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I paid both self-employment tax AND SS last year. sm

Posted By: ICme on 2005-12-19
In Reply to: I'm confused too. I thought you had to pay self-employment tax if you didn't pay SS. sm - ?

I don't think they're the same. With SE tax, I think the feds assure themselves that they get enough money out of us. Social Security is allegedly tucked away for our old age.


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Many years ago I paid an employment agency a fee (sm)
for what seemed like a great job (non-MT). Two of us were hired for a job that didn't have enough work for even one person! In the meantime, I was making payments to the employment agency each paycheck. The two of us were working hard and doing well (we thought!)

The week before my last payment was due to the employment agency, out of the blue the manager began to find fault with every little thing we did, even if it was what she told us to do the day before.

I got suspicious, and on a day she was absent, found her file cabinet unlocked and took a look through her employee file. (Don't even bother to lecture me - I KNOW it was wrong, but I did it anyway.)

What I found was VERY interesting: It turns out that every few months, this company hired 2 people from this agency. They would keep them only until that employee had made their last payment to the agency, then let them go and hire 2 more. Also, our manager was very good friends with the owner of the employment agency!

Sure enough, a few days after my co-worker & I made our last payment to the agency, we were let go. Talk about a scam! And of course, back then I was too young & naiive to know I had a legal recourse.

LESSON LEARNED: Never, ever, pay anything for a job. Your skill is the asset, and you are selling it to the employer for your wage. (So don't sell yourself cheaply!)
Amphion does but they refund it after a year of employment so it worked out nice. NM
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I was there last year & got paid right from the very 1st pay day, by
d
You only get 3 holidays OFF per year. PTO is paid at a very low rate. There is 401k...sm

But the company match is only up to 2%. Employees are required to work at least 1 weekend day every week.


All of the hospitals/clinics have a lot of ESLs, that's just the way it is. But a lot of them also use canned normals, which we love.


There's a lot more to consider than how much the medical plan costs.


In the past year and half, I have always been paid on time. --nm
X
Been working for Cardioscribe for a year, never once did not get paid within one week of end of pay
Instead of complaining why don't you do, as I did, and just ask. The line counts are being finalized now and the bank deposit will be made tomorrow. As you mentioned, in past posts pay day is the 7th and 22nd, so start the complaining tomorrow if we do not get paid. I have worked here a year and never once did not get paid within 7 days of close of a pay period. That is pretty good compared to other places I have worked for that took 2 and 3 weeks to get paid for a period of time. For those of you that like to say nasty little things about Cardioscribe, quite often, please do us all a favor and find yourself another job and good luck to you. This will blow your mind I am sure, but I am not afraid to backup what I post with my name. Sheryl Cantrell. You are very welcome to contact me if you have questions and apparently do not know how to ask the right person to get answers. I know Tonya posted her name, email and phone number and none of you who seem so unhappy working here have contacted her. As I told her today, there is just some people that like to stir up trouble no matter where you work. If you can find a place that treats you with more respect, kindness, and never a problem getting paid, please go and be happy.
Yep, on a keychain PLUS they paid me a fair wage the entire year. (nm)

NO paid holidays for us all year round. If there is any work on the holiday, you get

lines and a half, but usually there is no work.  They usually clear out the work before the holiday so there is no 1-1/2 line pay remaining.  Transtech names 6 holidays each year, but the MT takes those holidays off WITHOUT pay.    I am sure the office staff and all other non-MT staff take off WITHOUT pay, too, aren't you????   LOL


Which MT companies DO pay an MT for holidays.  I don't consider a day a HOLIDAY unless it is PAID.  They can call it 6 holdays, but have to take off without pay . . . . just another day, i.e, get sick -- NO PAY.


I remember some posts at the beginning of the year from a lady who didn't get paid - she was stea

Webmedx has 6 paid holidays a year, separate from PTO, for full time employees.
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my first year I made 16k. Doubled that second year. Going on year 6 with (sm)

two local accounts I earned 23,000.00 and a national I earned 35,400... 58,400 this year.  Don't ask me how many hours, though, I really have no idea.  I'm pretty motivated.  (When people ask me how many hours I work a week I reply as many as it takes  I'd say 40-50/week.  I am also a fitness instructer and personal trainer, about 5 hours a week or so.  Decent money (sometimes under the table!) but mostly I just do it for fun and to be social and wear cute work-out clothes. 


that first year was a rough one... but I consider it part of my education. 


 


I'm pretty motivated. 


I never see an ad for employment with them.
nm
Don't you have to pay self-employment tax? Isn't that the same as SS? nm
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You may not be able to get employment if you are

fired either.   The company has a say in what happened and can dispute any claim.  I would think they you could not get employment based on you resign or else and I think they are being very generous in giving you that option.   If you quit I don't think you stand a chance of getting unemployment.


I wouldn't worry about using Spheris for a reference, doesn't sound like they would give you a good reference even if you resign.  If you haven't been there long just leave them off your resume and say you took some time off.  I don't think the resume has as much to do with your hiring as it is how you do on testing. 


 


 


employment
Are they still hiring and how is their pay rate?
For employment, what else would you ask?
I've pasted all the questions I think I would like to know from a prospective employer. If you can think of other questions I need to ask, or a better way to ask the question, please let me know! I realize some of these questions will not get answers and some are probably not palatable by employers, but if I don't ask, I won't know and on a more personal basis, I'm tired of getting $crewed down the line.

· What percentage of your full-time transcription employees make greater than $36,000.00 per year?
· Do you offer incentive pay?
· What percentage of full time employees have been with you more than 2 years?
· Do you offshore any portion of your available workload?
· What percentage of the dictation (within a +/- 5% range) is ESL dictation?
· What is the cost of your best insurance coverage for a single person per pay period? How long after employment before it becomes effective?
· Do you offer dental insurance?
· Do you offer a 401(k) plan? Do you match contributions or? How soon is participation allowed?
· How many PTO days per year? How soon are they available for use? Are there any clauses that may prevent use of PTO?
· What is your holiday policy regarding time off?
· What is the rate per line, the characters per line, and does this include spaces?
· Are headers included or excluded in the line count?
· Do you have software that indicates lines completed?
· Are there any charges for software/hardware required by your company?
· Do you allow split shifts?
· Do you dock pay for blanks (inaudibles, etc.)?
· Do you guarantee work available?
· Do you have 24/7 management and tech support?
· What contingencies apply to QA?
· Do you offer direct deposit?
· Have you EVER been late making payroll?
· How often do you pay and what are the parameters of the pay period?
· What other benefits do you offer?
· Within the acute care dictations, how many different work types are there?
· Is it possible to remain within 2-3 work types only?
· Do you offer training/work with speech recognition?

OSi employment
Why don't you just give them a call?  I have worked there going on 2 years now and I see other MTs complaining of not getting paid, not getting work, slow networking, etc.  I have not run across these issues with OSi.   I get work every day, I get paid every pay day.  I get answers to questions and I don't get micromanaged.  Communication has been good.  I am not related to anyone there and don't know anyone there, just sign in and work.  OSi makes the qualifications very clear and it is not impossible to make the required lines.  Good luck.
considering employment
would like info that would be helpful in deciding whether to accept.
for employment
As in who offers the best pay, benefits, incentives, vacation, bonuses?
OSi employment
I have been with OSi for 3 years now.  Some days the work is low, and some days there is OT available, but, that doesn't look any different to me than what I read on this site.  I agreed on a schedule which has been maintained for 3 years now.  I get paid on time and sometimes early.  There are lots of e-mails which can be deleted in a heart beat.  When there are problems I am notified of them.  Otherwise, just work, get paid, get annual raises.  That's what I expect from a job, and that's what I get.  Good luck in your search. 
employment
I need someone to tell me what is better, contractor or employee.
Last year, there was a letter sent that told us what we earned the previous year. sm
In the past, it has been all or nothing; if you did not hit the lines for full time for the year, you did not get PTO. I talked to my lead this morning about a last-minute vacation and she told me that the yearly packets are going out in a week or so and that the new policy will acrue PTO by the pay period or month. I like that a lot better, but she also made it sound like they are upping the amount of lines needed to acrue PTO. I normally get between 15 and 20,000 lines per pay period, so I am sure that will be fine but I am worried about the periods that have lower volumes, like most of January every year.
It has to do with employment laws in SM
those states.
When I inquired about employment...
which was a few months ago, the recruiter couldn't explain the pay scale and/or incentive program.  Keep on truckin'...
Heartland MTs - if you are still looking for employment.....


AAMT Reaches Out to Displaced Heartland MTs

AAMT is working with Terri Kaminski of Transcription Matchmaker and Heartland Information Services executives to provide a free outplacement webinar for all Heartland employees from the U.S. who recently lost their jobs. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, May 17, 2006, and displaced employees will receive information on how to promote their services and learn of opportunities in the medical transcription field. AAMT is extremely grateful to work with Transcription Matchmaker and Heartland Information Services to offer this outplacement service to transcriptionists in need of new jobs. For more information on this program, please contact Jennifer Hardy at Jennifer@aamt.org.


MT Employment Agency?
I was wondering if anyone knows of such a company as a temporary MT employment agency. For example, you could specify how long you'd like your assignment to last, i.e., 3 weeks (or 6 weeks or 4 months or whatever), they'd match you up with a temporary job, and then at the end of that time you could choose to stay on if needed/wanted or have time off until the next prospective job comes along that fits your needs. Maybe I'm just dreaming! They do have employment agencies for nurses that work like this...why not MTs?!
Employment Question
Anyone work for Transcription Relief Services, now or in the past.  I would appreciate some feedback regarding this company.
My place of employment
is sending reports to Transcription Connection, Inc (ohio) right now.  Their work, is to say the least, not good!  Rumor at work is they are going to get rid of in-house transcription and send solely to this company.  Thus, I sent a resume.  Now mind you I have been the transcription supervisor/coordinator for this mental health facility for more than 14 years.  I know my stuff.  No answer back from Transcription Connection, Inc.  Sort of weird if you ask me.  I did not know they outsourced.  Interesting!
No employment unless you sign
The agreement states that the employee understands that he/she will no longer be employed unless he/she signs. (I found out that such coercion in order to save your job can be illegal.)
I thought everyone had to pay SS or self-employment tax. nm

What is your employment status?
If you are IC you will have to send demand for payment letter and possibly hire attorney.

If you are considered employee you need to call and talk to someone in your local labor board. My DH was working for a construction company that refused to pay him once. The state labor commission got on it and they ended up paying him 2X what they originally owed, plus a big fat fine to the state for violating labor law.

If they lie to you like that, I think you need to be looking for other work. Why waste time working for free? Did you sign a volunteer agreement? If not, you need to dump it and find something else that will pay--especially if the check she did send bounces.
looks like an employment agency - sm
click one link and it looks like a resume bank, click the other link and you get an agency.
testing for employment
Has anyone else out there spent hours testing for a company, then not hear back from them?  I sent a few followup emails and left a voice mail message, but never got a reply.  I have several years of transcription under my belt and know I did good on the test.  Sometimes I wonder if there is a transcription black list.
Axolotl Employment
Does anyone know if they are currently hiring? I faxed my resume and sent a followup email, but have not heard back from them.
Axolotl Employment
Does anyone know if they are currently hiring? I faxed my resume and sent a followup email, but have not heard back from them.
SPHERIS FOR EMPLOYMENT?

I am considering a position with Spheris and would greaty appreciate any input from anyone who currently works for them or has worked for them in the past.  Any information would be helpful, be it positive or negative.  I feel this would be the best way I know of to find out about this company other than reading on their website, which could be biased, right?


Spheris employment...
I think if you are in need of gaining more MT experience, Spheris will probably suit you; however, if you are a seasoned MT, forget it; you probably won't be offered a reasonable starting pay. Spheris has loads of MT resources available (i.e. Stedman's) help loops, mentors, samples, etc.; however, QA is brutal. It's very frustrating to adhere to BOS, Spheris transcription standards, account specifics, Spheris acceptable/unacceptable terms list, dangerous abbreviations list, and on and on. Many times they conflict with each other. Health insurances stinks. PTO is good (unless they have changed it). I'm not happy with Spheris mainly because of my supervisor, but there must be some knowledgeable supervisors somewhere in the Spheris organization. SR is going to be the norm at Spheris, so you need to look forward to that. I haven't converted over to SR yet, but will be soon. I came from MQ to Spheris and feel Spheris is the better of the two.
Yep, those unable to gain employment elsewhere CAN
Did you learn a new word today (musn't)? I am so proud!
MT mentoring programs (employment)

Hi,


Can someone tell me if or what they know about MT mentoring programs? I'm being considered for a couple through well-known companies that were actually referred to me. Then I heard from someone else that you have to be cautious because someone they knew wasn’t paid. I've been looking for a job a long time now and I was almost hired. It fell through because they couldn't hire after all. Like I said, I'm waiting on some feedback from a couple of mentoring programs but it will be in January. The last few weeks I've had to put MT employment searching on hold because of the upcoming holidays; Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. I would appreciate any feedback on this thanks.


Brenda R.


I thought the self-employment taxes were

for income taxes.  That doesn't include Social Security, does it?  Can you pay your own Social Security if you are an IC?  I don't get it.


Self-employment tax IS Social Security...
As an IC you pay it all, rather than when working as an employee and paying half with the employer paying the other half.
At Will Employment - No Explanation Needed
If you look at the paperwork you signed, you will probably see that it is At-Will Employment.  That means they can fire you without giving you any reason and you can quit without giving any reason -- at any time.  As long as they have not sent you equipment (which if they did, you will probably have to pay to have sent back), just tell them Thanks, but No Thanks!! 
MT mentoring programs (employment)
Brenda, Thank you for the advice. All I want is training from a legitimate and accredited school and to work for a legitimate company? Is that to much to ask?
newbie needs home employment
Why is it so difficult to obtain employment as a newbie? We've spent all that time studying and spent all that money on training, books, equipment. All I want is a chance!  HELP!
The 2 ads on JS by Jennifer S of Horizon Employment

I've tried to find a website for this company, which it probably should have being that they are nationwide.  Nada.


They don't even have their own domain name for email, which is kind of odd for a business.


Something isn't right.  In fact, when I try to find a phone number, any info at all, nada. 


Please be careful with those 2 ads.  JMHO


Do they have an ad up for employment? A Google blurb
s
Need employment suggestions from experienced MTs

The company that I am currently working for is great in every respect except one--it just doesn’t have enough work to keep me busy.


 


I’ve been with my current company for the past seven years, and after being in this business for 20+ years, I have no desire to start job hopping, so I thought I’d ask if any of you have any advice as far as which companies might be best for me to contact.


 


This is basically what I am looking for:


 


--Number one consideration:  A company that is willing to give top pay for a top transcriptionist


 


--Preferably full time employee status with good benefits package, but might consider IC if the pay is right


 


--Lots of work with little to no clinic (I prefer acute care, ER or radiology)


 


--Easy and personable support staff with good communication


 


--And hopefully, a company that doesn’t micromanage, but will leave me alone so I can get my work done


 

Anyone have any suggestions?  Please feel free to email me if you don’t want to post.  TIA
http://www.ats-ascott.com/employment.htm
xx
Their pre-employment letter states 8 cpl, no
exceptions.  About 2 years ago I was offered 9.5 cpl, but didn't accept position.  When I reapplied they offered 8 cpl.  I've heard that some MTs negotiated for better rate. 
At-will employment and implied contract
(This is speaking as someone certified in employment law - NOT as a lawyer.)

What it seems you have here are two different legal theories of employment that more or less clash - at-will employment and employment contract.

On the one hand, in an at-will employment situation there is no formal employment contract (or labor agreement) that controls the terms of employment.

On the other hand, you probably do have an implied contract here in that you not only have the email detailing this agreement, but you have other elements that are required for a contract such as performance, reliance and consideration. These are all legal concepts, but basically they add up to the fact that both you and the company have acted in such a way that the elements of contract appear to be present even if it wasn't formalized on paper.

You presumably acted to your own detriment by accepting a schedule that was inconvenient, and you relied on the company to honor its agreement in making financial decisions. You performed your side of the bargain, and so did the company - for over a year. Each of you has acted as if a contract existed and that is the basis of implied contract.

Implied contract is a well-settled area of law, incidentally, and it comes up in labor cases fairly frequently.

I'd say you have a good shot at this one because it isn't hard to find a court that will enforce an implied contract in favor of the employee.

If an implied contract is found to exist, the question would then turn on what right the company has to terminate the contract, and how. It is unlikely that a court would rule that the company is bound by this contract forever. The company should have contacted their corporate counsel and handled this in a more graceful (and more legally acceptable) way - such as giving you ample notice of their intention to do this, paying you a consideration of some sort in lieu of notice, or something like that.
Where/how did you apply? I see nothing regarding employment on their website. Thanks!
x