| Link inside provided as food for thoughtPosted By: nm on 2008-08-14In Reply to: Magic Jack - is it reliable?  SM - RockinMT
 
 http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/320/RipOff0320581.htm
 
 
 
 LINK/URL: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/320/RipOff0320581.htm
 
 
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 Check out the modules on this link provided inside.
 
 http://www.typematrix.com/ezr2030/ 
 Despite the information provided, I know firsthand these can be modified with some engineering expertise and/or advice, which I would be happy to provide if you so desire...... 
   I simply chose the wrong link. See inside for the correct link.
 See link
 Thanks for the food for thought
 
 It helps to hear all of the good and bad. 
 Right now it comes down to $$$ for me.  I need more money and I want to keep my work life apart from my home life at this point.  Every time I walk by my computer I feel like I should log on and I hate that feeling. I feel like I should log on because I really do need more money, but at this point, I can see myself burning out from living a life that way.  I need more life in my life and I like the idea of working 8 hours and being done.  I also like the idea of being paid for holidays. Where I work now we don't get paid for holidays, you can use your vacation time when you take the holiday off, but the company does not pay for your holiday.  You get many sick days also, although, of course, you hopefully don't need them!  The insurance is really good, and we need that as we are no spring chickens.  The deductable at my present employer is outrageously high, more than we spend all year at a physician, so we don't participate in their insurance program.  On the other hand,  we don't have young kids at home anymore and that makes a big difference.  When I first went home to work it was a blessing to be able to be there for them when they got home from school, etc., or to be home if they were sick.  At this point, I want to be able to make enough to continue to put money away for our retirement and I find I can't really do that working at home for a national--I use the money that I make to pay the bills and there isn't much left for investments, etc. food for thought...
 I had a client like this.  I didn't have a vacation for 9 years, and that includes national holidays and many weekends, because they'd dump a pile of dictation on me precisely at those times and then take off and have fun.
 
 I mentioned I was going to be hiring a subcontractor, and they hit the ceiling.  They didn't trust anyone else to do the work for me, and claimed I was going to be in violation of privacy of info (this was pre HIPAA).  They threw every reason in the book at me.
 
 I finally said, "well, this is my medical transcription business.  I have the right to hire competent people to improve my level of service to you and my ability to have a balanced life as well, which will ultimately make me even more productive.  If you don't find that acceptable, then maybe we aren't a good fit for each other."
 
 The relationship didn't last a lot longer.
 
 No love lost.
 
 Now, I also had a client that was quite nice, understood I needed time off, and was more than willing to work with me.
 
 Both kinds do exist, though it seems the former is far more common.  Why?  Well, ostensibly they can get away with it.  Think about THAT!  ;-)   I mean that in a kind way... don't let these people boss you around, and don't let  them think they can treat MTs this way.
 
 Yes, the work needs done.  Definitely.  But you've attempted to be more than reasonable in finding another person to help, and they recoiled.  It's on them, not on you.  They're unreasonable.  Plain and simple.
 
 I know it's hard to let go of a client, but sometimes these crappy situations, when we feel like sweatshop workers, are a swift kick that we sorely need to find a better path.
 
 I myself am leaving the business, but if you choose to stay, I hope you can find a viable solution and more reasonable clientele.  I'm sorry you are going through this.  But let it motivate you to do something good for all involved.  :-)
 
 Good luck.  And don't let anyone tell you that you don't deserve to be good to yourself.
 Food for Thought
 
 I have worked 2 jobs for many years now.  My full-time job is with one of the nationals.  My second job is for a local specialist's office.  It is the second job that I want to talk about. 
 I have worked for these 3 physicians for 14 years now.  I started out typing from tapes and bringing in the work daily on "sticky back" paper.  We have progressed over the last year to having the work put on the internet and having the office staff download the work each day.  It is working very well for all of us. 
 I am paid a very generous hourly wage.  I am on the company's payroll.  I get benefits, such as paid holidays, AFLAC, sick days, bonuses, personal days, etc.  I am quite satisfied with the arrangement. 
 My thought is, can we somehow appeal to our local providers to once again give the work to those of us who work at home as employees rather than farming out work to the big nationals?  This would eliminate the middle man and our wages would hopefully once again go up.   
 I am most interested in others' opinions.  Are you happy working for a big MTSO, or would you prefer working, once again, as an at-home employee for a local company.  If so, can we somehow solicit this work back where it used to be?  I have been doing this for 25 years now, and I remember when most local health care providers did have their own employees,either in house or at home, doing their transcription.  Guess all the recent discussions on this board have got me to thinking how I (we) can improve out current situation! 
 Thanks in advance for any replies I may receive on this post.  Food for thought
 The "all-in-one" offers sound like a great savings, BUT...
 
 If you're like many folks who don't have a large financial cushion, and you have to put off a bill or two now and again, remember that you'll lose phone, TV, internet, and cell phone all in one fell swoop!  If you keep them separate, at least you can keep your phone line if you have to let your TV go.
 Food for thought
 
 Here is a link discussing noncompete clause enforcement in California.  Depending on what state you are in and if it imposes unreasonable restrictions on your income a court of law might find it void and enforceable.  I doubt it would get that far anyway.  What does contract say about notice to quit?  What state are you in? What state is company in?  Have you told them you are unhappy?  Ask them how much notice they need.  A lot of times these services make up their own contracts and sprinkle in a few clauses that sound good and are unilateral (one-sided in their benefit).  Bottom line:  They are not always enforceable.  
   
 http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/laborlaws/l/aa042202_2.htm 
   
   food for thought
 Just out of curiousity.....with all the wage wars in this business, has anyone ever thought about a union for MTs.  For what is expected from us, don't you think we should have a standarized pay scale that we will not go under.  It seems over the past 5-6 years instead of making more money the companies are taking away from us.  For example, many companies are now hiring IC versus employees so they do not have to offer benefits.  They make whatever benefits they do offer horrible and we pay all the cost instead of the way it used to be that they pay for our benefits for what we make for them.  Many companies no longer offer short term or long term disability.  In this business that benefit is much needed.  Just a thought... any responses on forming a union.  My thought... if all of us that know what we are doing decided to stick together.... what choice would a company have but to offer what is necessary to have a good employee.
 Hmm...that's food for thought. I don't do op notes
 because I have a weak stomach. Thank you for pointing that out.
 Is man at the top of the food chain?  Thought it was the lion.
 Unlike carnivorous (sp)
 Lots of food (pardon the pun) for thought! THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE!!
 Thanks!
 When we are not making a decent enough wage to buy our kids food and clothes, it is like (inside)
 the little kid who wants a toy from another child and runs to his mother and whines "he won't give it to me."  Just another way for them to try to force more money out of already tired pockets.  I for one will not pay for that until they fight for wages to be increased.  Let them go out of business like a lot of us have had to do.  Now they want to make us pay for the lack of money they are getting from India because I am sure they aren't buying into it, and believe me I don't hate the Indians for wanting to work, it is not them, it is the American company's greed.  When transcription companies can spend millions and millions of dollars to buy each other out, you know it is a lucarative business.
 
 Why are they cramming voice down our throats at half pay?  You can't tell me they are taking half pay, plus half pay is not enough when speech is not trained.
 
 Vote for Obama!  He says he will close the loop holes for American Corporations to send our jobs overseas.
 Carpet cleaner? Flea spray? Chemicals used inside his car? Restaurant food? New vitamins? Cold
 s
 think link inside is what you are looking for--sm
 http://www.productivitytalk.com/forums/index.php
 See inside for link
 http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/omd/
 
 See link inside
 This page has a link to a downloadable Word document with 100s of ideas.  Good luck!!
 link inside
 http://www.stresslesscountry.com/anti-stress-bags/index.html
 see link inside
 http://www.productivitytalk.com/forums/index.php
 see link inside......sm
 http://www.dvi.com/index.html  Stands for Digital Voice Inc.
 See link inside.
 .
 see link inside
 http://www.mtdaily.com/wwwboard/messages10/842.html
 
 this is an old posting on MT daily, but some of the ?s may still be relevant for you. good luck!
 Link inside
 see below
 link inside
 http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Search/ftp_s14.html
 link inside
 This has the meaning of each number.
 
 
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerology
 link inside--sorry!
 http://www.hillshirefarm.com/mealideas/recipes.aspx?id=459
 Link Inside......
 http://www.mtstars.com/FlashCount/
 See link inside.
 http://www.mtstars.com/docs/email_address_safe.html
 See link inside
 http://fitaly.com/board/msword/posts/14.html
 See link inside......
 xx
 Link inside
 Hear is the Link you are looking for  --
 
 http://www.dictationwarehouse.com/dictaphoneha30detail.asp
 See inside for link....
 http://fitaly.com/board/msword/posts/14.html
 See inside for link
 
 Here's a link with a cool macro that'll work.  You can also do a search on the same site for more info. link inside
 
 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326538
 
 
 See link inside
 /
 Here is a link inside that I use...sm
 http://www.mt911.com/site/search/search_form.asp?sid=12
 See link inside.
 Hope you can find an answer here.
 Link inside.
 http://www.textware.com/
 see link inside
 for IRS publication, go to page 19 and it gives example employee working from home and how and where to do the calculations, etc.
 see link inside
 As IC you pay the whole 15.3%, as employee you pay 7.65 and employer contributes the other 7.65%. You deduct half of self-employment on taxes.
 See link inside
 This isn't finished yet, but it is a free online version of MT style, created by experienced MTs.  When it's done, you won't need any version of the BOS.
 
 http://style.mtreference.com/tiki-index.php
 see link inside
 http://www.mtstars.com/docs/statement.html
 Might look at the link inside...sm
 http://www.transcriptiongear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=IDIG0
 Link inside.
 http://www.pcshorthand.com/thirdparty.html
 
 Is this what you're looking for?
 see link inside
 http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080714/hl_afp/lifestyleuslaborhealthtechnology_080714021842
 
 not sure if this is available to the public-probably quite expensive
 see link inside--sm
 http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/ExportAutocorrect.htm
 I have one...there is a link inside
 http://www.aaaprice.com/indb9.html
 
 Mine is in a box and is very gently used...
 Link inside.  nm
 http://www.med.yale.edu/labmed/clinical/labman/labidx.html#A
 Link inside sm
 
 It is an Adesso PCK-308UB. There is also one that uses a PS/2 plug, but I want this one so I can use it with my laptop if I need it. From what I have read, it is basically like a touchpad on a laptop so you don't need a mouse. I probably would not use it for regular web surfing or anything, mainly just for mousing while transcribing. 
 http://www.thenerds.net/ADESSO.Adesso_PCK_308UB_Tru_Form_Pro_Contoured_Ergonomic_Keyboard.PCK308UB.html Go to link inside--sm
 put in home office in the search box--lots of good info
 
 
 http://www.irs.gov/publications/p334/ch12.html
 I really like this one, link inside
 http://upin.ecare.com/
 link inside...
 http://www.labor.state.ny.us/ui/employerinfo/sharedworkfaq.shtm
 
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