25K among 4000 5000 employees is 5$ to 6.25$

You'd think if MQ wanted to retain employees [2008-08-12]
they would at least give a yearly increase without us having to beg for one...and why oh why am I still here when I haven't gotten a raise in 3 years!!??!!??

Obviously MQ does not value their employees. Why hire and toss them later? [2008-08-11]
Because they want to. Just like they wanted to cut ASR pay and cut bonuses and make us employees and change to a national pool or plans for MTs on a minute's notice. Maybe they need new employees to make up for those they lost until they can position enough C-Bay employees to do the work cheaper.

Do not forget, we are At-Will employees. Here is a link about it. [2008-08-08]
http://labor-employment-law.lawyers.com/employment-contracts/Employer-At-Will-Employment-FAQ.html

We are At-Will employees and [2008-08-08]
Reasons for terminating an at-will employee may include, but aren't limited to: Merger, Workforce reduction, Change in company direction and business focus, and Poor company performance. Actually,I bet we do not even have to give a two weeks notice. Even though it is nice too, but we are At-Will. Here is more info. http://labor-employment-law.lawyers.com/employment-contracts/Employer-At-Will-Employment-FAQ.html

It depends on your state. We are "AT-Will" employees [2008-08-07]
which means MQ can let you go for NO REASON at all and there is nothing you can do about it. You signed that paper back in 2006 as I recall when you had to go to anoffice in your local area and fill out W2 forms, etc.

It has always been about the clients and not employees. [2008-08-05]
Even the caller from Impact Center stated this. That is why us MT's need to do something. We need to take a stand just like Dinosaur states in her post below, This is important, take a stand.I am for the clients, but treat us employees fairly and not decrease our wages. Okay. You are a patient and you go to a private doctor's office. This is the best doctor in the city, but his office staff is horrible. The staff is rude, cannot keep appointments straight, keep you waiting too long, billing not done properly, etc. You will probably leave and go see another doctor. I was always told, even in school, you make the employees happy by treating them with respect, good pay, as they are the ground workers and keep the company running smoothly and basically make the higher ups look good. We are not treated that way. We are all not on the same page. Some get raiseseach yearand some take 10 yearsto get a raise. Some have primaries and somegetcesspool. By the way, did it or did it not state in MQ letterabout: I transcribing the work for (insert your primary account)or I transcribe the work (insert your accounts) for ateachinginstitution. Doeshe not know about the cesspool?We need to take a stand as Dinosaur posts below.

No one is going to hire union employees when they can get the work done in India cheaper. [2008-08-05]
You have to deal with what is. Unions have become obsolete since NAFTA. The politicians have gotten us in this mess and they aren't going to help us now. Think about all the union factories that have closed after the owners found they could get the work done cheaper in China and did not have to pay union workers. I am not against unions but I am a realist and hate for anyone to think that a union will save your job IF you could actually start a union. Since NAFTA agreement signed by President Clinton your union job will be quickly eliminated. I am not an expert on NAFTA but I believe American companies actually get tax benefits for shipping jobs out of the US. We are in a mess and need to figure out a realistic way out and a union is not realistic at this stage.

I did the math - MQ lost 564 employees in last few [2008-08-05]
nm

I agree. A LOT of company employees sign [2008-07-29]
Code of Conduct, but this one seems different. Basically work like a robot.

Some companies SOP shows consideration for their valued employees. MQ does not. [2008-07-17]
MQ is a tight fisted company with no more regard for their employees than China has for their factory workers.

Mine too. At a hospital. Only employees that [2008-07-17]
started on a temp basis with a probation period had to wait 90 days.

I would escalate your request. Unless a policy is posted in a handbook to the employees, it is not [2008-07-10]
nm

MQ employees, but.... [2008-06-26]
MQ hired staff for the Impact Room straight off the street, with only minimal requirements. They didn't have to know anything about transcription, just how to follow the flow of work on a computer monitor. They were given criteria for stat jobs, jobs approaching turnaround, etc. The emplyees in the Impact Room are blindly following the orders of the geniuses managing them because they don't entirely understand their place in the scheme of things. So, it's difficult to completely blame them for calling us when we're already on, or because they can't keep up with time zone differences. Typical MQ, if you ask me.

MQ forced us to be employees now I see more and more jobs out there for IC. (sm) [2008-06-04]
Am I just paying more attention to other jobsnow (since the recent changes with MQ/CBay) or have there always been so many IC positions available? Am thinking for now I will continue with MQ part time and get an IC job to supplement it and pad my pocketbook against possible financial disaster if we do get replaced by our International Labor Partners, bless their little blood sucking hearts. Sorry if that sounds mean, I know they have a right to work, but.... charity begins at home. If they want to train and provide assistance to some of the people here in our own country that need it I would feel differently.

This board is for MQ employees only. [2008-06-04]
x

Would be interesting to know how many MTs MQ really has. I have read less than 4000 and probably [2008-05-31]
even less than that now.

Is this open to US employees or just India? [2008-05-23]
PERFECT-the day after an MQ announcement that they sold out-unbelieveable!

How about a board for ex-MQ employees? [2008-05-22]
x

2nd a board for ex-MQ employees [2008-05-22]
I'll 2nd that, or soon to be ex MQ employees. I knew something was up when MQ QA and QKL were doing some many audits and the impact room were calling incessantly. Enough is enough. Do you guys realize on most MT boards, Medquist is the only company to one to have its own unofficial board for us to blog and is the most CONTROVERSIAL?

25K among 4000-5000 employees is 5$ to 6.25$ [2008-05-10]
happy appreciation bonus

There may be disgruntled employees everywhere [2008-05-06]

Same people post over and over. Most MQ employees do not even come on here. NM [2008-05-06]
x

From reading these posts, seems a lot of new employees lately [2008-04-08]
to make up for the MTs who have been here for so long and are quitting.

Way to rock Dazey!! you did like 5000 over your [2008-03-22]
x

Aren't we all employees? nm [2008-03-13]

crap must be the Q's middle name [2008-09-05]
they like to give crap to their employees do and in turn pay them crap

aamt [2008-09-04]
Back in the 90s I used to be a member of AAMT and got the journal, and even attended several state and national conferences and was even a CMT for a few years. I have since not renewed my CMT and no longer am a member. I was never given an extra pay or raise for being a CMT so that I did not renew. I used to be on the board of directors for the local AAMT when I was living in a major CA city. The conferences, which were 3 day weekends for the yearly conference, for me were to hear the speakers, mostly doctors on new procedures they were doing back then for different ailments. And of course, the vendors were mostly book companies and some of the major bigger services looking for employees. We were always trying to get through to AAMT that we needed to have some better wages and be treated as someone important. they also assured us that voice recognition would not be in MT's world in our life time. Well, it shouldn't be, but it is here I guess. Those definitely were the good old days, and we will never see them again.

Perhaps if the pay disparity as mentioned [2008-09-04]
then morale would not be so bad. MTs with years of experience, Tier 3, typing anything that is thrown at them should make a minimum of 10cpl and not be negotiated to take a lower rate. 10 cpl for me would mean the difference of an additional $5000 to $6000 a year...making all the other corproate crap easier to swallow.

Tired of theft, or why I'm quitting [2008-08-29]
I'm looking at ASR reports that take longer to fix than they would to type. This is a trick. It's a scam. It's the same as if somebody was lifting my wallet in the subway. I'm a shareholder, you know. I sure hope the next prospectus notes that profits are increased because the company is scamming their employees. It's a scam because this tool is not a tool to increase our speed. It's a tool to keep production the same at a lower cost. If the prospectus doesn't note the fact that ASR fails to improve worker speed, the company will belying to the shareholders by omission and I will inform the Securities and Exchange Commission. I will get you back, Medquist, if aren't honest with your shareholders. By the way I won't be working for Medquist at the time, but I will still be a shareholder. And it will be payback time.

Evaluations? [2008-08-28]
I've worked this job for TWELVE years, with 27 total years experience. And in 12 year I have never ONCE gotten an evaluation. And I'll bet I know why. If you're constantly giving evaluations of 100% accuracy to your employees, they might just ask for a raise, and we can't have that, can we? And if you think I'm being arrogant in thinking that my evaluations would be 100%, please see my previous post, where I mention I am less than 2 years from my M.D. Yes, I'm that good, and if I wasn't, I wouldn't be getting my MD because I wouldn't put patients at risk. And for all of you who are going to start mentioning idioms that nobody's perfect, I totally agree. Nobody is perfect, but our work can be.

Wondering about employee discounts [2008-08-28]
Can anyone tell me if MQ employees are eligible for discounts on reference books, etc.? If so, where do I go to order these. I tried to find something on MQCentral, but could not find a place to do that. Greatly appreciate any info!!

again, amen [2008-08-27]
today, i am just going to laugh at this person who continuously defends MQ and their sweatshop, don't give a heck about the MT, mentality. the other day, i kind of lost it, and to the moderator and others, i apologize. it isn't just newbies who will miss that example given. i've been doing this for more than 20 years and can tell you that i could and would miss it. if i was allowed to take the time necessary to produce a quality report,i wouldn't. but sitting here with MQ standing behind me with the virtual whip, slave-driving me to produce a certain amount in a certain amount of time, threatening me with job loss, well, i don't think so...more and more is going to be missed under those circumstances. it is going to be very soon when i will be able to come in here and do the happy dance because i've given my notice. the part-time MT jobi have, which is heaven to MQs hell, have informed me they would be thrilled to have me full-time, and while it is an IC job with no benefits, honestly, at this point, i just don't care. i'll be happier and healthier working for people who understand the nature of the job and care about their employees. Medquist has no clue how to do our jobs nor how to treat their employees in a way that would produce productive and loyal employees. i feel sorry for them, much as i feel sorry for those of you who defend them.

door about to open for me too! [2008-08-22]
Resume out there!! Have interviews set up, just have to wait.... The thought of not having to have so many lines to keep benefits will hopefully soon be a horrible memory!! I am older so was scared .....less about making this move. Can't wait until I write here my final note saying adio. God bless us all and God bless AMERICA and the wonderful AMERICAN companies who care for their employees!! I HAVE to add, I have a WONDERFUL MQ supervisor!!

you nailed it [2008-08-22]
Corporations have forgotten that their employees are their life's blood. Sure, there is always some body to fill in a vacancy when people leave, but, as a group, we are more powerful than we think. If we all had the courage to say we aren't going to take your lousy soup-du-jour policies and pay changes and leave en mass, they would be shut down but quick. Of course, we can't do that because we are a nation of apathetic and scared people who lead fear-based lives instead of standing up for our jobs and our principles and our ideals. We stay in our comfort zone when it is really no longer comfortable, but we tell ourselves it is because the unknown is too scary. I include myself in that statement. Look at the courage of generations past when people banded together and suffered a little to make changes in society and workplace issues. Look at the 1920's (women), the 1950's (Black Americans), and the 1960's (anti-war, race relations, women, social conflicts) and other times past when people used their power to make changes for the better. Power to the People, people.

Thank you and Amen to that. The [2008-08-20]
truth when it comes to MQ is espeically ugly when you think about all they have done to us and the ones who say we are disgruntled employees I still say are management who keeps an eye on this board, or the very few who have gotten preferential treatment, and I personally think that all of us who stuck it out with MQ, especially over this past year, not only deserve a huge raise, but a Purple Heart for service above and beyond as well.....Wake up MQ your ship is sinking without MTs to keep it afloat....

can you say desperation? [2008-08-19]
It sounds to me that MQ is exhausting all avenues to find MTs, why so desperate for MTs? So desperate to recruit current employees? Have that many really left? So many posters are out of work it makes me wonder. If more people are quitting than are being hired then MQ needs to figure out why people are leaving and fix the situation before keeping recruiting for more people. Just common business practice.

To fix this situation with the MTs [2008-08-19]
would require that someone in management actually has a brain and understands the job that we actually do and have actually done it themselves, and we all know that ship has sailed a long, long time ago. If they had any brains at all in management this past year alone would never have happened...... Now that is ugly so don't bother to tell me how wrong I am for bad mouthing dear old MQ, but the truth is the truth and anyone who thinks that what the poster below said is ugly then they are surely someone from management telling us how wrong we are yet again, but who is now begging their own employees to come to work for them????? If they would have listened to us in the first place they wouldn't be where they are now with no one wanting to work for them...

follow me - i have solution [2008-08-15]
If you will follow me I can give you some awesome and legal informatation that may get you compensated in Federal court as I have spoken to an attorny who works with large companies who have rippoed off employees on OT and such adn he says I have a case but he has a better chance of winning if we have more than one employee becuase it is FEDERAL COURT. **** EDITED BY MODERATOR **** Sincerely. Hope

yes you were hired [2008-08-15]
around the time things went downhill. In 2006 is whenMQ turned everyone into employees from statutory and had to follow a certain schedule, etime, etc. Before docuscribe MTs transcribed on various platforms. Docuscribe has been around maybe the last6 years or so maybe longer. MTs were trained on it at different timesas accounts had timeframes asto when they would be transitioned over to docuscribe. Anywho, before docuscribe we used to get paid for everything on the report, and we had noADT screen to fool around with. Now its a mystery to me what I get paid for and what I do not. My PS cannot even tell me or exPS's. When I first noticed the drop in pay with docuscribe a few years back my supervisor then said I was being paid at the same rate but docuscribe system is different (lol). last year though MQ finally put in writing thatour payseems lower because we did not have PTO back then or other perks!No rhyme or reason, just is.

It seems to me [2008-08-15]
Don't believe it for a minute. It has been almost 3 years since I took the leap from MQ and boy am I so thankful that I did. I now work for a smaller company that pays decent wages as well as has good benefits, PTO, bonus, etc. They listen to their employees and are very helpful. They say one thing and stick to their guns. They are available 24/7 and I just love it. There are good employers out there you just have to be diligent and find them.

I agree [2008-08-14]
one of my exsupervisors sent an email out stating that you should not be logged in to etime while notphysically typing. it was as descriptive to say you should not be eating at the computer askeystrokesare counted while you are logged into docuscribe and E time and it couldlower your pay rate such as for pto. This was after he found out people were being logged in for 8 hours but actually working only 5 hours!This was about 6 months after statutory turned employees. I do not know about the rest of you but every 6 months my PTO rate is either a little higher or lower than before so after those experienceswhat is thebig deal about logging offbecause like you said you are not typing the whole time. I am just replayingthe voice pedal and maybe filling in a blank.

Raise, what's a raise? [2008-08-12]
When I first started working for Your Office Genie, I started at a decent rate and got a raise of 1 cent when she re-negotiated with the hospital I was typing for. Then, MQ came along and bought her out, but I stayed with the same line rate. When we to employees and not statutory, I asked for a raise. They told me I was at the top of the tier and they could not give me one because of the cap in the tier. Heck, I wasn't even in that tier. I was a tier 2 and they said I was at the top of tier 3's line rate. Thus, no raise what so ever. They did, however, help me out with ASR. I went from 10 cpl to 7 cpl. That was very nice of them and thoughtful to do so. By the time I left, I was doing 95%, sometimes 100%, ASR each shift. Some incentive to stay huh? As to bonuses, it just wasn't worth the time away from my family to make a measily couple of extra bucks in the check. Just was doing my time and eeking out a small check like everyone else. But, got a better job and almost back up to where I was before ASR. Couldn't be happier. Good luck to all.

Is MQ still hiring? So many people are leaving and constant OT approval. [2008-08-11]
It seems more MTs are leaving if you read the MT boards and then watch bonuses fall flat with very little response and now even overtime approval after the bonuses with PSconstantly begging for extra help. Something is surely going on. Think MQ is worried or will C-Bay employees pick up the slack?

Obviously MQ does not value their employees. Why hire and toss them later? [2008-08-11]
Because they want to. Just like they wanted to cut ASR pay and cut bonuses and make us employees and change to a national pool or plans for MTs on a minute's notice. Maybe they need new employees to make up for those they lost until they can position enough C-Bay employees to do the work cheaper.

Word Expander [2008-08-08]
I've used Short Cut for many years and like it a lot. It works with any program. I have over 5000 entries. I have recently purchased Instant Text to see if it will help even more as it does a few more things. I definitely recommend using an outside word Expander as that way you can take your short forms anywhere if you change jobs and not be stuck re-creating your word list. Both programs are available at www.sylvansoftware.com

If I were you, honestly [2008-08-07]
I would consider it a blessing in disguise. There are so many other companies out there with a lot of money to be made, and no game playing or false promising....companies who respect their employees. I used to work for MQ, a total of 12 years, and finally left last year. It was the best thing I did. Believe me, there is life outside the Big fat Q.This company is doomed anyway! Go to the Job board, the pickins are all yours. Good luck!

Can you do this... [2008-08-07]
Can you do this with ShortHand (am working for a company that lets its employees create/use their own personal expansion file using the company Shorthand license # for free--When I first started with the company, had to call and get their Shorthand registration # in order to create and use my expansion file) My more computer-literate neighbor copied my Shorthand Expander file onto a flash drive but said it is a special kind of file (my understanding was that it is somehow proprietary (?) since it was created under my company's Shorthand license #?) He copied it onto a flash drive but was not sure it could be opened and utilized should I leave the company. I rely so heavily on my expansions and hate the thought of losing them. Thanks for any information.

Sounds like MQ is now cleaning house for slackers. [2008-08-07]
Kumar is not a man to mess around, huh? Seems to me that many of these who had -- no idea -- about any of these rules are probably the many MTs who bragged on here daily that they would NEVER sign up for MQ email, never do MQ Central, and never bother to read anything from the PS. They were so proud of their rebellious attitudes, though we all knew it was more of a shoot-yourself-in-the-foot immaturity. Well, sounds like now they are cleaning house and at least in this case, this MT has no one but herself to blame. Again, I agree lucky if no legal repercussions, as falsifying time cards is a huge offense, even once, let alone 3 months!! I used to do payroll for a huge company with a time clock for the employees, and they had cameras installed at the clock. Each payroll I had to go thru hours and hours of tape, verifying that everyone matched their time cards punched, as its an old trick to have others punch for you, etc. This was 25 years ago, so its been around a long time. Our company was a Japanese firm, and they would quietly fire the people who did this, but then fight them in court if these same people dared to file unemployment. Companies don't mess around with this, virtual or in house, and I don't blame them. And this is a direct result of the MTs who worked overtime on purpose and got paid for it, but because it was not documented on time cards, they later sued for it. Can't have our cake and eat it, too. Again, I can't stand MQ, but in this case, they are right.

I've been away from this board for months and months but sm [2008-08-07]
thought I'd check here to see what is going on. I'm still working for MQ and have been for 8+ years. I am in tears over here. I just read a post from a poster named Belle?? who says that she is just short of retirement and hope she can hang on long enough to retire. I am crying over here! I am so upset at what the hell has happened to this company. I can't even begin to explain my frustration. Yet, I sent out 4 resumes this morning and 2 of them responded THE SAME DAY! Why am I still considering staying and not taking the other jobs? It must be some sort of cult or spell they put on us!! I have to leave! I must leave! I don't trust this company. And that poor Belle gal. Oh my. Does she seriously think that MQ is going to let her hang on and pay her retirement? No way on earth is she going to see retirement happen with MQ/Cbay, or whomever it is we work for. so many of us have stuck it out for the past fewyears. Someone got it right. They will probably lower our pay. Also, with the merge, why are they firing people all of a sudden? Do they have too many employees now with the merge? Sort of sounds like it. In any event, good luck fellow MTs and QA people. This sure isn't what is used to be is it? So, so, so, so, so sad...

It is an interesting read...sm [2008-08-05]
Iam unable to make a move for another few months, so will see what direction things are going in. On one hand, every acquisition/merger since MRC caused anxiety among the employees and coworkers telling me to find another job like they did (many of whom returned). On the other hand, I am not happy about MQ being owned by a company with a reputation such as CBay.I take what MQ management says with a grain salt, will study the situation and make a decision (stay or leave) that feels right to me. At least they are acknowledging that we have concerns.