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I love challenge. Hubby is self-employed, too as a tri-axle owner/operator. No bennies at all unless

Posted By: Getting older on 2006-11-13
In Reply to: a survey for MTs - Sarah

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I love MT, but I am also so glad hubby has steady income and excellent benefits!
He retired with 20 years in the air force and has a retirement check from that, as well as standard and very basic benefits that we can use without paying a whole lot. He has worked full time since retiring from the air force (he was 40 when he got his 20) with excellent pay and awesome benefits that we pay a very low premium for. I used to make excellent cash as an MT when being paid on a gross line, but now I make maybe 20K a year with no benefits of any kind from my job. Now my income just supplements his and is for the extras we enjoy.
Here's a challenge :)
Re: I think the MT business is the most bizarre, dishonest industry this country has, outside of the tobacco industry.

Here's a challenge: Name a business that is *not* dishonest...

crapitalism breeds corruption.
Actually, the CHALLENGE is = sm

paying bills, feeding kids, etc.  The REAL challenge seems to be making at least MINIMUM WAGE ($7.35 at present) from the getgo - and which must be paid REGARDLESS, as per all 50 Labor Boards - not when/if we ever get up to speed. They're the ones who shoved VR down our throats at 50% of previous ... with the result of a 50% increase in their own greedy pockets. 


But, they can't just continually take, take, take - the gravy train WILL dry up as soon as MTs stand up for their own rights, which is povided them by law. 


Good news for MTs on EMPLOYEE status - You were hired as an MT at a certain rate of compensation (although a substandard/insulting rate at that) - but company tells you MUST do VR editing at less than half pay.  WELL, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROVIDES AT LEAST HALF OF YOUR SALARY, AVERAGE OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS - which you're entitled to receive at least for 6 months or 9 months if the recession lasts.  Which sounds better?  Contrary to opinion - verified by Labor Board on a visit a short while ago - you do not have to be laid off to apply/collect.  IF YOU QUIT YOUR JOB DUE TO A SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE IN PAY OR HOURS (and most would agree 3-4 cpl as opposed to 8, 8.5 or 9 cpl you were hired for and have a right to expect -- would CERTAINLY fall under this category.  There is more than 1 way to skin a rat -- start by hitting them where it hurts most (in the $$$) - pay up or get off the pottie.  Must make it clear to the callous, greedy MTSOs that we're not leaving emptyhanded, either! 


Yes, a REAL MT would challenge this....

Stop getting bent out of shape because everyone does not agree with YOU .


It was a Mensa challenge test to see if you would like inside
.
OK - your other post said you chose this account because of the challenge
nm
Same here, my hubby puts out
He chose the better plan so I don't have to fight for referrals and pretty much anyone takes our insurance.  It is a rather nice luxury.  However, I thought that someone down the line told me that if you have a lot of healthcare expenses, you could write that off on your taxes.  I think that is why some companies will set you up with flexible spending accounts.  I am no expert on that though.  Maybe someone could comment in that regard.  Between the kids, my husband, and I though paying a $20.00 copay is a lot better than paying full price for those office visits.  It seems like it is always something especially with kids.  Now that we're getting a little older, all of the preventive stuff needs to be done, so it sure is nice to have that health insurance. 
dear hubby
.
Hubby starting school for this
and is not picking Andrews or MTec.  They both want big deposits, will not work with you.  Hubby can't get a PT job to raise that much money due to after effects of chemotherapy, but we can afford a monthly payment. We applied for different financial aid packages and loans, but either make too much or too little.  So we are picking another school that my friend is currently enrolled in. I called and talked to the person that does the hiring at my company, that also hired me, and she said they would not have any problems with that school.
I think we are in exactly the same situation...EXACTLY. My hubby says QUIT!
But I love to work and have always loved this job. Sounds like we could be each other. I had five companies I was interested in, so we shall see. So far, I have turned down the other two jobs...I am so stressed I am afraid I will be taking on MORE STRESS by leaving! Good luck to you, and feel free to email me any time...we could commiserate! 8>)
I knew it was something to do with hubby but not sure if it was dear or sm
damned or darned or divorced. Thanks for clearing that one up for me.
LOL Remarkable is right. I was just telling my hubby s/m
how sick I am of the whole remarkable thing. What is remarkable is how they think that repeatedly telling us we are remarkable will make us forget that our families are starving (metaphorically--or perhaps literally, in some cases).
Has your hubby & son's work start

slowing down, like not many jobs around? Mine has been off since October and only started at the end of May this past year.


We always dreamed of taking our vacations in the middle of winter when he was off, too, but every year, the work is less and less for him.  Yet his broker has given what little work there is to his favorite guys and he was told some of them are working a day or two a week. It's frustrating. For his type of work (federal and state highways), he needs a broker and there is only one around here. Plus, he still hasn't been paid for work he did in October (2 whole days). We're afraid the broker is going under and, if that's the case, I guess DH will be forced to retire early.


My hubby works for a company who is
self-insured and our premiums for family coverage are only $200/month with a $500 deductible.  It's great - when hubby had to have bypass surgery last fall they paid the entire bill with the exception of less than $2000. 
Hubby has stuttered his way to a 6-figure engineering job...nm
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my hubby worked for union company sm
years ago in Michigan and we paid absolutely NOTHING! It was wonderful. But gone are the days for that in the state we live in now. No union!
You and your hubby sound like awesome parents! sm
I also think that what the OP posted may have been misconstrued. I didn't see it that way at all. Of course, you may have been talking about me;) Anyway, I just don't understand how every topic gets into a flame war. There are a lot of assumptions and fabrications people are pulling out of the air here just for the sake of a good argument. I'm working two accounts trying to stay afloat and do have to make up work on the weekends. The entire point of this whole conversations was regarding this new fad of MTSOs offering only two schedules. Sadly I'm starting to see it more and more. What's even sadder is that many of these are IC positions with no weekend differential! We all have to do what is in the best interest of our households. I'm glad you've found something that works into your homeschooling schedule...as hard as it must be! Hang in there!
Says the retiree with a hubby's pension and a new motorhome.
Really, GP, you usually come off as sympathetic and understanding.

But get real. Who are YOU, of all people, to nag and snipe at a woman who needs to feed her children?

What, because you and hubs are living high on the hog, you think everybody else should suck it up or shut it up?

Disgraceful.
I have to. Hubby is unemployed and it's our only income right now...can't survive on unemploym
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How many MT's are employed there?
Just out of curiosity, wonder how big they are.  Don't want to get with one of the biggies!  Is there a great turnover with MT's?
currently employed
i currently work for above-mentioned company and have no problems with my paychecks.  all i will say is don't believe everything you read.  it's easy to post things on a website to hurt the reputation of others.  it's called slander!  people get disgruntled for one reason or another, and instead of taking it up with the person they should deal with, they figure it's easier to try to attack and hurt others by attacking them publically.  grow up.  this isn't third grade.
I am employed by DR--
Some people are actually employees and some are hired by DR to work for hospitals.  I'm happy with them.  I wish my line rate were higher, but I have a relatively easy account with constant work.  I'd rather have that than a high line rate with a terrible account and no work.
Employed by them several years...
I think they are great to work for. Office personal is great to work with, very helpful. Pay is there when they say it will be, never a problem there. I have worked several years for them and my pay has NEVER been 6 to 8 cents. I enjoy my work. Very, very few ESL's on my account.
Yes, still gainfully employed... sm
... and business as usual, just a different company name on the paychecks. Thank you for asking! Life is good! :-)
self-employed getting a raise
But with MT it's a little bit of a sticky wicket. We are self employed, BUT if we are working as an IC for a company we are really at their mercy, and I'm sure, as some above posters mentioned, the companies we work for are getting raises from their clients, so one would think that $$ would naturally be passed on down. Of course, we can ask for a raise, but they can say no, and then what? If we are happy with the company we are with do we just suck it up and hope for a raise tomorrow/next year? In my opinion, if we've got the experience under our belt, turn in consistently quality work, and our company is constantly praising us, seems to me they should do the offering of a raise. But unfortunately that just is not happening.
Employed since 2003
I like working with them. We have just recently merged with MD-IT so I don't know a whole lot about the new company but MTSource was great. Whether MD-IT will influence and make changes is something that I don't know. So far - so good. You can use Instant Text but only the latest version.
I do BUT I am employed by a hospital...SM

making an hourly wage plus incentive.  However, I own my home and do not have a house payment (an insurance settlement allowed me to pay off my house) or a car payment (I do not drive a fancy car).  I also live in the midwest where the cost of living is lower than on the coasts.  I have two kids.  My monthly expenses are utilities, groceries, and stuff the kids need.  We do okay.  I'm not one of those people that lives above their means.  I have a 50+ year old home that we are fixing up when we have extra money.  I drive a 2000 Chevy Cavalier that is paid off and has a couple of dents from some fender benders, but looks decent.


My husband is disabled and hasn't worked since he was discharged from active duty in 2005.  We are in the process for filing a disability claim for him, but it's such a process.  So he brings in no income whatsoever.  He he is my house-husband.  He does the housework, the laundry, runs the kids to school and picks them up, and even occasionally cooks dinner.  He also is a great auto mechanic and keeps my car running for me.


I just wanted to give you my background because one of my biggest pet peeves is people who post on here how they make $60,000 a year as an MT and neglect to give the little details like they are chained to the computer 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.


I'll be honest, at 8 cpl, there is no way my family could live on that unless I slept at my computer and had a commode as my desk chair!  I'm lucky that I have the job I have and we've managed to cut costs where we can. 


My sister is an RN and has been for 20 years and she makes really good money.  Between her and husband's salaries, they pull in at least $100,000 a year and they are in debt up to their eyeballs.  They have trouble making their house payment every month.  They have a truck and a car payment that are constantly late.  Creditors are calling them nonstop for credit card bills they can't pay.  All because they felt they needed to live in the fanciest house and drive the newest, fanciest cars, and spend, spend, spend.


I don't live in a big fancy house or drive a fancy car, but I'm pretty content and I don't have the financial stress to deal with most of the time.  My kids want for nothing and I am occasionally able spoil them.


sound like you are employed with
tt-that's their style
not that I know of; employed there awhile.
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You are employed by the wrong company
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Not recently employed there but here is my input
I worked for them about 4 or 5 years ago.  Thought the pay was low but it was my first MT job so to me it was good.   Pay was always on time and accurate.  They do not pay for errors.  Did not like their schedule and I wanted a more flexible schedule.  Like I said this is from 4 or 5 years ago.  Things may have changed.  Overall, a nice person to work for. 
If you're self-employed and don't pay quarterly,
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Would you be talking about CS? I am newly employed by them and they have
the same thing. The techs interrupt me nearly every day to get into my computer and change the templates too. This has happened every single day up to today. Today is the first day I have not gotten an instant message asking to me allowed into my computer to change the stupid templates. I don't know how much longer I am going to stay. I am having a terrible time getting any kind of decent line count.
Sounds like being self-employed, no time to die.
Time off for the self-employed is the same except they'll find another service and replace you if you miss one day. No hearts.
It's the FL Hospital account, not employed by
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Love, love, love TransTech! Not overhiring, just growing like crazy!
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Yes, my husband is self-employed so we have individual plans but...
the preminums keep going up and up. I realize they also do when you work for a company, but since they get a group rate, the hit isnt as hard as when you are self-employed. Once you have a medical condition and your self-employed, the rates are horrible. I am going to check into some of our plans here locally just to see. My husband and kids are on their own individiual plans and they do have a copay but all we could afford was the cheapest plan which does not cover a lot and like I said every year we get hit with higher preminums just to end up with less coverage. It is very discouraging.
Anyone self-employed doesn't get a raise unless they give
p
With that attitude, I'm surprised you're employed!
Paranoid much? Maybe you need some anger management,,,,
I had awful credit for a long time and always got employed.nm
nm
No, not worried, just never heard of benefits for self employed people. That would make them
employees so I dont think you can give those benefits to SE or IC unless the law has been changed.
OP - I was assuming you meant to STAY employed and get unemployment for the weeks...
She does not make her lines. Not quit or be fired and unemployment. That is self-explanatory.

To OP - My post was for partial employment or underemployment; i.e., keeping your job but filing for benefits.

Sorry if I was confusing! LOL
You're extremely lucky. I bet there aren't 10 of us out here employed by a hospital, working f
c
The email said the owner as she is the owner of the email software package. sm
We got the list from AHDI. If someone does not wish to be on our email list, there is a link to click on at the bottom of those for opting out. We immediately remove those that click the link.

We also have a few mailling going out. Same thing - if you opt out of the email program, we will remove you from all contact.

We need transcriptionists for many new accounts and have ads on here and other sites, as well as several magazines. We are going to need over 100 MTs in the next 3 months due to new accounts and more work on existing accounts!
Don't know about bennies but I believe
employee line requirements are 6000 per pay period for part time and 11000 for full-time.

Also, it's spelled Chronicle Transcripts.

They seem to be a good, solid company to work for.
Pay and Bennies

This company is not on the upend pay scale as of yet seeing as how they charge the hospitals 11 cents per line, but they are consistent with work and have promised future raises as they become more established.  I started out in the apprentice program making 2 cents per line for <98% and 3 cents per line >98%.  Some on here scream about working for that low of pay but I just don't feel I'm deserving of regular pay until I have the experience.  After one month I was given a pay raise that brings me up to the regular pay status, so it was well worth it for me.  As for the bennies, I am part time so I can't help you there.  They have many different packages for the type of work and experience you have, so you would just have to submit your information to them to find out what they would offer.


 


I know many on this board have been burned by many a national, but I like CorT and the people who run it.  They are genuine and helpful.  We'll see where the future takes them.  I plan to be on board with them as they grow!


Pay and Bennies
Thanks for the info. Even though the pay sounds low I like how they actually give the raises and it sounds like you are appreciated for what you do and don't get lost in the shuffle. I've been with MQ for 7 years and have only had 1 raise in that time, and that took 1 year to actually happen from the time I started asking for it.  I don't mind MQ that much, it's just that my speciality is ERs and I get very little ER work these days. I also like the fact that CorT is in Ohio, just about an hour and 15 minutes from where I live. I'll check it out further. Thanks again for the info!
Bennies
Yeah well, having work to do is the name of the game. I paid for my benefits at MQ and didn't get anything but a crappy paycheck, went through a lot of my savings to boot. I pay my own hospitalization and I save my money for time off when I want it. Anyone who works for benefits pays for them eventually. Get smart and smell the coffee. And I make more per line than I did at MQ. So, your problem is????
BENNIES
Well, bless you my child for your good fortune. I make 11, I get about 125-150 in bonus money every two weeks because we have so much work, which is my mad money. I can sleep in if I want, but generally keep to my promised schedule. They know I produce, I get a GOOD tax break, and I woulnn't work it out any other way. To each his own.
Then no bennies for you! Be an IC.
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bennies?
What kind of benefits does MDI-Maryland offer? What kind of transcription do they have - acute care? clinic notes? ER? And lastly, do they have line incentives and is there a cap on them? Very interested...