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Thanks to all who responded regarding CMT status

Posted By: mom-MT on 2008-01-10
In Reply to:

I have been convinced.  I will work very hard in the next 6 months to get my credits.  You all are a great bunch of professionals!


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You're probably doing nothing wrong, employee status seems to be the norm with IC status primaril
SE status instead of IC? For me,SE status is heaven -with part of taxes paid and flexibility in my schedule. Have you ever applied to MDI-MD? They only accept qualified, experienced MTs and stress quality in their transcription. From what I read of your qualifications, it sure would be worth contacting them.

Per "see mssgs" comment regarding age discrimination later on in this discussion, I'm 64 - no problem getting hired at a line rate higher than average. Age is not a factor with MDI-MD - knowledge and quality is !!!
Who has gone from IC status to employee status? sm

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but I am an IC and I am thinking of going to employee status to get benefits.  My husband will be self-employed in 2 weeks and we will have no insurance or anything.  I love the freedom of being an IC but need bennies.  We have no kids but probably will in a year or two.  Would like to know who has done the switch and if you regret it.


Thanks


Are you asking about IC status or employee status? sm
As an IC, I must have a contract before I will work.  However, never heard of employee status signing a contract. 
to see if anyone has responded to her
Just ignore her - maybe she'll go away.    Just wants our attention.
Thanks everyone who responded...
Just wanted to thank each and every one of you who took the time to respond and share your experience.  Some of you really made me feel calmer about things!  Those of you with negative experiences, I still appreciate your input.  Again, thanks.  I'm going to try it, and we shall see, shall we not?  Have a great day everyone.  Becky
Thanks to all who responded!

I was glad to hear from everyone on their experiences. You can read and read on something, but there's nothing like hearing from people about their experience with it. It gives me a lot to think about and I'm gonna proceed slowly before doing anything. I'm really hoping something with be found locally, but so far no luck. Again thanks to everyone and HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


Thanks to all who responded..
nm
everyone else has responded,
publicly or privately, very nicely and informatively. Only YOU chose to be rude. Now that's what I call S A D.
I'm not the *nm* U just responded to.....SM

I'm not the person you just responded to, I didn't type about you should lighten up.  But to defend myself, I didn't call you a name.  I asked you a question which was R U an ageist?  It was a question with an LOL - I was joking.  LOL=laugh out loud.  Had I been serious and not joking, no LOL would have appeared.


Again, sorry if I offended you.  Wasn't my intent. 


thanks to all who responded
  Good info!
Thanks, all who responded - sm
I just had no idea how this all works, although I was told I had to bring my films with me to the onc's office. I've been waffling between "it's probably nothing" and worst case scenario. Will keep you posted
Thank you to all who responded...
I appreciate all the great responses I received. Each one of you have made me feel like this is something that is definitely not out of my reach and have now given so much inspiration to prove to myself that I can do this. I guess, it is true, you can teach an old dog new tricks, ha?!

Also, how many of you are going to school part-time and how long did or will it take you? I have to work so will be going part-time, plus I have a 3-year-old at home and will need to be here for him, too.
That was me you responded to....sm

I could see, Babe, where all that would give you AND ME a splitting headache and is why I use the CPA.  My private docs made me sign a contract started a couple of years ago.  I don't think they want me as an employee and until the state of Florida tells them differently, I'm praying nothing changes for me on this issue. 


Thanks again for your responses and EXPLANATIONS - I do so appreciate all you typed.  I will be speaking to my CPA next week due to this issue you brought up and thanks for bringing it to my attention!!! 



Thanks to both who responded
Yes, I did weigh all those factors and actually have accepted the job - was just wondering how hard I should fight/how much I should worry about the pay issue. I already feel I have gained much in regard to opportunity, benefits, etc. - is just very big change going from working at home to going back to work in an office setting and so many family/friends seem to think the only thing to make that worthwhile would be more money. I agree that the opportunity is worth more - as you said and I agree, the MT world is changing a great deal right now - at 40 I feel I still have many years of work ahead of me and I don't want to be left behind. Besides, I'm looking forward to the new challenges of learning this "other side" of transcription. However, I did think it would pay a little more (a dollar or two). BUT, as I said, I did weigh all other aspects of the job and felt the benefits outweighed any pay issues questions I had.

Thanks again for your advice and input.
just responded
Sorry I broke another rule....so I guesss I will be not allowed to use MT Stars again tomorrow......just responding to a comment that was made...
Thanks everyone who responded..please sm

Thanks for all of the tips!  One more question...this dictator has extremely incorrect grammar - should I be typing verbatim or put in punctuation to correct run-on sentences and adding endings to words so they are the correct tense, etc??  Just don't know what the rule is on that for testing.


Thanks


To those who responded
Thanks so much for your input.

I think I am on the right track. I guess it is just a process. Today I noticed I was making new ones (for ones I already have) in a different way that flowed better when typing. I guess it's like most products, there is always a new and improved to be made.

To the one who said your expansions come up in a list. Can you see these somewhere when you are typing? I have to use short-cut keys to get to my list. It is still helpful but would be awesome to have them visible while typing! :)
Thanks everyone who responded!

I appreciate all your comments and it looks like a few of you have very little work and many of you have more than you know what to do with.  How very strange.  I just wonder what's really going on.


In answer to a couple of your questions, yes, I do acute care-the "Big 4" and with some other stuff thrown in once in a while.  It's a huge account that usually doesn't lack work and we have 2 FT MTs "who are no longer with us" (as the boss puts it) within the last couple weeks but despite their loss that has made absolutely no difference in the amount of work.  It still continues to spiral downward.  Again, this is just on the account I work on, but the boss says it's the same with all the accounts with this company and "in the industry as a whole right now" which, judging by some of your posts, aint true at all.


No, the company I work for isn't Spheris.  It begins with a P.


I guess I'll give it a couple more weeks and see what happens.  Either they'll tell us what's really going on or things will improve, right?!!  I may be pounding the pavement again before too long.  Sigh.


Anyway, thanks again for your support.  Egads! I sound like a politician now!  


Thanks to all who responded...
Both on the board here and privately. I really appreciate all the points of view, encouragement, advice, and even those calling out for me to "Beware!" Thanks to all of you. I'll move forward with hope, but with appropriate caution as well.
Thanks to all who responded ...

After reading your posts I have definitely made up my mind and I am NOT going to take it.  I was really thinking about taking it more for personal reasons than professional.  The most that I have seen a company offer for a CMT is about .05 cpl more than a non-CMT so I knew it wasn't really worth the money.  However, I am NOT giving anyone my money or my time that supports offshoring.  When I changed jobs recently I tried to be extremely careful, researching companies that were interested in me and if I even thought that they were or may consider offshoring, I would turn them away in a hurry!!  As someone in an earlier post said, we have been turned on and I am not going to help them in any way. 


Thank you all so much for your posts, they are greatly appreciated!!!!  Have a wonderful day. 


I responded to you...sm
earlier, in agreement, but apparently my post was removed for some reason. Go figure
You responded to her post. What else would anyone think?
.o.
Thank you to everyone who responded to my post.
I may have not responded to everyone individually but really appreciate all of the responses, advice, and personal experiences.

Very encouraging messages from all of you.

TY
No, I did not at all! I responded to the post that a mom/MT cannot do both well.
If that is not the situation for you, so be it. I do not think, nor did I say, that you were a bad MT or parent. I simply said that mothers who work full time at home and choose to have their children at home also, can do both jobs well. That previous posts said that a mom/MT cannot do both jobs well.
Thanks to all who responded. I will look into these keyboards. nm
x
Reply to all who responded

I never worked for a doctor's office, so forgive me for going off track a little.  I went to my doctor in May for a followup of a problem I had gone to him before that.  He had no record whatsoever of me even seeing him on the previous office visit and chalked if up to a transcription error.  (I think they transcripe in their office, however.)  SO, no record of me being there or the problem, and of course the doctor can't remember every patient's problems.  I am not blaming the Transcriptionist here at all; I tend to blame the doctor.  Who knows, maybe he DIDN'T even transcribe it. So, I think sometimes the doctors should be held responsible instead of blaming somone else.  God bless. 


 


I am shocked at how some people responded to this.....
Everyone has their bad days....that doesn't mean you throw your marriage away and decide you are better off w/o them. I know where you're coming from having a husband of my own that some days I could just kill but most days I love him to death and don't know what I would do w/o him. Don't pay these people any attention or let them get you down. Vent when you need to...
I've responded to this many times
Look through the archives.

I just don't want to subject people here to the information ... again!
Ya'll are great! Thanks to all who responded
I've only been paid on salary, so I was not sure exactly what we were talking about here. I see now, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. You all have been SOOOOOOO helpful and are great!   THANKS
Thanks everyone who responded. I don't have family nearby and no
neighbors I would feel comfortable asking. I think I will use the oil treatment and hopefully this will take care of it. I did the over the counter treatment on all of us even though only my youngest and myself seem to have had them. Did the cleaning of clothes, sheets, house, etc., top to bottom, but just concerned about rehatching of any eggs on my head. My youngest has been lice free since the treatment and I have been removing any eggs I have found. Today found only one, so we are getting there. I think I will try the oil treatment on myself and hopefully that will take care of it. Thanks again.
Update..Went to ER last night. Was seen right away. Thanks for all who responded. They think it is
and I am really glad, BUT they haven't ruled out cardiac because they gave me nitro and the pain literally went away. That scared me. Doc said sometimes that can help GI upset too. So, they monitored me, did an EKG, and some other tests. Did not hear how the other tests went. EKG was fine. I went home. Got home really late last night.

They scheduled me for a treadmill early next week. What surprises me is that they did more cardiac workup than GI so I don't know if I have stones or what. Oh well. At least I went and now they have me on aspirin daily, nitro, and Aciphex?? huh?? I guess just in case it IS GI in nature. I was really scared and cried like a baby all the way there last night. Never done that before. I guess reality just hit me, not to mention my 3 year old running to the window and waving his hand at me bye bye as I drove off last night. He didn't stop waving until the car was out of sight and then I just lost it. It was very sad, but I am glad to be alive and well this morning. Thank you all!


But I responded and had another company in mind
nm
I responded earlier to this poster
I am also an IC for a company I started with in March and confused as to why I would need a credit card for business purchases, etc.
and that I am not to worry about paying quartly? My accountant told me to do this and that was it.

I have only been taking 20% out of my pay and sending it in to the U.S. Treasury. Is that wrong? It sounds like I should be doing a lot more. A little confused and nervous.


Um.. look at the list in the message I responded to.
Geez.
This is sentence I responded to about googling
x
Lots of supervisors responded to posts below.
Why not?  They would learn a lot. 
well, actually i had responded and given her the answer so it did waste my time. sm
if she was only doing "practice tapes", why try to be so perfect? Practice tapes to get an idea of the profession doesn't mean trying to find out exactly what each word is. i am not usually tacky on this board and don't like it when others are but i did consider that a waste of my precious time to help her when it sounded like she didn't need the definite answer just to get "an idea" of the profession and was most likely needing test answers. someone in the medical field should know those terms.
Thanks to "not a living computer" and others who responded...sm
I am very grateful for your responses and I agree with much of what you have been requesting. In reality, however, it may take a while for a brand new company to offer 50% of what you requested. Could you or would you be willing to start with decent pay, good communication, excellent Q&A with constructive criticism, samples, and a regular group of dictators? It may take time to grow into a company that can give you even 75% of your dream job requests. Those are my long term goals. Now, can I give transcriptionists all of it as a start-up? Probably not but I am trying to find out what I can and what I cannot promise and, more importantly, deliver! So, once again, thank you for your responses and keep them coming!
Sorry, I didn't get the link. Could you resend it please? Thanks to all who responded. nm
xx
I'm sorry you feel picked on. Yours was the post I responded too because SM
yours was the one I found to be most unbelievable and in case you didn't notice, I wasn't the only one who found it unbelievable.
All that have responded bunch of morons and do not care who you are
It is the truth.  First of all, I did say please and secondly this is not a school question.  All of you that has responded need to grow up.  Was a simple question. Was in a hurry  so made it short and sweet.  For the low lifes that want to read something into it, hey go for at at my expense and have fun.  Obviously you all do not want to help a fellow Transcriptionist with a question that had been brought to my attention.  I am not a teeny-bopper school girl.  I am 51 years old.  Have no intention of going back to school or even testing for any other company.  I am perfectly happy with the company I am with. End of story.  No reason for any smart a---- to reply any longer.  I have my answer.  Good Day!!  Thanks for the laughs.  Made my day:)
Question for those who responded to Lasik eye surgery post
I had one dr. say I was not a candidate for lasik surgery and then this year went in for eye exam and was told that they couldn't understand why previous dr. said no when they felt I was.  I don't know which one to believe.  Also, 2nd dr. said he would do one eye for distance and other for close vision - is this hard to get used to?
Need help with migraine medication--No one responded on drug board

S/L afsurg, atsurg, nafsurg, natsurg--migraine med


No response on drug forum.


TIA


update on vista - I sen tthem information - and they responded
Thanks for your email and for providing us with such detailed information regarding some of the challenges you’ve been experiencing with Windows Vista.
They even gave me a link for future comments - wonder what will come of it?????

Your feedback is important to us and I have submitted your comments to our Windows Vita product team: http://feedback.windowsvista.microsoft.com/eformack.aspx?productkey=winvista&mkt=en-us&backurl=http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_vista.




You are the Sharon who posted above correct? The post that kyradmt responded to?

Ask the ShortHand techs. They've always responded back very promptly to my
s
I was joking, cause the poster I responded to made a HUGE typo in a tiny sentence!
would like to believe, MYSELF included! Lighten up!
Yeah, Dano, the poster I responded to was sure deserving of "kid gloves". Give me a break.
Everyone hates editors, everyone hates QA - it makes no sense, but that's the way it is. Period. If you are sweet to them and helpful, they stab you behind the back and freak when they get called in their errors.  If you are calm and blunt, they freak. If you are abrupt and to the point, they freak. If you send the masses emails saying Howdy, they stab you behind the back and diss you. Yet, we won't mention that they write us sweetly back!! And if we don't send them Howdy emails, they stab us behind our backs and complain that we don't write them. We do write them, per their own wish, and they complain that we're harassing them.  NOT.  The intelligent MT is the one who recognizes we all make errors, recognizes that editors are to catch errors and that it is our JOB to point said errors out to them - not a personal power trip. As I said, intelligent MTs recognize such - however, on this board there are not many who will fall into the above category. You'll see more in a second - flaming away!!  And the same nasty MTs wonder why they never get anywhere? Why they always get the crap dictators? Why they never get raises? I wonder.
What status are you?


An employer should constantly evaluate the employment status of its workers to ascertain if any of them should be reclassified from an independent contractor to an employee. Misclassifying a worker could end up being quite costly in terms of time, money, and resources. If an employer is forced to reclassify independent contractors as employees, the payment of back taxes, penalties, and interest could create major financial problems. Ultimately, the risks of incorrect classification are borne by the employer. 


 


These factors should be used as indicators to determine whether sufficient control exists for a worker to be classified as an employee. However, they should serve only as a guide. They are subjective in nature, and each factor may not be present in all situations. Moreover, the weight apportioned to each one is not always constant. No single factor can determine a worker's status; all must be used in conjunction with each other to assess whether sufficient control is present to establish an employee-employer relationship. They are as follows.


 


1. Instructions. If the person for whom the services are rendered has the right to instruct the worker how, when, and where to work, then the worker is ordinarily an employee. This control factor is present if the employer retains the right to require compliance with the instructions, irrespective of whether the employer actually exerts the right to control. The instructions can be either oral or in the form of manuals and/or written procedures that state the details and means in which the result is to be achieved. In contrast, an independent contractor is responsible only for the end result.


 


2. Training. An employer trains workers by requiring them to work with experienced employees, holding training meetings, corresponding with them, or any of several other methods. By training a worker, the employer explicitly or implicitly states that the services to be rendered must be performed in a particular manner. The employer demonstrates a right to control by teaching the worker to achieve the desired results in that manner. Independent contractors, however, use their own methods and means to obtain a result and do not receive training from an employer.


 


3. Integration. If a worker's services are integrated into the business operations, then the worker is generally subject to direction and control. When the success or continuation of a business depends to an appreciable degree on the performance of certain services by a worker, those services are assumed to be subject to a certain amount of control by the employer.


 


4. Services Rendered Personally. The requirement that services must be rendered personally by the worker indicates that the employer is interested in the methods used to accomplish the work as well as in the result. Generally, inability to delegate the services to another individual indicates that the employer controls the details and means by which a result is to be achieved.


 


5. Hiring, Supervising, and Paying Assistants. if the employer hires, supervises, and pays a worker's assistants, then the employer has control over those assistants and the worker should be considered an employee. However, if the worker hires, supervises, and pays his own assistants and provides the employer with materials and labor under a contract in which the worker is responsible only for the results, he is an independent contractor.


 


6. Continuing Relationship. Continuous interaction between the worker and employer indicates an employee relationship. Such a relationship may exist in which work is performed at frequently recurring, though irregular, intervals.


 


7. Set Hours of Work. Establishing certain hours in which a worker is to perform a job indicates an employer's control. The fact that an employer can dictate a worker's hours is indicative of an employee relationship.


 


8. Full Time Required. If a worker must devote full time to the employer's business, the employer has control over the amount of time the individual actually spends working and, by implication, restricts the worker from performing other gainful work. In contrast, independent contractors are free to work when and for whom they choose.


 


9. Doing Work on Employer's Premises. Workers required to perform their services on the employer's premises when the work could be performed elsewhere are under the employer's control, which is beyond that which would ordinarily be exerted over an independent contractor. The importance of this factor depends on the nature of the services involved and the extent to which an employer generally requires its employees to perform services on its premises. Control over the place of work is indicated when the employer compels the worker to travel a designated route, canvass a territory within a certain time, or work at a specific place.


 


10. Order or Sequence Set. If an employer has the right to indicate the order or sequence in which work is to be performed, then the worker is probably an employee, particularly if the same results can be achieved in a different order or sequence.


 


11. Oral or Written Reports. The requirement that a worker submit regular reports to the employer can indicate a degree of control. It means the worker must account for his actions on the job to the employer.


 


12. Payment by the Hour, Week, or Month. When a worker is paid by the hour, week, or month and such payment is guaranteed, whether or not certain results are achieved, the worker is generally an employee. In contrast, payments made by the job or on a straight commission basis generally indicate that the worker is an independent contractor.


 


13. Payment of Business and/or Traveling Expenses. The IRS is of the view that when an employer pays a worker's business or traveling expenses, the worker is ordinarily an employee. Conversely, a worker who is paid on a job basis and must pay all incidental expenses is generally an independent contractor. Another issue to consider when evaluating this factor is the agreement between the employer and worker as to how such expenses are to be paid.


 


14. Furnishing Tools and Materials. If the employer furnishes tools, materials, and other equipment for a job, this indicates that the worker is an employee. Independent contractors ordinarily furnish their own tools and materials. In determining what the classification should be, the value of the tools and materials supplied to the worker should be considered as well.


 


15. Significant Investment. A significant investment by a worker in the facilities used in performing services for another is a factor that often establishes an independent contractor relationship. Conversely, the lack of investment in facilities indicates a dependence on the employer for the facilities--which means an employee relationship exists. The rationale is that whoever provides the equipment necessary to perform the services controls the use of the equipment.


 


16. Realization of Profit or Loss. A worker who stands the risk of suffering a financial loss or realizing financial gain as a result of providing services to the employer is generally an independent contractor. In contrast, a worker who has no risk of financial loss is usually an employee.


 


17. Working For More Than One Firm. If a worker performs services for more than one unrelated person or firm at the same time, it generally indicates that the worker is an independent contractor.


 


18. Making Services Available to the Public. Workers who make their services available to the general public on a regular and consistent basis are usually independent contractors.


 


19. Right to Discharge. Employers generally possess the right to discharge only employees. The threat of dismissal demonstrates a degree of control over workers. In contrast, the IRS's viewpoint is that independent contractors cannot be fired unless they violate the terms of the contract for services rendered.


 


20. Right to Terminate. If the worker providing the services can terminate the relationship with the employer at any time without incurring liability, an employee relationship usually exists. Conversely, an independent contractor engaged to accomplish a task or provide a service may incur a legal liability if the relationship is unilaterally terminated before the results of the task are accomplished.


 


These 20 factors may not always be appropriate for determining a worker's employment status, especially in the case of a professional, such as a physician, lawyer, or dentist. Control may not be the dominant issue in determining a professional's employment status. Revenue Rulings 72-203 and 66-274 state that other factors should be considered when determining the employment status of a professional, taking into consideration the skill required for the task, the intent of the parties involved in the employment relationship, and the custom in the industry.


IC - status

Have been an IC-MTSO for close to 20 years.  Deduct my office part of the house, phone, internet, cell phone, mileage for anything work related including banking, errands,  (of course  I pick up and deliver and that give me a $5,000 write off), medical insurance payments, retirement contributions,  supplies,  partial utilities.   Start out with 50 to 55K and pay my SS taxes on 12 to 15K.  To me it is well worth it.  I always over withheld from my husband pay check or just paid the small penalty at the end of the year but you can do quarterlies.   I went to a tax guy for one year saw how he did it and then just bought Turbo Tax and followed him.   Works well for me.   Sure his fee is deductible but you still gotta pay it.  I prepared so much for him that I felt I could just as easily plug those figures in as his "help" so that is what I do.  Any more questions, youcan e-mail me at pjsword @aol.com.


Patti


IC status
Just discussed a few days ago, do a search and it will come up.  If not I will let you know but just wrote a long answer to this last week.