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usually 55 does not count spaces and that's a lot of unpaid characters. NM

Posted By: anon on 2009-03-13
In Reply to: 55-character line - line counter

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Keystrokes accounts all count the expanders as characters printed with spaces, not the abbreviation.
I have checked it, but we use Shorthand. What are you using?
55 characters with no spaces
Using the Apex platform, I found this calculation to be a major rip off.  Not sure why.
black characters=without spaces.
nm
Transcribing = 9 cpl 65 characters including spaces.
Good company, great people. Give them a try.
Not paying for spaces can be okay if the characters per line is shorter.
55 characters without spaces is roughly equivalent to 65 with spaces.
About 5 years ago was offered 10 cpl including spaces, 65 characters. sm
Don't know about now. That was doing all acute care, mainly op reports with full benefit package.

I declined and have my own accounts, but it was a good offer.

Good luck.
line count/65 characters
Is it possible to change the number of characters that are a considered a line, i.e.
Could you redefine the line as being 50 characters. Or is this just stuck into the program at 65/line. You may E-mail if you like CTighe3568@aol.com. Your help would be greatly, greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
Cquence pay is 65-character with NO spaces, only black characters which equates to
approximately 1.5 to 2 cents per line less than 65-character with spaces.
It means characters that are printed in black and white - no spaces included. nm
x
Can we recommend companies that count all the characters and don't have you omiting periods, etc.
s
Pick a relatively short report and do a manual count of characters

including spaces if your company counts them.  Then divide the total by 65 or whatever your lines are defined as. If there is a discrepancy between your manual count and their systematic count, you have a problem. 


I did this recenty on ExText and find I am getting shorted about 1-2 lines per report. 


All compaines count lines different--with spaces, without spaces, headers or no headers, 65 characte
a line, 75 characters, etc. I would ask each of them how they count their lines. Sometimes the way lines are counted does not make a company worth working for.
I would think that black and WHITE means they pay for both black characters and spaces.
There is no such thing as a white character. But I would definitely clarify this in your interview.
Several out there don't count spaces now.
x
They do NOT count spaces?

If they do not count spaces, then I'd find a way to disable my space bar.  If I don't get paid for it, they ain't getting it!!! 


They do count spaces but...
Many accounts line counts come through Ichart. I believe they weight characters to be less than a full character, or in other accounts they just take a flat percentage right off the top for headers and footers, which turns out to be many more lines than the headers/footers are worth.

I've worked on many accounts at OSi and they have never matched the word count (characters extended divided by 65) in Word. It is always, always less. On my particularly account, it is consistently between 9-10% less than the count in Word.

So why do I stay? I'm not sure. Is it better anywhere else? I'm also not sure.
Which companies do not count spaces?
I am wondering which ones are doing this that you know of. Thanks.
Think about it if you couldn't count spaces.... a lot of companies.....
don't count spaces.  Header information we don't transcribe anyway so why get paid for it. 
Do they count spaces? If not then it would be a lot less. Find out what the variables are from your
Good Luck. Had the same problem with a job I had to leave. I got half the lines I used to. Now with another job same thing, just a little more than half of what I used to. Still looking for a company with the fair line count (65 with spaces, headers, footers, etc). Tired of looking but still trying. Good luck to you.
Yes, it counts spaces. It does not count headers/footers. sm
Chartscript counts the demographics i.e. headers/footers. That may be where your difference is. ES used to count them, but no more. It is about 15% less lines now that they do not count them.

Spaces are counted.
they do not pay for spaces, line count not verified, check archives!! nm
x
From my experience, it is all in how the company sets it up to count i.e. footers, headers, spaces
etc.. I work on another platform but I noticed the same thing when I worked for a company and it would me 12 hours to get 1000 lines, and at the time, I had nothing to compare it to. Then, I thought..this is just wrong. Working 12 hours to make $80 is ridiculous so I quite. I went to work for another company...same platform... and routinely do 1500 to 2000 lines a day and I can tell the difference. You know when you do a whole page report and all you end up with is at the max 40 lines.. something is wrong. I'd say keep the best paying and dump the rest. They are obviously shorting you somewhere.
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!


Above poster is right --- a lot of unpaid downtime.
I've never worked for a company that ran out of work as much as this company did. I do not recommend this company!
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.           


 


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.


I think most places pay for spaces. I work for TransTech and they pay for both spaces
as well as punctuation. I would never work for an MTSO that doesn't.
He is going to pay 8.5 for 70 characters

which is more than 9 for 65.  There is definitely something wrong with his math.  If he paid 9 for 70 then it might be the same as 8.5 for 65.  


 


65 characters
I've ALWAYS been told it means characters AND spaces.
and which characters... sm
print in white exactly, I wonder?

TIA
Lines are 65 characters.....
Not based on the actual line you see on the page.
black characters?
Sounds like no spaces counted to me.
I love those little characters! sm
Where does everybody get those? I have to have them! I love the pot disturber! Too cute! LOL!
I have got to get with the times! (Yeah, it was a good laugh, huh?)
Maybe it's not 65 characters per line???

1600 lines is a lot.  It doesn't mention vacation time though does it?


55 is better--less characters for a line,
therefore more lines UNLESS it is black character only--i.e. not counting spaces. Some companies do it this way instead of paying for 65 character line (spaces included).
65 with spaces versus 65 without spaces; how to calculate?

Can someone tell me if you are getting 9 cents per 65-character line with spaces how much you would need to be paid per line to make the same amount per line if you are offered a ''65-character line without spaces?''  Thank you very much


So, if not spaces paid, what cpl would be comparable to at least 9 cpl w/spaces, do you know??
Thanks.
To the IC's is 10 cpl based on 65 characters a good
rate for an IC, even with having to pay your own taxes, social security, vacation, sick time and all.   How does this all pan out in the long run.  I'm a single parent and tired of all the crap I've taken the past 28 years as an employee - but too afraid to step out and work as an IC for fear of not being able to meet ends, covering for my own insurance and all.  Any and all feedback would be appreciated.
Pay is based on 65 characters and includes

spaces.  Line rate is based on experience, if you have CMT, and shift.  There may be some other things too.  I don't know 100%, but I'm pretty sure they offshore.   Get conflicting stories about accounts depending on who you talk to.  I think pay is average, PTO is accrued based on lines and is available immediately.  You can take in $$ or time off I believe.  Not sure of other benefits because I had already decided after talking to them that I wasn't going to take a position with them, so didn't pay attention to benefits. 


Black and white characters

I worked for a company that used the DQS software and I never could get my line counts, even though I typed like a fiend! In an 8-hour shift, I could get maybe 800 to 900 lines with that program. The way my company said, is Black and White characters, which means no spaces.  I didn't get any credit for the ADT screens either.


Hope this helps.