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

Question about garnishment of wages - MoMT

Posted: Nov 10, 2009

I just recently found out that my wages are being garnished. I knew it was coming and I decided maybe it wasn't a bad idea in order to pay back this debt. The problem is they are taking 20% of my disposable income which is a considerable amount! I am a single mom with two kids and 20% is simply too much and doesn't leave us much to live on. I did my research and found that in the state of Missouri if you are head of household and the only income, a creditor can only take up to 10% per paycheck. So now that I have my ammo, I'm not sure who I contact? I could call the creditor, but will they simply reduce the percentage on my say so? Or do I need to file something in court? If so, what court, how? I'm totally clueless. This is the first time this has ever happened to me, so I'm not sure what steps to take.

Thanks!

I would suggest you contact a lawyer ASAP. - Ginger

[ In Reply To ..]
Or if you can't afford a lawyer, maybe check out nolopress.com. They have a great book on the laws around debt and they list them state by state. It's helped me in the past.

I'm sorry this is happening to you and your kids.

Being single with 2 kids is no excuse for not paying bills - Linda

[ In Reply To ..]
My exhusband was garnished 1 time and he got home with a check for $00.00. Be thankful you wound up with something. If not making enough, take on extra work, pay something towards the bills or call to make arrangements, donâ��t ignore them.

Agree. Most places will work with you before - jf

[ In Reply To ..]
you ever get to the point of garnishing wages, even if you make an agreement to pay $10 a month and consistently pay it.

First of all, I had made pmt arrangements and was making pmts - MoMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I missed one payment in the month of September and the creditor immediately started garnishing my wages!

I'm not trying to "make excuses." Why would I post on a board and make excuses to total strangers? I am also not trying to fight the garnishment, I just want to figure out to lower the amount they take! I have no problem with the idea of paying my debts. I do what I can, but feeding my kids, clothing my kids, and making sure my kids have a roof over their head, electricity and hot water are my priorities and then I pay whatever freaking bills I owe with whatever money I have left. I have no guilt and I make no excuses. And I resent you lecturing me without having the slightest clue as to who I am or what goes on in my life.

Be careful of your lofty perch, Linda. The higher the perch, the weaker the tree. You just might find yourself down on the ground with the rest of us one of these days!

First of all, you did not make the pmts as you said you would - Linda

[ In Reply To ..]
You stated single and 2 kids. Why put that in the post at all? You will not have the things listed, food, roof over their heads, electricity and the like if your bills are not paid. You wind up with no money. You made arrangements and then you said you missed 1 payment. That 1 payment was when you broke your agreement. Not lofty, telling you like it is. You asked and others told. I raised my children and paid all my bills. You are no exception to a person who owes bills, everyone does that lives on this earth. Why donâ��t you call them and ask if you can get it lowered, being as single and kids around. I am sure they hear this a lot but hey, it might work with them.

Linda, how can you be so judgmental? - gourdpainter

[ In Reply To ..]
Without knowing her or what circumstances got her in this predicament? Times are hard out there. Usually I enjoy your posts but this one has just bummed me out!!

Geez oh Pete! - Mush

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm so sorry you are in this situation. Times are hard for most of us these days. I am jobless and hurt from a car accident at the moment. I feel for you and I am sorry that people are so judgemental. I will say a prayer for you and your kids.

First of all..... - been there, done that

[ In Reply To ..]
Come down off your high and mighty horse Linda. You must not watch the news much. MoMT is in a rough situation and was just asking for help. You didn't need to get snotty in your replies.

First step MoMT is to contact the company that is garnishing you. If that doesn't work, see if you can go into the court and set up payments with them. Last resort is to contact an attorney.

I did not respond to the others but yours I should - Linda

[ In Reply To ..]
I told the truth in my first answer and also gave useful information. If people who put in I am this and that and cannot pay my bills, do you think a bill collector cares? Not in the least. I gave her at least 3 points and then she came back with a I did not need to lecture to her. She said she had paid as she stated to the creditor she would but she did not pay. SHE, not me, was the one who had the attitude and I gave her some points. I was telling the truth, creditors do not care if you are a single mother with kids, a widowed woman of 2 days, a divorced mother of a month, a woman whose husband just committed suicide yestereday. THEY DO NOT CARE. They want their money and if someone gets out of joint for my telling the truth, oh well.

What kind of creditor can garnish your wages? - Scary!

[ In Reply To ..]
x

If you owe money and are not paying it back, - kt

[ In Reply To ..]
anyone can garnish your wages, whether it be a creditor or a person. All they have to do is get a court order.

Any creditor - gourdpainter

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm not a lawyer but I think before any creditor can garnish your wages they have to have a judgment and then a court order.

they have to take you to court and get a judgment against you before they can garnish your wages - lhf

[ In Reply To ..]
s

Sorry to hear about that - Viking Fan

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm sorry I don't have an answer but I just wanted to wish you well and tell you I'm sorry you're in that position. Good luck to you and let us know how you're doing! God bless!

Since you probably cannot afford an attorney, - ht

[ In Reply To ..]
check the Yellow Pages for a Legal Aid Office. The normally have consultations for free. Every state probably has different laws.

Must be a court order for garnishment except sm - CrispyCritterMT

[ In Reply To ..]
for IRS or child support unless you signed a volunary wage garnishment. Did you do that? Did you get a notice to appear in court? If you don't appear they get a default judgment. I believe the amount they can garnish or even if they can garnish at all is dictated by state law.

Here is a site I go to all the time to get answers to questions - like yours

[ In Reply To ..]

I swear by Labor Law Talk -- laborlawtalk.com I have them at the top of my favorites.

They have very experienced people answering questions (not judgmental, not "I think" or "a friend of a friend told my sister-in-law" kind of misinformation).

You ask a specific question for a specific State, and a person knowledgeable in that State's requirements answers and often times multiple people will agree or offer other information. They will also suggest websites, etc that may be of help.

They cover everything you can image concerning the law. A lot of them are attorneys, but they are NOT giving legal advice, just helping people by answering questions.

I have used them for questions about what to do when an MTSO did not pay me, to what to do about taking medical leave. They have always given me on-the-money information and did it quickly.

You do have to sign up but you can use a moniker – do not give your real name or address. Ask your question, and to save time, be sure to include that you are from Missouri. Be as specific as you can. I know most people hesitate to give much personal information, but it will probably be helpful if you include what kind of garnishment (credit card company, car loan, student loan, IRS, etc). Someone will reply to you before you know it. You can even be notified by e-mail when someone replies to your question.

Here is a sample of the kinds of questions and replies that are given:

http://laborlawtalk.com/showthread.php?t=227522&highlight=missouri+garnishment

Hope this helps. Good luck to you. I am sure something can be worked out for you.

Thank you and thanks to everyone with constructive advice! - MoMT

[ In Reply To ..]
And no lectures. I feel like a complete failure and have been kicking myself since payday for being so stupid. I really just needed some sound advice and shoulders to cry on. However, I should know by now that as many good people I meet on her, there is always one or two who enjoy rubbing salt in wounds.

I have been there... Have some suggestions - lindawordlady

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi MoMT.... I read this whole thread to see if anyone addressed your questions, but I see you did a self-righteous reply from another Linda on this board. Shame on her.

You do have some options though. If this is really true about them taking 10% and you can substantiate this then get that in writing and call this creditor that is garnishing your check. I have been in your shoes 2-1/2 years ago and was forced to file bankruptcy because I was SO powerless over them garnishing my check of 20% here in Minnesota, taking money out of my bank account, etc.

I also tried to make good on all of my debt. I went through CCCA, Consumer Credit Counseling (reputable nationwide). I did send them $320 a month for 18 months and they disbursed money for my 5 credit card debt. I either lost my job or some other circumstances made it impossible for me to continue. Of course all the credit card companies kept hounding me, kept adding more interest, late fees, over-the-limit fees, and on and on it goes.

Long story and things are worse now financially than ever because of an auto accident 1 yr ago and I am in even more debt than ever... But, hold your head up high, do not let these people bully you. Obviously whoever is garnishing your check did get a judgment to do that (thru the courts). Call your state attorney general or legal aid in your town and see what they can offer you for options.

By law these bill collectors cannot continue to call and harrass you if you ask them to stop. Your attorney general will tell you that.

I feel bad that you merely asked for some advice and/or suggestions and one person in particular decided to attack you rather than help you. You do not deserve that, nor do you even have to address her vitriolic remarks. Good luck and if you need more info feel free to e-mail me thru this board here.

May get answers to your credit questions - adaisyandarose

[ In Reply To ..]
I have went through a bankruptcy in the past and found this a wonderful board to any and all credit questions.

www.creditboards.com

Similar Messages:

Apr 25, 2011

Does anyone know if MedQuist employees can have their little tiny pays garnished, if so what is company policy regardiing this. I have heard if this happens the person will be terminated. ...

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 ...

Aug 27, 2010

From an article written 2 days ago regarding MQ's settlement of a lawsuit filed by Kaiser against Medquist (which MQ settled for 2 million, by the way): The company reported net revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2010 as increasing $20.1 million or 25.9 percent to $97.5 million compared to $77.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2009. ...

Feb 18, 2011

I think a fair wage should be in relation to the economy, that which allows you to meet your baseline financial needs without having to work a second job or long hours. I worked for a service back in the early 80s for 6.5 cents per line. Today, nearly 30 years later, they're offering 7.5 cents per line, yet costs are sky-high. It's pathetic. It's sweatshop third world. It's true, we're stuck with the way things are, but ...

Feb 27, 2011

I have been an MT for over 10 years for a hosital. I am considering working for Medquist. I currently make 19 per hour but my job is going away. I know I can produce about 1700 lines per day mostly ISR work. Questions: How much does MQ pay per line for ISR (voice recognition) reports. Also what is the minimum work they require (lines per day). Do they pay PTO for part time? Do you get any incentives for weekend work? How often do you run out of work? How m ...

May 10, 2011

Is anyone else fed up with the fact that the wages for MTs never go up? It has been the same low rate for years! ...

Mar 10, 2012

I've got the form to file a complaint re: Not getting paid for research, verifying patient name, cruddy dictators who shouldn't be in VR/ASR, etc. The person filing the complaint has to figure out how much the employer owes - any suggestions, or examples? Say, for over a year's time? My example would be: It takes 8 minutes to go through all my emails (a requirement of my job) weekly (yes, I timed myself) - so that's 8 x 4 = 32 minutes a month JUST for emai ...

Mar 17, 2012

Does anyone else feel this way, work hard, trying to do a good job, need to pay the bills, need the insurance and end up with $80 for a full day's work and that is sometimes on a good day but $10.00 per hour seems to be on average what I get, after looking up docs, looking up meds, relistening to blanks, relistening to diagnosis, trying to understand lab values and yada, yada, yada. Everyday becomes a marathon just to make $10 bucks an hour - haven't earned so little for man ...

Nov 07, 2012

Learned from my son yesterday that babysitters in Boulder, CO get $15/hour. Do you think they have more training and experience than we do? ...

Nov 18, 2013

If you are a production employee, employee status, do youl qualify for unemployment benefits (Nuance, formerly Accentus, formerly Zylomed)? ...

Aug 07, 2014

I came into this field long after the precedent was set on pay. I knew coming into this that the average wage ran from 6 cpl to 10 cpl, with most jobs hovering around 7 to 8 cpl. What I didn't account for was that in more than 10 or 15 years, we'd still be at that rate. Not only has our wage not gone up in over a decade, even with cost of living increases, but that when they came out with speech recognition, someone thought, "Well, it's doing half the work, so y ...

Feb 19, 2015

It kinda looks like TTS can't get anyone to work for them with their ridiculous wages. You'd think they would have figured it out by now. ...

Jul 10, 2010

I worked for DIT from 01/10 through 03/10. I quit when I didn't receive my first paycheck on time. At this point DIT still owes me $278. From the other posts I've seen, it looks like DIT Transcription has been doing this to their MTs for a couple of years now. They just brought on a bunch of new clinics, yet my final paycheck from them bounced. To add insult to injury, my bank charged ME an NSF fee. Both the South Carolina Labor Board and State of ...

Feb 18, 2011

Serious question: Why do you stay? ...

Aug 13, 2011

This is just a warning message to hopefully prevent other MTs from going through my experience. ATSI still owes me three paychecks, which were repeatedly promised to be paid day after day, week after week, then we were informed they legally had to pay by August the 8th. Most of us have still not been paid. I just learned that David Shepherd and his wife, Terry, also control M T World. I am now employed elsewhere, but it will take months to undo the damage this company did ...

Jul 04, 2012

As a seasoned medical transcriptionist with over 30 years of experience, I can no longer contain my irritation with the low wages being offered by so many MTSOs. Therefore, rather than apply for the low-wage positions, I am e-mailing these companies and letting them know how insulting their wages are and what an asset I would be to their company, but refuse to accept these low wages. Some of you may not agree, but this is my form of protesting what has become of the medical transcription p ...

Aug 13, 2012

On the Company board, someone commented that Global Information Systems is deducting $5.00 per error. THIS IS WRONG and it DOES make your company irreputable. Another person commented their company was reputable and does the same thing. In what world is it sensible to say a company is reputable and then cite how they behave illegally? This link fills you in. Your company can't deduct your wages unless you signed an agreement saying they could. And if you did t ...

Aug 24, 2012

What would you think if you went to make a dental appt and were told you had no coverage due to non-payment by your employer and the insurance company cancelled you, but..... the premiums are still being taken out. Or if you did not get your paycheck last payday or were $$$ short? ...

Sep 10, 2012

Can we pinpoint the reasons we are working for slave wages and unfair treatment? I'm hearing EMR and TAT, but don't we have the ability to provide the same service directly to physicians with software we can download for free? Didn't most of us provide 24-hour turnaround? Has EMG made it to technical to keep up with? Why would a physician choose to pay an MTSO more than they were paying us as ICs when their primary concerns seems to be saving money? Has anyone surveyed wha ...

Oct 01, 2012

The recruiter is not the only serious problem they have. Any former MTs at SS who are interested in being paid their lost wages should get in touch with me. You should only contact me if you have documentation you are willing to share. ...

Mar 30, 2013

Guess I have sunk to a new low. With ASR and NJA, I have joined the working poor. Can't wait until I finish school and get out of here. My wage is less than when I started MT 25 years ago. Just trying to hold on until I finish school. ...

Aug 07, 2013

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

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), ...

May 27, 2014

My wages have been cut in half since going from transcribing to SR. Anybody else? ...

Jun 13, 2014

The Dragon and sending work to India and the Philippines has taken over the hospitals. Nuance is the Dragon and they now get their 2 cents. That is part of the reason our pay has gone down...eaten up by the year of the Dragon. Guess that would mean health care has gone to the Dragon, the CEOs and insurance companies. ...

Jan 07, 2015

In the past 4 years, my productivity requirements have risen 40 LPH, in 2014 our productivity bonus was taken away, now in 2015 our passing QA scores have been increased. I feel sorry for anyone entering the MT field these days. ...

Mar 22, 2015

Interesting article in the latest For the Record, the AHIMA magazine, about the low pay most companies offer.http://www.fortherecordmag.com/archives/0315p18.shtml ...