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Not really. Why don't you ask for a raise at your current

Posted By: Spaces are 22-30% of a line. on 2005-12-30
In Reply to: no way..i have 3 little kids and a husband to take care of.. - bd

employer if you're happy there? How long have you been there?


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This has not always been the case, hence it hurts more. Merit raise/cost of living raise
dd
The raise you're describing is a merit-raise, - (SM)
and I agree that a worker has to go above and beyond in order to get them. But what doesn't seem to happen in this industry is COST-OF-LIVING raises, which should automatically come to workers either in small increments yearly, or in larger increments every 2-3 years. Without wages that are at least somewhat *realistic* (and modern-day MT wages are a pathetic joke), it's no wonder quality workers are harder and harder to come by, and much harder to retain. An MT should not have to work sweatshop hours for 7 days a week just to keep their head above water financially.
Current says:
q.i.d. is fine
q.8 h. is preferred, for clarity and ease of reading the number.

Don't eliminate the periods, don't use dangerous abbreviations, and don't use illegal abbreviations such as q.a.m. because they are Latin and English mixed.

Does that help?
Yes put current job. If it is your first
job you will need to show the experience to get another job.  You don't have the give another company any particulars about why you are looking for another position/more work.  Most just want to know when can you start and the hours you can work. 
Nothing will ever be more current than SM
the Monthly Prescribing Reference.  Google it and the link comes up.  It's updated as soon as a drug is FDA approved.
My current favorite....
revises every sentence at least 3 times without fail. My first runner up dictates on a cell phone, drops every other call, and spells out every other word in case I don't know how to spell anything with more than 6 letters.
any other current nyers on here - I went to the

state board out of curiousity and there are very few.  Does New York have a shortage of transcriptionists??? 


 


Just curious - if there are NY'ers - where in NY do you live? 


What is your current screensaver?
Mine's a beautiful aquarium (XP Plus!) except I only have three fish - you have to pay for more and I just don't wanna.
are you current with your dues?
'Nuff said.
Current Breitner MTs.

Are there are any CURRENT Breitner MTs out there?  Would like to talk. Please reply.  Thanks.


Poll: Age/Sex of current MTs

My theory is that the majority of MTs working today are in their 40s or 50s and are female.


 


Am I correct? We shall see....


RE: Poll: Age/Sex of current MTs
Divorced, age 52, male, long-time Transcriptionist (>15 years)
Not with current gas prices ...
I wouldn't. And you are talking about a total of 4 hours of driving per day, 20 hours per week, that you don't get paid for. You don't say where you live, but do you get snow, ice, etc. in the winter? That would be a nightmare.

It's good money, but personally I don't think it's worth it.
I have current QA contractors.
It would be cheaper still yet to give them a good raise and let the offshore MTs do the work, or so it looks on paper.

Just weighs heavy on the mind.

Current Listings
Does anyone use these boards anymore?  The most current post I see is 3/22/07.
More yrs in than you & I get 8.5 w/current employer. Have gotten 9 cpl in
,
Probably so. And my current one. And past one, too.
They might as well - they don't seem to have anything more productive with the time they spend in their plush offices behind closed doors. Unless maybe it's napping.
With our current administration, just about anywhere
Except the middle east, of course. We shoulda' nuked it all off the map on 9/12/01.
Not me. I was actually intimidated by my current

company.  They haven't laid down a lot of the rules in writing, or even verbally, but several other MTs have told me how it is.   They are very strict and I got fussed out because I didn't respond to an IM immediately.  I'm still on probation for another 2 weeks and I'm curious if I'm doing what they except of me (my QA scores are great so I know I'm doing quality work) and they have nothing to say to me, or they are waiting until probation is over and then will lay everything on the line.


I think maybe most companies seem strict at first because they want you to understand you can't have 24 hour TAT.  Some companies allow a long TAT, most don't.  I know a lot of MTs who work for spending money and aren't interested in FT work, yet they take FT positions and then don't work a required schedule. 


I also think that if you produce a minimun line requirement, produce a good product, aren't constantly taking time off, etc. that the company will cut you some slack.   Good reliable MTs are scarce these days. 


Any current info on SS?

I read a lot of bad about SoftScript on here, but all of it was 2 or 3 years old. I'm wondering if anybody has any current information about the company they'd be willing to share. I've been talking to them about a job doing editing work and am curious to know if their reputation has improved at all. Thanks.


current pay scale
I am an IC with 30 years experience. I am currently making 12 cents a 65 character line with no benefits, no time off, no taxes taken out, which is nothing compared to what I used to make in the hospital with all benefits.

None of us make enough, nor are we appreciated for our speed, knowledge and hard work.

Good luck! I hope you get your raise. You deserve it.
MQ raise
My last raise was in 1998.  When I asked for one last year, I got one quarter of a cent.  Then three quarters of a cent were taken away from me when I started DocQscribe, as I was told I was gonna make so much more money with DQS.
raise
May want to follow up with a phone call, sometimes if they get a lot of email it is easy to overlook them. That's what I do if they don't get back to me as soon as I think they should, anyway :)
getting a raise
How does one go about getting a raise as an independent contractor? I am not even in the same state. Shoud I e-mail or phone and how long should I wait before asking? In the past, I could always ask a co-worker, but my kids are my co-workers now. Does anyone know the correct protocol?
anyone with DSG ever get a raise?
d
Raise
I've been with MQ for a good while and I'm happy (just because my office is awesome), but I'm an intrigued with their production comparisons (ASR vs non-ASR) and interpreting polls (after the first one I sent that they "interpreted," I never sent another).

My theory on raises: Since the ASR rate will be reduced, you already have a "built-in" raise by not doing ASR. This is not to say they won't give raises eventually, but if you ask for one because you are doing the scum, they will say, "Well, the ones who do ASR don't get paid as much."

My advice to you would be to do ASR. Or get a different job because with MQ, this is the future. At least if you can master it and as the ASR improves (you'll get faster), you won't have a continuous diet of bottom-feeder material. That would absolutely drive me crazy. They probably eventually will eliminate all non-ASR'ers anyhow once the system is more refined.

Just total speculation on my part.
raise?
I hope whatever they gave you in the form of a raise compensates for what you have to go through, day in, day out, without any reprieve, and without even a good doc thrown in for good measure.  Does it?  Was it at least a buck an hour, and preferably two bucks?  Or was it two bits?  Keep your eyes open, MQGuy.  It won't be long before you are OUTTA THERE!   (Will the 0.050 cents per line, or whatever paltry sum it was, pay for your psychologist to keep you as sane as you are now?) I wish you luck, and I mean it sincerely.  They got you hook, line and sinker.
Do ICs ever get a raise? -sm
I work as an IC for a great company.  I have been with them almost 2 years now.  I  would like a pay raise.  As an IC, do I ask for it?  If so, how is this approached?  I have worked as an IC for almost 10 years for various companies.  Some give you a raise, most do not.  I would stay with this company either way.  TIA
Have been there over 4 yrs and no raise other than
across the board raises that everyone gets, latest being $0.002/line.  (No that wasn't a typo, it was actually a very insulting .002cpl).  Was told upon hire there would be merit raises.  Asked about one after a year of exemplary service with 100% QA and was pretty much laughed at.
pay raise
I was wondering when it is appropriate to ask for a raise?  I was thinking around my first year anniversary.  Also, how much is usually given? Do they up .5 cpl or 1 CPL? Just curious. 
MQ raise?
and how might I ask did you accomplishment the acievement of 2 raises in the past 3 months for MQ?
Wow, I need to ask for a raise! I am 1:2
5 min of dication takes me 10 min to transcribe.  If I have to re-listen to something, or look up, it may take 11 minutes. 
to ask for a raise?

To make a long story short, I've had this account for 4 years, and am on a salary.  At first I didn't think I would make any money since it was a salaried accout, but as it turns out, some days there is much to do and other days there is not as much, so it rather evens itself out, but then there are days when I'm working from daylight until dawn, but those days are rare.  Four years ago this was great money.  However, the COST OF LIVING has gone up exponentially!    I love this account, but it's my sole income; I have no other accounts.  Thus far I've been able to make it on this account and prefer to not take on anymore work because, as I previously mentioned, some days there is more work than I want, but it has to be done.  It would just make life much more difficult to take on more work for the days that they slam me, which outweigh the light days.  My problem is this:  I really want to ask for a raise, but afraid to rock the boat.  I realize all they can do is say no, but then, once I've mentioned wanting a raise it might plant the seed that I might be moving on if they don't give me a raise, which I have no intention of doing, but how do I tell them that?   I can't just say when asking for a raise: "Can I have a raise?"  (them) No, you cannot.  Me:  Okay, just thought I'd ask.  I am at a loss as to what to do about this situation.  Any advice would be so much appreciated from anyone with experience in such a predicament as this.  Thank you very much.


to ask for a raise?
I own the account personally. It is not through an MTSO.

Wow, sounds like you've gotten the really short end of the stick, and I feel so bad for you. I hope you'll get what sounds like a well-deserved raise, or be able to find another company who will appreciate you for what you really do. Good luck to YOU.
Are you asking for a raise or trying to get an
s
What's a raise?
I'll take the one dictator. I haven't gotten a raise the entire time I've been at the company I work at right now (several years) and I never know what will land in my workpool. One dictator by choice? I'd give my pinkie finger for an account like that and gladly look up everything! What a fool.

we will never get a raise
they will just crack the whip harder...work faster, longer, all day long, all night long so you can make more money more money more money. it is a vicious (brain freeze, is that how you spell it)?
Asking for a raise sm
Speaking from experience, this is not time to rock the boat, so to speak. With the economy the way it is, perhaps they will pretend to go along with you and start searching elsewhere. Been there, done it, think it over very carefully!!! Everyone is replaceable, I found that out the hard way after 20 years of faithful service, and they told me I was the best in the state! Be very, very careful unless you think someone else will pick you up right away. Under-bid by 1/4 of a CPL!
can an IC ask for a raise? nm
nm
No, no raise here, either.
I still make the same rate with my local doctors that I did when I started in 2000. With the company I am an IC, I actually make 4 cents a line less, but the work is abundant so I am still thrilled.

It sounds like you are lucky to still have a job where you are. I wouldn't push it. If you are not happy, start looking for other doctors. If you are content where you are, don't rock the boat.

As ICs, no, we never get raises. If I need more money coming in, I raise my production 100 or 200 lines extra a day, improve my shortcuts, push my speed to the limit. There's always room for improvement. If there is not work sufficient enough for you to do more, then take on another local doctor, if you can.

I try to keep myself thinking of the blessings that come with my job, what it allows me to do for and with my family. This is not a profession where we can dwell on what we are not getting, cause we'd all quit, even the employee status MTs.
Ask for the raise

You should ask for a raise...if you have been working there for two years with no raise, no bonuses, and of course, I'm sure you don't get any insurance or anything like that, you definitely deserve a raise...don't short change yourself, you can bet the office raises their office visits, procedures, etc. when things get tough on their end...you deserve a raise, and besides, if you don't ask, you will never know...the worst that could happen is they say no....but at least you asked.  I recently asked for a raise, and got it...I work from home as an IC and type for a local doc...I pick up tapes and deliver the transcription, etc., but I got the raise.  Even if I worked in the office, I would have asked for a raise.


We as MTs need to get the idea out of our head that we don't deserve a raise...if you're doing a good job, have experience, and do the work that they expect from you...ask for that raise! 


no raise??
Cost of living???  Who gets a cost of living raise as an MT?  I want that job!!!  I have done this for 35 years and no cost of living raise for me.  Raises when I was working in a hospital and was a supervisor in the early 1980s and still transcribing and only got raise because my line count increased within a certain period of time.  And believe me I was making much more THEN than I can possibly get now, due to no work, and the amount we get paid per line is going down and we still have to work more hours to get that.  But I still hang in there.  What is to do at 56??
A raise!?!
Heck, I've been taking regular pay CUTS for the last 10 years! They laugh in your face when you ask for/expect a raise.


pay raise - not
Not only are we NOT getting well-deserved raises, but per-line wages are being cut!
You definitely need a raise....sm
I was a Transcriptionist for about 7 months when I got my first raise. I started out at .065 cpl almost 2 years ago. Then 7 months into it I got .075 cpl without even asking. Then when I had been an MT for 1-1/2 years I asked for another raise and got 8 cpl. I am supposed to get another one in June I believe to .085 cpl. I have a very nice boss.

I would ask for a raise and if they wouldn't give one I would look elsewhere for work.
When was your last raise?

Do you get bonuses?  Look, I work weekends, and also don't work when I don't feel like it and I still make a decent wage.  As an IC, I can pick and choose and who is to say that just because someone doesn't work weekends they aren't going to make any money. 


The only thing open on weekends are facilities and hospitals; no clinics.  There is a skeleton crew.  You are working nights because India has taken the days.  So, please come down to Earth a little here.  We've all done our time especially the oldies when life wasn't so easy for an MT. 


We need to work together and not belittle each other for someone who would like to have weekends off, etc.  Some like it hot and some like it cold.  There's no real difference there.  Some like working weekends, and some like working during the week.  There's no harm done, really.  It's all the same.


Current screen saver
Mine is a black background with floating bananas...yes really, floating bananas. heehee
not at my current line rate nm

Axolotl? Any current employees?
Of course, I see mixed reviews on them.  Just looking for a good company for full-time bennies.
Q&A, editing - what is current pay rate for this?
nm

Does your current company also have employees?
If so, no matter what, those people will get work first because of the benefits they receive as their total package. They want those people working first and foremost.

I have also been times without work, though not for weeks on end or anything. I used that time to clean, organize, run errands, that kind of thing. Sorry I cannot offer you anything else. It will hopefully pick up soon for you! :-)