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My Take and Experience on Shifts and Schedules

Posted By: Fingers on 2009-05-07
In Reply to: you are living in the real world. sm - MT way too long

I have done my share of nights/weekends, even when I was not asked.  I did it for the extra $$.  I believe that company/employee should try to follow a shift agreed upon at hire.  Of course, you have to be flexible.  I would NEVER refuse to work over-time and help out when needed, unless of course I had to for life/death reasons.  I do have to say in my own experience, this is starting to be abused by the employers ever since all the increased offshoring started.  Last year I lost account after account with big MTSO.  I had 5 account managers in less than 2 years.  We were told to clock out when we ran out of work, which was most of the time, but we were still expected to make the minimum line count by working nights/weekends (sometimes that was not even possible).  I had to be available to work from 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. - clocking in, clocking out, in, out, in, out.  It just got riduculous, being available 15-16 hours a day and only getting 1000 lines or so.  After FOUR MONTHS of this, I finally said I needed a new account, a new shift, regular work, or a new job.  The next account lasted about a year.  Then came the offshoring.  Same thing happened.  As the account of 135 doctors went to the Philippines, the work as less and less, moving from account to account, clocking in, out, in, out.  Ridiculous!  We of course were told to use paid time off if there was no work.  Am I not entitled to a vacation with that PTO just like everyone else?  Asking someone to constantly clock out when there is no work is like asking a store clerk to clock out if there are no customers in the store.  Asking them to be available during their shift and constantly otherwise can get abusive.   I finally had to say again - give me regular hours/shift and steady work or lay me off.  I could not put in the 12+ hours a day, making very little, and using up my PTO.  I was laid off.  Thank goodness.  Unemployment was more than I was making for the last couple of months.  While I do agree that everyone should be flexible and contribute when needed, the abuse by these companies is getting to be more and more and probably will not change.  Glad I got out of that situation.  Love working my shift and having the rest of the evening/weekend to enjoy life.  If you are being constantly abused and can not do this, it's time to issue an ultimatum--and be ready if it does not go your way.  Personally, I could not live like that any longer. 


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How were the schedules set up? Shifts? Flexibility? Thanks! nm
xxxxxx
Precyse - do they allow split shifts and what are the shifts? (sm)

I see they are hiring for 2nd and 3rd shifts.  I know a friend of mine works for a company where as long as over half your shift is in that time frame it is acceptable. 


It says they are hiring for new accounts, might be a good time to make a change. 


schedules
You do have to say what hours you will work. That's called J O B

We're finally making strides to become PROFESSIONALS who have deadlines and hours and expectations and stuff! Can you just imagine?

Seriously, you have to pick the hours you will work. Then you have to work them. You don't have to pick 8-4. You can pick 8, 10, 11, 7, 2.

Of course, they can tell you they need other coverage, I suppose.
Schedules
Yes, they are strict on the agreed upon schedule the transcriptionists obligate themselves to...they HAVE to be. TT is in business to provide their clients with quality reports in a time frame THEY have agreed upon. The reports cannot be delivered on time if the transcriptionists are cavalier in their work habits. I love working for TT. I can tell you another thing. Probably the only reason that Transcriptionist was written up was because she was consistently not working at her agreed upon time. TT have been wonderful to me. And yes, they HAVE been flexible, but I am on when I am supposed to be and provide a quality product for them.
Schedules?
I'm not sure what section of Focus you all work with.  With all the discussion about schedules, etc., I'm wondering what I've been missing.  I've been an employee for well over a year and have never been required to have a set schedule of any kind.  I work whenever I want, as long as I put in a minimum of 20 hours per week.
ICs and schedules
The whole idea of being an IC is to NOT have to stick to a schedule. There are companies out there. I have to do a minimum of 5000 lines per pay period (which is 1st to 15th of the month and 16th to end of month) but on no schedule, just whenever I work as long as come date of invoice I have a minimum of 5000 lines. I know there are other companies out there that do the same. That is the way it should be for an IC.
Set schedules.
No flexibility.
No set schedules because....
They don't pay overtime .
D&L shifts, etc ...
There are no shifts, that's the good thing. Let's say you have an ortho surgeon and he dictates 3 days a week. He becomes your primary and whenever he dictates, usually you will know what days and everything, you may have 2 day turnaround or just 24 hour turnaround, just depends on the doctor you have. They generally will give you more than one doctor depending on how much work you want. I had 4 doctors. One was every day, 24 hour, another was 3 days a week, 48 hour, another was split between 2 people because he was every day and lots and lots, and they also give you a secondary doctor so you can be backup. It is really flexible cause there are no shifts as long as you get the work back to them in the time frame that you are required to for that particular doctor. I don't think think they deal much with the basic 4, at least not when I worked for them. The only downfall was no direct deposit and cpl. Otherwise, I would recommend that company for flexibility compared to some others.
TT shifts
Yes, shifts are required and you are supposed to complete the whole shift, even if you have already met your minimum line count before it's over. On the other hand, you can make up lines anytime you want. They've been great to me whenever I've need to swap a day or change my shift by an hour or two, etc.
TT shifts:

Here is an excerpt: ****


 


*** Please do not post company communications.  ***


Flexible schedules
Amphion Medical Solutions: You can say you will work 5 hours a day, or 20 hours a week, but that is about as vague as they can tolerate. Contact HR@amphionmedical.com
No...they are really flexible with schedules..nm
nm
What do you mean by downloading schedules?

The ones here who want to make their own schedules
should just spend their time doing something else besides working. You really sound immature wanting to call the shots on when you work. Hospital work is 24/7. If you don’t want to work on weekends or say you cannot work (UGH), stay home and take care of the kids. No princesses around here.
They do have some M-F schedules, but it depends on
what the needs of the client are and what time slots they have available when you apply.  The recruiter is the one that will offer you a position and she will tell you what time slots they have available.   You aren't supposed to change your schedule for 6 months.
I think there is 1 small rad but there is ER. Schedules....

You set your schedule but you are expected to be there when you say you are.  However, they are great to work around doctor's appointments or other things that may come up.  I have never had an issue not being able to get time off for anything. 


As far as QA, they expect you to type what is dictated unless of course it is a gross medical error and then you blank and send to QA.  You do not get dinged for sending work to QA.  You also do not get dinged for punctuation.  They do expect high quality.


That's because of the work schedules

Most of the MTs at MDI either work Sun-Thu or Tue-Sat.  Therefore, more MTs are working Tue, Wed, Thu. 


The problem is M-F schedules have
gone by the wayside for the most part. Seems like everyone is requiring at least 1 weekend day. I remember when I was at the Q (and this was years ago), we rotated weekends. This is unheard of now with most MTSOs.
No, but they have flexible schedules, so ask about
nm
and if your schedules are flexible? nm
m
and if your schedules are flexible? nm
m
It looks like 2 different lists, 2 different schedules.

Schedule 3.13(a) hereto contains a complete and accurate list of all employees (including statutory employees) of the Company who for the year ending March 31, 2009 were paid annual aggregate compensation in excess of $35,000, showing the position, annual base salary and bonus potential for each such employee.


Purchaser shall continue the services of the employees of the Company following the Closing except for the individuals listed on Schedule 6.11 hereof who shall be terminated at or shortly following the Closing.


It appears that there are going to be some that are terminated at or following the closing.  Is that tomorrow or January 1, 2010?


Transcend Pay day schedules
The thing I am going to hate most is the Transcend pay day schedule, twice a month instead of every 2 weeks. Just when I get my creditors settled into dates I pay my bills, I will have to revert back to having to go to the payday loan for money. Twice a month is too long between paydays. I have also used BeyondText before and it is antique compared to Bayscribe.
you can pick from 3 different shifts
10-6, 11-7 or 12-8 and I believe you have to work Tues-Sat or Sun-Thurs. You type and get paid hourly, but you have to do a minimum of 1000 lines a day. That's about it in a nutshell.
yes but you can work 1 of 3 different shifts 10p-6a, 11p-7a, or 12a-8a
nm
also Tues-Sat shifts-nm
xx
Yes, they do allow split shifts,
like the poster below stated, it would still be specific time frame.       
all of the shifts are monitored - sm
What I mean by that is, if your hours are 7-11 and 4-8, and let's say you are on a 3 minute report at 9:45 a.m. and at 10:25 you are still on that report, someone from Diskriter might call your house to see if you are actually working, and they will want to know what is taking so long to do a 3 minute report. They may even ask if you are taking a 15 minute break etc.
There are 2nd and 3rd shifts here working - nm
nm
I'm sick of set shifts as an IC.
THEN getting constant IMs to work when I'm supposed to be 'off'.  If you want me at your beck and call you better be giving me benefits!
Yet the have an ad on this board for ALL shifts?

That almighty TAT -- I have questioned this and questioned this with them, but no answers to my satisfaction.  They always seem to answer the part of the question that they want to answer and dodge the rest.


There has been work disappearing around 9 a.m. -- not just on Mondays!  I thought it was a little strange last week when I noticed by looking at the time the job was dictated that a **chunk** of dictation just like angel dust was gone!


Seems quite selfish of them to leave us with no work, but I guess TT's way of getting their money back from the 25.00 Amex gift certificate that **gave** for MT week!  What a gift that has turned out to be for us MT's out of WORK!


 


FT 40, PT 20 & hiring for all shifts
I love it here and wish I had made my move earlier!
Shifts at Keystrokes??

KS offered me a position today working 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., turned it down because I am looking for first shift.  I wondered what different shifts people here worked for KS.  Plus, do you HAVE to work 9 hours?  I usually just work through lunch, not sure if I want to stop for a whole hour. 


A question about KS shifts...
Can someone tell me how strict Keystrokes is about their shift times?  For example, 2nd shift technically starts at 3 p.m., but would they consider an earlier start time, such as 1 p.m.?  TIA.
When I was there they ran out on all shifts, so I moved on. NM
x
No, but they tell you what hours/shifts they
need coverage for.
MDI people who are looking - WMX has an ad for some shifts (sm)

they are USA all the way.  Nice people, pay on time and correct.  Work like anywhere else is on a close TAT, but if you can flex a little you can get your lines in without too much trouble. 


Good luck to you.  Went through this with YOG/MQ/C-Bay - not a pleasant situation.  You feel like your security blanket has been ripped out of your hands. 


Are they extremely strict with schedules? nm
x
Yes they offer flex schedules
You have a 12 hour window to get in your daily scheduled hours.
Thanks! One more question...are they flexible with regards to schedules?sm
 I mean do they have a strict Su-Th or Tu-Sa schedule?  Thanks again..
IC status - flexible schedules

Any companies that permit a flexible schedule for IC status.  Any info would be appreciated.


probity? how are they about working with schedules, etc.? nm
;
Do most of the hospitals have slow schedules
nm
Slow schedules at hospitals
The hospital I worked for was slow around holiday time. Patients and doctors do not like to schedule in patient stays at holiday time. Usually picks up afterwards.
Question about work schedules?
The packet I received said they expect MTs to work 2 weekend days a month, but my recruiter made it sound like MTs are required to work 1 weekend day every weekend.

Does everyone work every weekend?
How flexible is Keystrokes as far as schedules...sm

I currently transcribe radiology for MQ full-time and after doing some research, I'm thinking about applying elsewhere full-time specifically Keystrokes because I hear they do a lot of radiology work.


How flexible is the work schedule there at Keystrokes.  Do you have to punch in and out like at MQ?  Really getting tired of punching in and out.


Recent info would be appreciated...looked at archives already.


in my interview, they told me set schedules.
When I interviewed with them a few weeks ago, there was no flexibility. If you did 2000 lines in 4 hours, then you still had to work your entire 8 hour shift.
Does any company allow M-F schedules anymore?
nm
Independent Contractors and Schedules
I am an independent contractor and agreed to a certain amount of lines per pay period and gave an approximate schedule but am I not correct that by law if I get my lines, they can't tell me when and when not to work.  I have only one time not gotten my lines and only because there was no work and that was about 9 months ago.

I can't stand the vile threats of being canned for not working a certain schedule when they hire independent contractors.  What recourse do I have if something like that happened?  Labor board, law suit, etc?
Does JLG work in shifts or by production? TIA
nm