A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Possible reason only some MTs got back wages - from K&R

Posted: Aug 08, 2013

My employer, who has several VA contracts, was audited by the DOL last year. The findings of the audit were that the employer should have been paying us the prevailing hourly wage because the contracts were federal government contracts. Many people got back pay for the period of time for which the books were audited, but not everyone did because the DOL only audited one of our accounts. Even though all the rest of the MTs were paid exactly the same way (on a production basis), if someone did not work on the audited account, they did not get back pay. The company has since changed its payment formula so that every MT who works on any federal contract is paid the prevailing hourly wage with some benefits. This is in order to comply with what is stated in the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act.

I don't know if that is what happened with K&R, but it is likely since I know they had VA contracts as well.

If you are one of those who did not get back pay, it's probably because your particular accounts were not audited. You can still file an anonymous complaint with the DOL and ask for back pay, and they can conduct an audit on those particular accounts.

Good luck to all of you.

VA accounts -- no ICs allowed - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Additionally, for VA contracts, no ICs are allowed. If an audit is conducted and ICs have been paid production pay only, the VA considers them misclassified and re-classifies them as employees. They then require the minimum wage to be paid and payroll taxes, etc. Obviously contracting for VA services has some serious stipulations.

WOWZA! - anon2

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been working as an IC on VA accounts for 10 years...for the same company...is this something that should worry me or I should do anything about? I like my pay rate, but not that they are not supposed to be operating this way...if that is indeed true!

WOWZA you should do something about it - SCA

[ In Reply To ..]
This is indeed true and even though you like your pay rate they are required to pay prevailing wage which generally is at least $15.00 an hour. They also are required to pay all government holidays (I believe 10), half of your social security taxes, unemployment, vacation time and workers comp. You definitely should contact the DOL in the state where the company is located and let them take it from there. They will never tell the employer your name and eventually you will receive any unpaid wages. You can also get reimbursed for half of the social security taxes you've paid over the past 10 years by filing a IRS SS-8 determination claim.

Another point that we should all care about is the fact that VA contracts are paid by the government via our tax dollars. So basically we are paying the MTSO to take advantage of us--how wrong is that?

VA accounts, no ICs DOL contact info for Alpha complaints - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
US Department of Labor
Wage and Hour Division
Federal Office Building
200 N. High Street, Room 646
Columbus, OH 43215
(614)469-5678

Subject: Transcription Inc dba Alpha Transcription
File # 1697251

George L. Victory
District Director

Alpha ??? - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Is there some kind of rumble going on with Alpha over the DOL right now?

Isn't Alpha a VA contractor too? - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
?

VA and no ICs? - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Where did you verify that no ICs can work on VA accounts? Are you sure it's a VA audit that would result in minimum wage, taxes, etc. Could it be maybe that would happen from an audit from the Department of Labor? I'm just curious how to get this information confirmed.

Thanks.

Here's some info - NM

[ In Reply To ..]
zzzz

K&R - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
So now I am confused. I thought they paid by line only. I have never been paid by the hour, only per line. Can someone explain what has been going on? I do not have any contact with other MTs that work there.

They can pay by the line if you produce enough in an hour to equal prevailing wage . . . - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
but they have to classify you as an employee and pay all benefits, taxes, etc. You need to talk to the DOL and not just be confused on this board--they will not change their ways if we put up with the situation.

Not account but VISN - exKNR

[ In Reply To ..]
Its not the actual account you worked on. Per the DOL investigator I talked with, it has to do with the VISN contract which is usually a group of accounts (several facilities).

DOL told me - irrateMT

[ In Reply To ..]
that the K&R dispute had to do with what state you live in and what VISN you worked on.

Each state has it's own prevailing wage and - DOL

[ In Reply To ..]
that is how they figure your individual wage. Like the post above mentioned, I guess the VISN could determine why some MTs at K&R got paid and not others, but you should still have a claim and the DOL needs to figure out which VISN, etc. Bottom line VA contracts are governed by the Service Contract Act which requires MTs get employee status, prevailing wage and benefits. Don't give up.

DOL CYA? - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
DOL might be covering their own butts for not going to the facility and conducting a thorough investigation of all the people working for K&R--just sayin!

Sad...... - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
It is sad because these VA contracting companies are still hiring ICs for the same line rate and no benefits and so this is going to keep happening over and over again.

sad - irrateMT

[ In Reply To ..]
K&R still has ICs...what are they going to do differently now? They are still paid by production and have nothing taken out...have they not learned?

Sounds like they need "ongoing education", hope you told the DOL - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
If they are not reported they'll keep doing it, obviously they think they're able to cheat the system.

Similar Messages:

Aug 07, 2013

DOL says some of us are not on the list, what's up with that? ...

Jul 31, 2013

Anyone else get a sweet check from K&R for back wages and a letter from Department of Labor? ...

Oct 03, 2012

I have read countless articles today that state that the reason that so much MT work is being outsourced is b/c there are lack of MTs on the US side working in the industry. I love when the uneducated write these articles. They are totally missing the entire reason work is outsourced, MONEY. There would be plenty US based MTs to do the work provided we were paid what we are worth. The reason the work even went over to India and other countries is b/c it is cheaper for the ...

Dec 10, 2012

...

Dec 25, 2010

x ...

Apr 03, 2012

How's this for arrogance: "In the past she had been given this medication, which she had declined due to reading the package insert, so I advised her not to read package inserts and just use the medication as prescribed." ...

Jun 08, 2012

Last year my relatives started getting calls from a collection agency saying I owed a Payday loan and would go to jail, etc. if I did not pay up. Needless to say this was quite disturbing as I had no idea what was going on and these people had all my info. I talked to a lawyer who said it was a scam from India. A link is below. Of course Americans can rip you off too but sending confidential info overseas is just asking for trouble. This is probably just the tip of the iceberg http://w ...

Aug 15, 2013

when terminating employees. I have seen employees with more experience than me terminated. I have no work and only have 1 account, surprised I am not out the door. I think I will just continue to work when I can, an hour or less a day, until they say no more. ...

Sep 11, 2013

I haven't been to MTStars much lately and noticed some are talking about being terminated. Are you given a reason for the termination? I scraped by my last evaluation (this percentage you have to keep is scary no matter how they tell you the scoring is changed). Scared silly I'll be terminated because don't want retire until I'm 65 (getting close) and too old to start looking for a home job again because I can't work outside the home anymore. Wha ...

Nov 25, 2013

FIRST report out of the box, no name, but there IS an ACCOUNT NUMBER! So, let's see, how many ways can we spell this name to see if we can find it. Should I try? Well, I decide to write a pend note and then try a few spellings afterwards. I get to MEDICATIONS section. He invented a new medication! He says TOPEPENEX. Huh? It printed TOPAMAX. Okay, since I don't have a degree in pharmacology, do I look up what Topamax is for? Does he mean XOPENEX? WELL, I CAN'T look it up o ...

Mar 18, 2014

I found this VERY INTERESTING, and since nobody has brought this up on the boards, thought I'd "share"...I saw a job posting on a job seeker's board that had the audacity to offer .... 0.02 cents per TEMPLATED RPT....WELL, JUST FRIGGIN FANTASTIC...another way to SCREW w/our pay...REALLY????????? ...

Jun 10, 2014

regions is because they brought some work back here to make it look good in bankruptcy court -- like see, we're providing jobs in the U.S. ...

Jun 24, 2014

their workers only once a month? Does it benefit them financially or something. Just offered a job but they pay only once a month and by the time I start, I wouldn't get a paycheck until mid August. ...

Aug 14, 2014

Found this on MT Forum India 06-03-2014, 11:44 AM (This post was last modified: 06-03-2014 11:45 AM by idrissuhail.) Post: #1 idrissuhail Trainee Posts: 1Joined: May 2014 HUge Openings with Nuance with Excellent Package Greetings from Nuance Communications IncHiring Season Started with Nuance.MT, Sr MT, QC, MLS candidates can apply. Candidates can work as HBE, OBE and Temporary Basis (4 hours/day)Best Salary with ...

May 12, 2010

According to the Escript, I'm doing an average of 300 lph on VR but usually at the end of 8 hours, I don't top 1100 liines most days. On Dictaphone's ExSpeech, i used to consistently do 1800-2400 a day on a combination. I have noticed with EScript that 1 day a week, my lines will hit 1200-1300, and I even hit 1500 one day, yet the lph were still 300. It doesn't make sense. No, I do not take breaks. Half the time I don't stop ...

Aug 03, 2010

In our speech machines in DocQmanage Enterprise Platform, we can either go to member longin or "About DocQment Enterprise Platform". In DocQment Enterprise Platform it actually states "Solutions include interactive speech recognition for clinician SELF-EDITING" and shows a picture of 2 doctors looking at a computer screen editing. Then go to upper right and open up Duke Primary Care and the case study. Duke Primary Care improves their process with SpeechQ. Rea ...

Jul 13, 2011

Look at what just happened in Mumbai today. Three terrorist bombs in the busiest business sectors, killing 20 people and injuring scores of others. Something that seems to happen from time to time, currently being blamed on their rival, Pakistan. (Another favorite U.S. offshoring destination). Those blasts could have just as easily hit one of our MTSOs' main offices, servers, IT techs, QA, etc. over there. There just isn't the same level of security ...

Sep 28, 2012

We've been talking here about how we put in applications for non-MT jobs and never hear anything? Well, Career Builder has a tool now that shows how many applications a position has received. Every one that I applied for had over 200 applications, which is the highest level they have, 200+. Might explain a little bit. ...

Oct 16, 2012

was just to let you know not to go anywhere because eventually they will swallow that company, too. ...

Jun 11, 2013

I am going into the 3rd chapter of Step-by-Step Coding 2013, but the flags are a bit confusing. Also, the first-listed Dx can be a bit hard to grasp. Will this get easier? Guess I just need some encouragement... I find that I understand it to a point, but if I take my mind off it for only a moment, then I am not getting it. Wish I could have afforded Andrews, but I have to make the best of what I have - which is a lot really - complete access to tons of information ...

Jul 31, 2013

just heard that we will no longer be able to use nja as a reason for not getting the minimum required hours in per week. if you fail to meet min. requirements for 3 weeks in a row, performance assessment will start. you will have to switch hours or make up hours, but you will no longer be able to use nja as a reason why you do not get all your hours in. That ain't my problem. If I am scheduled to work 9-5 m-f and there isn't any work, they shouldn't expect me to change my ho ...

Sep 06, 2013

happy new year! Slapped in the face again. *blech* ...

Sep 12, 2013

nm ...

Mar 30, 2014

Ask anyone what's happened to earnings in this field over the last 10 years. If you have a penchant for the macabre, try the last 20 years. I won't bother with the details because you already know them. Well, you put up with it, didn't you? While the population of ESL dictators exploded and VR came on the scene, while the sheer number of medical devices, instruments, procedures, tests and other terminology we deal with doubled and then tripled, while benefits were hac ...

Jun 04, 2014

MM was laying off a lot of PT MTs. I accepted that since I have always passed their ridiculous 98% (and higher) audits and always worked my shift, etc. So no reason to fire me. However, I've been wondering if the real reason (since I see there are still PT MTs here) is that they don't want any employees from California (or any other state where the minimum wage is too high in their eyes). What do you all think? Are there any FT or PT CA MTs from MModal still working for MModal? ...

Jul 21, 2010

Isn't it amazing how the cpl never seems to rise for transcriptionists? Have these companies ever heard of cost of living? This is pretty pathetic. It has been 7 to 8 cpl of twenty years! ...

Dec 07, 2012

I want to congratulate everyone who posts on this site telling it like it is about the way these MT companies are destroying what once was a profession where you could make a decent living and actually enjoyed your job. I've been doing this for 30 years and I am still hanging on because I do not know what else to do at my age. I can barely pay my bills with what they are paying me and I am working full time. I am 68 years old and I really am not too excited about going back to school or sta ...

Oct 31, 2013

I've taken the tests and have been offered a job with Nuance but want to know if the wage offered was the standard wage for Nuance. I was offered 8 cpl for straight trasncription and 4 cpl for editing. This would be for clinics only. I've heard acute care paid more, but I've only ever had clinic experience. Do they ever offer raises? They mentioned a bonus program, and I've seen notes on here about people saying they have had problems getting th ...

Jun 04, 2015

How many are aware of the wage disparity between different accounts (they don't find it necessary to tell us such a silly detail as the hourly wage, you have to look it up online). With the new accounts, some pay quite low (as low as MB that no one wants to work on) and it may be a shock for those working on those accounts when they get their paychecks! Is it right of them to ask/require us to help out? My feeling is it is costing me to work on those accounts, as it lowers ...

Jul 19, 2013

This woman underwent 7 months of chemo for breast cancer and didn't even have it!! The dr. misread the PET CT scan - and what, no one else caught it in 7 months? I think this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as medical malpractice goes, and I don't think her settlement was near enough!! ...