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

fair standards act/getting together on this stuff - cc

Posted: Jan 04, 2010

Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place, but it seems like with all the screwing over that some of these companies do to us (and I know it's no accident that they don't encourage us to communicate amongst ourselves), few people here are suggesting some way of getting together to "encourage" the companies we work for to screw us over less, or at least less painfully. I know there's a Fair Standards act, for example, that supposedly covers even us (working on production). While I know there's no way to reach every MT who works for a company, when the paychecks of all MTs are cut tremendously thanks to a decision made by the company they work for (not through an MT's fault), don't we have ANY recourse?

You do have a recourse, sure you do - L

[ In Reply To ..]
You can always work for another company or even find another type work to do.

I'm sure the poster knew she could find another job before she posted! - IAMT

[ In Reply To ..]
Maybe the OP doesn't want to find another job or profession but simply wants to be treated fairly. Maybe, just maybe, the MT posting is really, really good at her job, loves the work and is a diligent and loyal employee, simply voicing a concern about how unfair MTs are being treated by the MTSOs and wanting to vent and see if there is any input on what others think of the situation most of us are finding ourselves in.

Being we are not 5 years old and are really a pretty intelligent group of professionals, most likely most of us knew before your post we have the option to find another company or find another job. Geez.

Not all MTSOs treat the MTs bad - L

[ In Reply To ..]
I had been working previously at a place that was absolutely the pits. They sent IMs constantly, emailing every day, on and on with the badgering, no sense in all that. I quit one day, quit, that was it. I now am working for a great place and never have those problems. I can make a good salary, no breathing down my neck all the time. There is no reason to go thru life letting people get you down, no reason at all. There are other jobs. Why suffer?

I am happy, too - Fatcat

[ In Reply To ..]
I, too, am happy. I opted out of the MDI/Transcend merger and went to work for a smaller company that does not offshore. Great QA, decent and honest owners, generally plenty of work. So there are good jobs out there. I think the MT world is a lot like the dating world; you really do have to kiss a lot of frogs.....and then you find the right job and happiness is possible. I posted this to encourage people who think it cannot happen. It can. It did to me, and I hope it does for you, too.

proof that not everybody's happy here, since so many have such a crappy attitude - cc

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, duh. So let me see...If you like your job, you must never want to change anything about it, then? It's "unpatriotic" somehow to your job to want fair treatment? Uh...okay. Whatever. If I wanted another job, I would find another job. What I want is fair treatment within this career, and I don't think I'm the only one.

You are right in your statement - Recourse

[ In Reply To ..]
Would not change a thing about it. If a person feels used and abused, they need to change it. All the people complaining about no respect, no work, no this and that. My good lord, why put yourself through this?

Getting s$$d over - Old MTSO

[ In Reply To ..]
I always advised people I mentored to keep a daily log. Using one of those secretarial notebooks is easy. They are small, do not take much space on your desk, etc. Note the time you logged on, the time you logged off, how much time you spent waiting for work, how many days you were without work. At the end of each day write on the bottom of the page you ACTIVELY worked. Document, document, document EVERYTHING. Keep any e-mails you receive pertinent to schedule, working hours, change of company policies, etc. If you are an IC it is especially important that you keep a record of any time you were asked to work specific times, etc. In other words, the document tells the tale, and if you have to go to court, you will be prepared. Your employer keeps plenty of records on you. Two can play the same game!

Correction - Old MTSO - Old MTSO

[ In Reply To ..]
This old lady needs more coffee. I mean to say AT THE END OF EACH DAY, WRITE DOWN HOW MANY HOURS YOU ACTIVELY WORKED. Keep good records. They can be your best friend if you end up in litigation.

rights - westmt

[ In Reply To ..]
I applaud anyone who cares enough about their work to try to improve conditions. If no-one took stands when being treated unfairly, etc., women would not be voting today.

The whole situation with companies not paying at least minimum wage is a huge concern that I am currently at work on in my own situation.

By trying to improve the situation, it does not mean that ALL MTs are unhappy with their jobs. I believe some posters post just to read their own post. LOL Kind of like talking when you have nothing to say.

I call it beating a dead horse, such as rehashing - Answers

[ In Reply To ..]
over and over and over the fact that MTs are mistreated, what can we do, holding my hands as I wring them, did not get a present for Christmas, not appreciated, not paid enough, minimum wage when actually if I really tried, I could make a decent salary on the 8/4 that most are giving. Read how it is done. Several discussed on 1 of the boards here.

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