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self-employed getting a raise

Posted By: anon on 2007-04-14
In Reply to: Anyone self-employed doesn't get a raise unless they give - it to themselves. nm

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.


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Anyone self-employed doesn't get a raise unless they give
p
That is MTSO PR b.s. A raise is a raise in line rate. A bonus or incentive is just that. NOT sm

a raise.


Asking for a raise isn't going to do it. There is a policy for raise increases.
nm
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! :-)
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.
x
You are employed by the wrong company
x
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,
xx
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
x
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.
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
I love challenge. Hubby is self-employed, too as a tri-axle owner/operator. No bennies at all unless
x
How do you get a raise with MQ?
So, how do you get raises without asking?  Yearly?  I did not get a raise since 1998 and asked two years ago.  I got less than a fourth of a penny more per line.  I dont like DQS.  We dont get paid for the demographics screen, yet most of my doctors do not fill the screen in or they put in the wrong MR#.  So I can spend up to three minutes each report trying to decipher what name the doctor is stating or spelling and then search for the name.  If you figure three minutes per report, 40 or so reports a day.  That is money I deserve but am not getting.  For pete sake, we dont get paid for downtime researching words, lab results, medications, the least they can do is pay for the demographics screen.
MQ raise
Dittos,have been with MQ 9 years and no raise. After DQS, line count fell dramatically, so no more quarterly bonuses. They are a bunch of scoundrels that are taking advantage of their employees.
RE: How do you get a raise with MQ?
Everything your complain about in your post is a part of your job. You are supposed to verify, transcribe a report accurately. That should include the patient's name, medications, laboratory values, etc. Have you ever read the job description of a transcriptionist?
You must be one of those that got a raise or
got a decent account with a team leader that is available.  This company offers no way of advancing into any kind of management, no way to change accounts, nasty teamleaders, no raises, no communication, and just gives a lot of hot air promises that never happen.  The biggest change since Transcend took over is that there are no more bonuses which was the best part of the company. 
What should I do about a raise?

I have been working for Spheris for a year and started at 5.5 cpl and after 6 months went to Level-1 only making 6.5 cpl.  I am still having to work crazy hours to make decent pay.  Has anyone from Spheris ever asked for a raise and actually received one without jumping through hoops and switching accounts.  The only way to get an extra cent raise is to be trained on 2 different accounts until they are learned and then get an extra cent.  Has anyone ever just asked for a raise??  I would like to make 8 cpl preferably, but would be happy with the 1 cnt raise.  I have a feeling they won't do that.


I tested for Transcend Services and passed their testing and was only offered 7 cpl to start which is only a 0.5 difference.  So, of course I turned that down.  Anyone have any advice? 


When, if ever, should a MT ask for a raise?
Been with the company for almost a year.  I have acquired three private accounts through them. When should I ask, if ever, for a raise? Wait until the one year mark?  If so, what is the best way of going about it?  Has anyone ever gotten a raise from their company? I am an MT with over 14+ years experience, get paid decent, but absolutely NO BENEFITS...tia
raise
I haven't had one either and its been 8 years and a large company.  I'm sure they have perks
raise

ha ha.  The way it goes in this industry is  --great news!  We have new software!  You have to double your output for a cut in pay.  Doesn't go that way in upper management does it.  If a CEO doubles the output he gets a raise -- we are lucky to get new software that requires we double our output, working just as hard, for less money. Wake up. The middle class is disappearing.  It's time to get involved in democracy again, people.


 


 


WE NEED A RAISE!!!!! nm
nm
Raise to what? 5-1/2 cpl?
x
RE: Raise to what?
It does start at 5 cpl because we've been burned by MTs that said they were highly experienced and then their work did not show that and/or they were extremely unreliable. This is just a 'probationary' phase while the MT gets to show us what she can do, we can show what a great company we are and then it does go up. That can be negotiable and it is dependent on how well the MT does. If she is unreliable and does not get out of QA after working on the account or accounts after several months, why should we pay more? We're a small company,not a national and we do not rake in the big bucks. We have MTs that have been with us for years because they are treated fairly and we do remember that things come up and do not threaten you with being let go because a family member got sick. Thanks for all of those that responded and we will be notifying those that we have chosen soon.
WOW a RAISE
I have NEVER gotten a raise in my 10 years of transcribing. So your 0.25% sounds nice.
Raise...
I got 3 with the first company I worked at home with. I worked 5 years for them and didn't get a raise the last 2. I also got a raise with the 2nd company I worked with. I was only there a little over a year. The 3rd and current company I have not been with long enough to ask for a raise. Good luck!
Raise?
How long have you been there? I was thinking of asking for a raise but was told they do not give raises! Hmmmmmmmmm!!!!!
raise
I agree - start with your liason - send an email outlining why you should get a raise and ask her to forward it as appropriate.
Raise
Basically, I was just wasting too much time and fooling myself about how many hours I was actually working. I had convinced myself that it was a good thing to take mental breaks, while I was working, going to message boards like this one or other web sites. I also discovered I wasn't really working full time, and I thought I was. I started tracking my hours more closely, and when I actually worked 8 hours a day, of course my production went up significantly. I THOUGHT I was working close to 8 hours a day, but now I think it must have been more like 6-1/2 or 7 (I have a flexible schedule). My new rule now is to really work during work time and work a full shift. It's made a big difference. I honestly didn't realize how off track I had gotten and how it was hurting my line count.
You really don't think no one is getting a raise??
or paid what they should now?? I completely disagree and don't think you can validate that statement. Just sure ain't MTs. You don't think the MTSO management, for instance, are getting their raises or are paid well? Think part of the MT problem is related exactly to that perhaps.
pay raise
I posted a message last night on the main board and it got deleted, so I'm posting here.  I have been in transcription for 10 years.  I have been working the past 2 years with a certain company.  I asked for a raise and went from .085 to .0875.  I felt like I got slapped in the face.  I work my scheduled hours without taking a lot of time off, meet and exceed the minimum line requirements, had a 98% on QA, work extra when asked, and after 2 YEARS all I get is a .0025 raise???!!!!  I'm thankful that I got a raise at all, but this is ridiculous.  It's offensive actually.  It makes me feel like I'm not valued at all.  I was hoping to at least get .09.  Am I overreacting? Should I jump ship and try to find something better?  I'm afraid to gripe about it to the company as I'm a single mom of 2 and don't want to lose my job.  Any advice?
Raise
I have asked for a raise and my ROM even asked for a raise for me but was told I am at the top of the scale.  There are no raises.
FORGET THE RAISE
Was there 2 years and asked, did not receive!!!  Worked LOTS of HOURS and holidays and weekends for them (still kicking myself).  I am glad Focus is working out for you.  You would have to be in the minority though.  Communication is TERRIBLE.  If you are F/T and a real producer, you are constantly emailed, IM'd and even called while you are out shopping after a long day to Please log back in even as an IC!!!  Their cpl is not good at all but couple that with the way they count their lines (very questionable), you cannot survive on their cpl pay. 
RAISE YOUR HANDS PLEASE
Those of you who fit the description previous mentioned of companies that remain in the USA and truly respect US hardworking MTs, please identify yourselves so we will ALL know who you are!
Is is ever appropriate for an MT to request a raise?

Would anyone who has requested a raise be willing to share their experience with me?  How long were you with the company before you asked for a raise?  Were you an IC or an employee?  What was your company's response in general?  If you were granted a raise, what was considered before it was given to you?  Time in?  Quality of work?  Production?  Attitude/flexibility?  Coming up on my 1 year anniversary an IC and would like to ask for 0.05 cent/line raise, but don't know if I should even consider doing so.  Would not want the company to lower their opinion of me/punish me for asking.  Your kind, and most importantly, nonsarcastic responses are greatly appreciated.  This is a sincere post.


Congrats on your raise

I am happy to see someone get a raise for a change even though it should have been more that what they gave.


I currently work for Spheris and it seems nobody ever gets a raise no matter what.  


They promised you a raise already? Or is that
not what you meant? I just find that surprising. Is the pay good? Do you have enough work on 1 account? Is it internet? Wondering if I should check them out.
They promised you a raise already? Or is that
not what you meant? I just find that surprising. Is the pay good? Do you have enough work on 1 account? Is it internet? Wondering if I should check them out.
i agree. raise ur own
x