A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
I've Never Been Happier!! - LaidOffMT
Posted: Mar 15, 2012
Career MT here, 2-1/2 decades' worth. I always loved MT and have been in management, etc.
The end of January I was laid off, and I have been drawing unemployment benefits. I hope to retrain for a new career and have an appointment regarding that next week.
I never realized how STRESSED OUT I was until I stopped working.
Right now I am launching 2 new small businesses, both related to things that I LOVE.
My income is down, but so is my stress level! Sleeping and health are IMPROVED (which is important at my age, pushing 50).
I am MUCH better organized, even with paperwork which has always been a struggle. House is cleaner than it has been in a long, long time. I am spending money more wisely, couponing and shopping sales. I eat better too, eating exclusively at home.
Creativity has gone into overdrive (I come up with new ideas daily, like I used to during my younger years!), my mood is better, sense of humor has returned.
Cats are happier because mom is not only at home with them but plays and interacts with them a LOT more! And that makes me INCREDIBLY happy! :)
Every day I find SOMETHING to do that benefits another human being -- even the most trivial thing imaginable. That gives me a very good feeling.
While I'm not working, I am NEVER idle or bored! I'm not sitting around watching TV and eating bonbons either. I am up at 6 and it's go, go, go all day long.
That's enough. I'm not trying to boast or anything. Just wanted to provide another perspective regarding the stress of our jobs, what we do with our time, etc.
Have a wonderful evening! :)
What you're describing is the joy of not having to work, period...not no more MT :) - nm - MTforNow
[ In Reply To ..]x
No, I AM working. - LaidOffMT
[ In Reply To ..]You must have missed the part about going full throttle from 6 AM on. ALL of those hours is spent doing SOME type of WORK. Launching two small businesses is most DEFINITELY WORK.
In addition, I am:
* Collecting aluminum cans for recycling. This means walking about the neighborhood in the Arizona heat, which is physically laborious.
* Cleaning my house more. That is also WORK.
Couponing is work, too.. - sm
[ In Reply To ..]Trying to do couponing is overwhelming to me, just another task added onto my already heaping pile of things to do. That's why I never did it while working full time.
good for you! - sm
[ In Reply To ..]not to burst your bubble, but we would all feel that way if we didn't work. A 40-50 hour week job takes up a lot of time and energy. When you don't have that, then you are certainly in a better mood and can be creative ;)
congrats - anon
[ In Reply To ..]when I grow up (well I already did, but...) I want to be YOU! diss the naysayers, they're just jealous!!
I say good for you too! - wheres_my_job
[ In Reply To ..]All the best in your business/creative endeavors.
Just curious - sm
[ In Reply To ..]Just curious to know...are MTs having trouble getting unemployment benefits? My MTSO lost its biggest client to VR, and the transition is happening rapidly. HR says (in so many words) that the company will block all MTs from getting unemployment because they can ALWAYS find SOMEthing for us to do. In my case, they started giving me ESL office notes from a specialty I had never even heard before (I have 26 years as an acute-care MT). Yeah, they gave me SOMEthing to do, but I won't be able to make a living wage doing it.
I had hoped for a "breather" while I redirected my career, but I can see that my MTSO would rather I just leave quietly and voluntarily. Frankly, I'm disappointed in their ethics. Nothing new about that, huh?
I'll do more research later, but is my situation the norm? I've been tied up in knots with stress for more than a year, and my body and spirit are just about whipped. If I could just have a break for a couple of months...
You absolutely can collect unemployment even...sm - anon
[ In Reply To ..]if you quit for good reason such as no work or always running out of work, demotion, etc. I was fired and was able to collect. MQ contested but I won.
Unemployment - sm
[ In Reply To ..]Thank you for the response.
My company is putting almost nothing in writing these days, and what they DO put in writing is purposefully vague and copied to all management personnel. If I could print off documentation, I certainly would. While my relationship with management used to be easy, the HR person now sounds like she swallowed a lawyer. Her officious attitude is mean, insulting, tedious, boring, and obviously coached.
I was getting "No Work Available" frequently, but now they've started backing me up with work that's totally unfamiliar to me, that I haven't a chance of understanding. In other words, my function has changed 100%. They're saying that, as long as they provide me ANY WORK AT ALL, they can't be held responsible. In principle, I understand this, but I went from a living wage to less than minimum wage overnight. They're saying there will be ramifications if I fail to meet production criteria. Should I allow this to happen, or should I preempt them by quitting?
I realize that this is my own decision...just wondering if there's a good way to do this without limiting my choices.
UE - MT
[ In Reply To ..]While I get where you're coming from, your post says they will find you work and that disappoints you. Not a good mindset.
BTW- Are you an employee? If you are, you can file RIGHT NOW for partial unemployment and that should supplement some of the difference between what you made a year ago and what you make now. Good luck.
UE - Mindset
[ In Reply To ..]I understand what you're saying about my mindset. Yes, it could be said that I definitely have preferences about the type of work I'm offered. I've only done acute care for decades now, and clinic transcription just sets my teeth on edge.
The partial unemployment will be worth looking into. Despite the company's intentions to debate any UE claims, my paycheck stubs are indisputable evidence that my job tanked, and very quickly.
I apologize for my arrogance. Just like so many of you, I'm trying diligently to get out of the field before it simply deflates.
UE - drea
[ In Reply To ..]Perhaps UE is the way to wake up these slave market transcription companies. If more transcriptionists applied for "assistance" because they can no longer make a living wage, these companies might actually have to "pay" us! Sure, they'll try to fight it, but all the while, maybe finally "someone" will hear us. BTW, I think there might also be some money there (at UE) for retraining or at least counseling to help switch careers.
I don't think it's arrogance - noworkMT
[ In Reply To ..]I don't think it's arrogant at all to not want to do a bunch of crappy work. In fact, it is to the company's advantage. Whenever I would interview with a recruiter, I was always "assured" there would be "plenty" of work. That didn't mean it was the work they claimed it was going to be when I took the job. Some people love clinic, some love radiology. I love surgery. All transcriptionists are not created equal and neither is all work. I'd get the unemployment thing going quick as lightning.
Thank you - for your response
[ In Reply To ..]I don't think of myself as arrogant,either...mostly, I've enjoyed the heck out of MT and have kept my skills honed and current. I, too, have specialized in OPs. I did my job every day with energy, considering myself a part of the patient-care process. Nowadays it's all about "maximizing speed." If I turn up the speed one notch more, my circuits will fry. I can hardly force myself to speak at a normal rate and volume even now.
I called the Department of Labor yesterday and was referred to the UE people. I found them remarkably receptive, knowledgeable, and kind. They said that my employer can fight UE all its wants; the decision isn't theirs to begin with.
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