) and have it right here in front of me in the employee handbook. So long as you are a full-time employee, report your downtime to the appropriate person, and haven't refuse work on another account that does have work, you will be paid for downtime. If they have no work on another account for you, you are paid downtime. Have a great day!
Any companies that currently pay downtime?
/
Downtime? hahaha

There has been no mention of that and I'm sure it wont happen.


When the system is fixed, the most we'll get is double the amount of emails telling us how much work there is and how we all need to give us food/sleep/bathroom time to get it caught up.


Yes, I get paid DOWNTIME when

there is no work around and I also get PTO, paid VISION, very good health insurance with company paying 80%, dental for less than 15 per pay period and a great atmosphere.  Yes, I do have to produce 12000 per pay period.


 


How does TransTech pay out PTO, and do they pay downtime?nm
xx
Paid for downtime...
Paid for downtime with Transcend? We don't. We get told to flex out time out.
Companies that pay downtime
I've seen on the boards that the famous Axolotl pays for downtime when there is no work available.  Are there any other companies that do this?  Thx.
DOWNTIME NOT ALLOWED

I did not get downtime even with a ticket# and having to wait 2 days for another computer. All I got was a BS stating reasons not to give me downtime and that I could take PTO or not get paid for those 2 days.


Thank God I have next week off. I don't think I can stand much more of this BS.


0 in last month, maybe 3 hr in last year downtime.
x
Can you help with a list of companies that do pay downtime?
n
emts pays for downtime
eMTS pays for downtime when there is no work or when there are system problems. 
Check on that downtime issue
They are a wonderful company; however, they may not have updated the manual, because they have dc'd paying for no work downtime only recently, I would say within the last few months. They do pay for technical downtime but not for no work any longer. Check with your lead or personnel.
Do you guys get paid for downtime?

That's one thing about MQ I'm thankful for.  At least we get paid for our downtime.  I don't know if we'll get paid for the jobs we've lost, though.  Some say yes, some say no.  I guess it's up to the PS.


Check out the MQ board - there's a link to check the status of DQS on their site.  The link takes you directly to MQ's DQS, but I would think they offer it for all clients they serve.


Last I checked at 7:30 am EST, it was still down for MQ.  Some MQ MTs are getting work, but I wouldn't until it at least gives you the yellow light (see site). 


It's like a snow day - you're glad to be off unexpectedly, but you know you'll have to make it up!


In our dreams we would get paid for downtime
Kind of like the office staff is still getting paid while the ones producing their income don't.
No pay for downtime. You are asked to flex. NM
xx
My company pays downtime if
there is no work within your scheduled work time.  You don't have to make it up if there is work later either.  They don't guarantee lines though and the amount they pay is less than most MTs would make by transcribing, but it is money coming in.  We went several months where some accounts were running out of work daily, now lots of accounts on OT until further notice. 
Last I knew Transolutions paid downtime. sm
It may have changed by now.
Some pay downtime, do not have to waste PTO either. What world is above living in ?

The troll must of come out from under the bridge.  Jumping down someone's throat just for a simple question.   Wonder what world it came from.  Obviously needs a vacation but probably can't take one because all its PTO is gone. 


Employee. 0.09 cpl, 100s of normals, and downtime paid.
x
Diskriter pays hourly wage for downtime

Different view: If we all went to hourly pay to make sure that we are paid during downtime, it wou
what we earn on production. I make upwards of $30 an hour on production. Most hospitals are under $20 an hour. I think we would lose money if hourly and if they pay us for downtime, I am sure that the money would have to come from somewhere, so they would lower rates.


Transolutions pays downtime when work runs out. nm
xx