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

90 day performance review includes weeks without work! - tappytappy

Posted: Oct 14, 2010

I have just reached my 90 day evaluation period with a company but they are saying that I have not reached my 1000 line count per day and that they are putting me back to "part time" employee status because of it. I won't get any holiday pay accumulating now. What bugs me is that for a few weeks they didn't have any work available to me and they are including this time to average my line counts. I do well over 1000 lines per day when there is work. Also, they asked me to learn a new specialty within this time. I am not a newbie and have been doing transcription for over 10 years.

Has anyone else had this kind of experience? I'd love to hear from you if so. Thanks.

No, Tappytappy, but please read. - Fellow Traveller

[ In Reply To ..]
By all means grab every chance to learn another specialty. Your company is treating you very well by offering you this opportunity to advance your skills toward what is normally expected these days.

In fact, I would strongly recommend you ask to train in all specialties available. This would not have happened if you had done this before. In some areas you evidently ARE a newbie, a real problem for you as you are competing for jobs with the large majority of fellow MTs who can do many, and often all, specialties. Best wishes.

Are you kidding me? - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

MT for 25 yrs and I don't know ALL specialties. - I would but never had to.

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't know many MTs who know ALL specialites. I am sure there are some but there are also very, very many experienced MTs who may "know" 10-12. That is not to say they can not do others, just that they never have.

The number of specialites the OP has experience on is not relevant here in her specific complaint. Yes, she would benefit by learning more. If she has been with a company for 90 days and there were "weeks" with NO WORK, how can you justify an evaluation of her line count including those weeks when there was no work available to her. I don't care if you know 20 specialities, this is not fair. OP, what was the response when you stated there were "weeks" with no work?

This is playing games with a person's livelihood, income, career, benefits, etc. I don't know what company this is but I would think it is an indication of things to come if she stays there. As jobs are so hard to come by presently, I would recommend that you learn as many specialties as you can while at the same time looking for a company with a little more integrity than this.

Response was not helpful - tappytappy

[ In Reply To ..]
Stated, out of my hands. I don't want to badmouth the company. They've been pretty nice to me in some other things. But, I don't believe it's right to penalize me for the time I sat doing no work through no fault of my own. I was just curious if all these big companies do this as a usual way of dong business. It does save them some $$ after all. I've been so excited to be back at work and paying bills again and to stop living out of my rapidly dwindling savings account.

I understand, but this is still a very shady practice. - NO WORK is NO WORK

[ In Reply To ..]
How was your accuracy? Is that a factor? If not, this is a shameful thing to do to any MT, even if they know ALL specialities with 100% accuracy. I don't know how they can justify this. The evaluation of your line count should not include days when there was no work available for you to do. I am sure this will not be the only shady tactic up their sleeve.

You certainly would not want to quit on the spot, but I would certainly keep looking at other companies, especially when you are sitting there with no work (and being penalized for it).

This stuff drives me NUTS!!! -- - typetypetypeaway

[ In Reply To ..]
I cannot believe that these companies expect you to put in your minimum lines per hour, but you can't even do that because there is no work to be had or it takes you longer than an 8-hour day to accomplish that because there is no sufficient work. And then to boot, use those NJA hours to average your lines. To me that is unfair business practice that should not be tolerated in any way. If there was enough work to keep you busy for the 8 hours and one is disciplined to do the 8 hours, get the required hours, then there would be no problem in attaining their requirementts. What is the MT industry coming to..I see more and more of that in the posts of the MTs.

No, I wasn't kidding at all. Her insufficient skills have not - Fellow Traveller

[ In Reply To ..]
allowed her to work full time at that company as work flows change, in the process not meeting the company's transcription needs. Thankfully, their willingness to train her in another specialty instead of letting her go suggests they are satisfied with this hire in spite of limited skills.

Big clue in all this: Companies do not (normally) pay full-time benefits to part-time workers. The fact that full-time hours were not being worked should have been recognized with someone with 10 years in the work force as a big red flag. She made a mistake by just accepting large amounts of down time instead of asking to be trained for the work available.

I strongly recommend everyone fussing about everything being so unfair go read their employee manuals, which detail the BUSINESS CONTRACT between employee and employer. Among other things, it will specify what constitutes full-time employment.

Really, though, this is a good and extremely valuable opportunity for someone who has spent 10 years in the field and still cannot move seamlessly among the various accounts encountered in acute care work. Way, way past time, and that's the point that needs to be taken.

Fellow Traveller - how do you assume this information? - Are you her AM?

[ In Reply To ..]
You sound as if you personally know this MT, her "insufficient" and "limited" skills, the work flow she experiences, and the work that is available at her company.

First of all, she is a new hire. New hires can not move "seamlessly" between accounts at a company. Training, QA, and account specifics have to be supplied. Oh, and do you know what work is available on all accounts? If your assumptions are true, using that logic, no MT should be without work at any company, right?

It is mighty presumptive of you to say she has "insufficient and limited" skills. I assume you are either management or one who never runs out of work and can not relate to what so many MTs are talking about on this board.

If all of your opinions and assumptions are true, then I would agree with you. I just don't see how you can make that call not knowing any specifics.

It sounds like she WAS working full-time hours. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
She said she was at her desk and waiting for work, but no jobs were available. That is still working according to labor board. They can't have it both ways. If they're going to count the hours in her average for her 90-day performance review, then they have to count the hours as working when there aren't any jobs to be done. In that case, according to their own numbers, should should be allowed to get compensation like part-time unemployment to make up the rest (provided she made less than minimum wage).

SM, by US labor law, home MTs doing production work are NOT considered working - Fellow Traveller

[ In Reply To ..]
while we're sitting around waiting for reports--A VERY IMPORTANT POINT WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND, and I wish I could recall the specific employee designation to google, but I've read up on it before.

Anyway, although this occasionally works to the disadvantage of home workers, most of the time it works well for both employees and employers, which is why it's written that way--so work CAN be done at home.

This is as opposed to people who present themselves to a place of employment and are required to sit there for their shifts. They ARE paid for sitting THERE, work or no. We are not.

Again, our work contracts/employee manuals (which we all agree to when we accept employment) will explain how full-time work is determined. It is NOT by the number of hours we might claim to be sitting around waiting for work. It never was, and it's astonishing that so many people don't realize this.

We all know what full time work IS, but it is not in our control to make it happen. - Still unfair

[ In Reply To ..]
I agree that full time is based on the actual number of hours worked. The company controls that and determines how much work and what accounts are given to each MT. It's not like she can just jump around to whichever one she likes.

Again, THEY did not supply her with FULL time work. Again, using this logic, if they are going to reduce her to PT because FT hours were not worked, you certainly can't "have it both ways" and use hours not worked in determining what her line count is.

We run very low in work at times at my company. We can not just go on another account at will (again QA, acct specs, etc.). We are do have our employment status changed, benefits taken away, PTO and holidays taken away, etc. No WORK means there is NO WORK, period. They certainly would use those slow work days or no work days to determine our line count.

Do you mean as IC or employee. If IC full time is the amount - of lines you are contracted for. So SM

[ In Reply To ..]
in this instance, full time has nothing to do with hours worked. Full time is the line count you contracted to work. No hourly anything involved. And MTSO has no control over how many lines come to the company at any one time.

Fellow Traveller, don't you see what you are saying is impossible. FT or PT, if there is no wor - Have you ever run out of work?

[ In Reply To ..]
We can not all just change accounts. If what you are saying is true, then about 200 MTs in my company should be stripped of their FT status, benefits, and PTO taken away. It just does not work like that. Those contracts, as everyone knows, including the MTSO, are asumming that FT work is constantly available. There is no provision for NJA in these contracts, and there should be.

Just what do you want the MTSO to do? Make up dictation? - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
we

NM - obviously you are not following the point being debated here. Try to keep up, will ya? - Regarding NJA

[ In Reply To ..]
We all are accustomed to NJA at times, certainly. No, I would not demand that a company come up with work to make my FT hours complete or my pay. The point here, which you don't seem to be aware of, is that I don't want my line count determined by including those hours when there was no work. That is clearly not an assessment of anyone's daily line count. I do 2000 lines a day, but if there was no work for "weeks," what kind of MT does that make me look like.

So you are employee if hours comes into it at all. - Still, what is an MT to do? I am following... nm

[ In Reply To ..]
sdf

Oops. Above MT should be MTSO. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
yt

Hon, like so many, I run out of work all the time these days. - Fellow Traveller

[ In Reply To ..]
As do thousands of others. But doing SOMETHING about it is not impossible, as I imagine you actually know very well.

My company makes provision for NJA, all right. We're logged off automatically when NJA comes up and, since we have to log 40 work hours per week, we're required to claim unworked hours as non-paid time off to continue to get benefits. At the same time we do have to meet minimum production quotas.

And that's the point. We're all flexing and doing whatever we need to to get in not just company minimums but our own. I was up at 3:30 this morning (even earlier than my regular very early schedule) to get some of get the usual swing shift leftovers before other eager beavers came in at 5 to 6--people usually starting well after I do are also getting up earlier to get their lines in. This'll pass, but in the meantime we do what we need to to take care of ourselves.

I also requested yet another account to make it a bit easier, even though I prefer to keep my accounts down to keep my lines up. Most people who've been in the field for a decade can do most everything an MTSO comes up with. Like so many, I made attaining that competence my business when I entered this field. Seemed basic.

Many are changing jobs when needed. Like after a week at most without work. What almost all MTs would not do is sit around for weeks on a new job with no work and not fix the situation. Sometimes some of us might have the luxury of shrugging and sliding along, but with our eyes open, please. Nothing's free, certainly not medical insurance and holiday pay.

It's about being responsible for oneself and not expecting to hand that responsibility off to someone else. Learning one's trade, understanding the conditions of employment, and setting oneself to do the job.

Still, stating she has insufficient and limited skills is not fair and probably not the case at all. - How do you know anyway? NM

[ In Reply To ..]
X

Not true. I have called USDOL myself. - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
They specified that if you are scheduled to work at a certain time until a certain time and you are logged into their system, YOU ARE STILL WORKING while waiting for work, ESPECIALLY if you work at home and your employer is out of state. There is no way you could do other duties while waiting for work since you do not work near the office.

Furthermore, if the company themselves counts her waiting time as work time in her 90-day proficiency report, then it most certainly is work time. They cannot claim that it's work time when it benefits them and then turn around and claim the exact same hours are not work time when it comes to UEBs.

That must be why my system logs me off autoatically when - NSA comes up. NM

[ In Reply To ..]
x

Obviously - RLee

[ In Reply To ..]
They were working FT, as they stated they were being put on PT. You are making way too many personal presumptions. Also, we do not even know which company they are talking about. How do you know they never asked for more work and accepted the large amount of down time. You are only presuming this by their comment about being asked to learn another speciality. Do not presume until you know the REAL facts. With that said - I am not going to presume you are a "suit."

How do you know her skills? - NM

[ In Reply To ..]
X

I can relate - RLee

[ In Reply To ..]
I unfortunately have experienced this same kind of thing, but was not on a probationary period. I lost my insurance while employed at Transcend due to lack of productivity/hours and was reduced to PT basically in essence due to NJA on a consistent and daily basis. Needless to say I no longer work for this company by no fault of my own (I was terminated due to NJA and not making requirements of any sort). From what I have read there are many companies that the MT experiences NJA unfortunately. Many overhire to produce faster TATs (within an hour in some cases) and leaves many with the NJA situation. It is a sad situation, but if it helps you are not alone on the boat. Good luck to you!!!!!

I agree knowing several specialties is good BUT (sm) - Yochana

[ In Reply To ..]
just because you are an MT does not mean you should know all specialties. Does a doctor KNOW all specialties? I think not. USED to the MTSOs would put you on accounts according to your knowledge...now they just dump all the work in 1 pool (cost saving for them) and the MT is supposed to know everything. That simply is not reasonable. It's not that way in any other profession and should not apply to MT either.

Heck, why not just include your days off to calculate your daily line count!!!! - NM

[ In Reply To ..]
x

Me again. - tappytappy

[ In Reply To ..]
The downtime was because software I needed to run the program kept disconnecting me. I would lose whole reports that I had typed. It was stated to me that perhaps the problem was not enough licensed seats for the software. I was told to wait. I waited a few weeks. Then, they very nicely offered for me to learn a new specialty, which I did greatly appreciate. They didn't have to do that, but they did, and I think that was wonderful of them. Admittedly, I was slow to learn. That account was also noted by management to be "difficult," and yes, I found it so. They had very stringent QC guidelines, to the point of even correcting my placement of commas and grammar. (I was mortified, since I worked as a writer/editor of a magazine with over 80,000 circulation for a number of years). Anyway, my original point was that I don't think it's fair to say my average line counts are less than desired, when it includes the time that I sat doing nothing when I had been told to wait.

And, I think any MT that has to learn a new specialty is going to be slow at first. You have to take into account the different preferences/formats/requirements, etc. that different doctors want within those accounts too.

I just wanted to know if this practice is the "norm" for big companies. Thanks all for your responses.

Another thing, I cannot and will not state the name of the company, as I think that would be unethical.

That's not fair of them. - Jillian

[ In Reply To ..]
If there's no work you cannot be expected to make the required line count. Sounds like they're not "nice" people and enjoy keeping some on the probation status to avoid holiday pay.

Fair-shmair, though. This is how MT at home operates. It's our job - to make sure it works for us.

[ In Reply To ..]
Many of us do and do well. Some of that "it's not fair" energy so prevalent here would be much better spent refocused on "what do I do to succeed at this?"

ridiculous - wrkn4pnuts

[ In Reply To ..]
After nearly 10 years at a certain transcription company, after giving them a consistent 300+ lines an hour average - without voice recognition (what a joke) - I got called on the carpet, because my "keyboard time" wasn't meeting company quotas. Let's just say my attitude since then has been, mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. I turned in my notice the next day and got a better job, because I'm very good at what I do, and I'm worth it. Look out because I am on a tangent here. I may tick people off with what I'm going to say but I think deep down we all know the truth.

Has anybody figured out, as long as we keep taking their crap, they're going to keep pushing it! WHY are some of these people still in business? It's very simple - because we allow it! Having said that, I know it's a double-edged sword for MTs here in the States right now, with the economy and all. I know you have to do what you have to do - been there! What once was a great profession for us has become a sweatshop industry, but few of us seem to really try to change things. Not many American MTs are willing to stand up and say, 'Offshoring has to stop. I care enough to try and do something about it.' And I DO care - I care with the letters I write to my state reps, with petitions, with my vote. This isn't only about our jobs - this is about our personal information that goes to places where it is not protected by our laws.

Greed and offshoring ruined this profession for us. The profit that should be going into our pockets goes to someone else who doesn't even work for it - probably an "investor."

Original Poster tappytappy, I want you to know I am not directing this next comment towards you in any way.

But I am sick to death of people on this board whining about their situation, but they won't do anything about what's making them whine. Hate your job? Then CHANGE IT. Bite the bullet for a while, whatever it takes, but go back to school and get yourself an education for something that pays better. Student loans can be deferred. If you like your job, but the pay sucks, then look for someone who pays better. If you need more education, then go out and get it. There are better paying MT jobs out there. You just have to look in the right place. Use your head! Research is part of our job!

One more thing I'd like to say, and then I will shut up. Self-esteem. Get it and use it to your advantage.

Similar Messages:

Aug 28, 2012

I have a feeling I am going to get laughed right off of this page, but here goes. At any point does Nuance offer a performance review and/or pay increase? Also, has anyone ever threatened to quit and were offered an increase to stay? ...

Jan 30, 2012

to download. That's frutiy. Managment of workflow has changed too. They have been putting H and P's that are more than two hours old through. That's fruity. Jobs come totally out of order based on job numbers and date stamp. That's fruity. They will never get it together if past performance is any indication of future performance. ...

May 12, 2014

Help. I know you send a report with no questions with Control N but forgot how to send reports for review. ...

Aug 25, 2012

still confused as to how or when to use the above mentioned. anyone? thank you, THMT ...

Dec 27, 2012

Maybe he's saying "with" but don't hear that. Any ideas? Thank you for any ideas. ...

Mar 07, 2011

Everytime I do a search, it comes back with a lot of responses that date back to a few years ago. I'm looking for newer responses and do not want to weed throught the old ones to find the new ones. How can I do this? Thank you in advance to anyone who answers. ...

Apr 26, 2012

Catapres, Metoprolol, Famotadine, and s/l dangolamine??? Any ideas would be appreciated! ...

Apr 13, 2015

Add that to the all caps and $2000 dangling carrot (oops bonus I mean) and what do ya got? DESPARATE. Oh, the up to 0.127 cpl thrown in too I guess in case one is not dazzled by the other fake info. Way to go Nuance! HA If you valued the employees you have (or had) you wouldn't be the situation you are. ...

Apr 20, 2010

Can't find a reference for "flow air." ...

May 20, 2012

actually totally mingled together and Nuance employees will have other options as far as work available from Transcend accounts? Does anyone know or have they asked? I haven't gotten an exact definite answer from inquiries. ...

Oct 12, 2010

I haven't been put on PM yet but fear I might. Got an email that said I had a "low-scoring feedback report." It was for using follow up instead of followup (I know better) and then omitting the word "the." Now, I will own up to these mistakes, they WERE my mistakes, but by no means life-threatening in any case. But apparently this caused my score to drop below 98%. Now I'm terrified they are going drop my pay by 3 cents a line, and I am already in danger of not being able to ...

Nov 05, 2013

is there something going on with QC/perf coaches? got an email from mine today saying she was no longer our QC, no details ...

Jan 20, 2014

Would like to hear about personal experiences with performance management......Anyone having a difficult time meeting expectations in production and/or quality? ...

Mar 31, 2014

Are there any companies out there who do NOT punish their good employees? I have never worked a place yet where good performance is NOT punished. We're the "go-to" employees. We're the ones who can always be depended on, work overtime, do more than the required work, report to work on-time, and rarely or never call in sick. We're the ones who are told we're invaluable, indispensable, and that our company wishes they could "clone." Then what happ ...

Jul 13, 2014

on perf mgmt cause failed auditx wiht 99.34 or something like that. got verbal warning in ultipro. what happens next? ...

Dec 29, 2014

Has anyone ever had issues or been targeted by performance coach? If so, how did you handle it? Thanks. ...

Mar 05, 2015

Most of us are typing for many, many different hospitals. If you send out e-mails lumping all the hospitals together with helpful hints on what we are doing wrong and what we should be doing, where should we be filing these e-mails for future reference? If we take too long to try to find the info in your e-mails, that gets counted against us in the Inactivity Graft that we have to stare at each day. Unless you have a better suggestion, could you please simply split up ...

Jul 20, 2010

and you refuse to sign it, will it make a difference? Or should one refuse to sign it and go over the head of your immediate supervisor since obviously your supervisor and you disagree? ...

Nov 06, 2010

...on the community page. Nearly every employee I see is meeting or exceeding their minimum required line count. The numbers speak for themselves. They make these numbers available for anyone in the company to see. The posts on MTStars make it sound like there is absolutely no work for anyone. It is simply untrue. I am an Webmedx MT. I am not a suit. I am happy with my job. I too am tired of the constant bashing and conspiracy t ...

Dec 03, 2010

I am having a computer problem hope you can help...I have a laptop that I had to replaced the hard drive in about 6 weeks or so ago. When we first got it back, it worked faster than before. Now, less than 2 months later, it is really slow. I defragment the hard drive once a week, etc. but it has not helped. The PC that I use for work (I do not use for anything but work) never has had a problem with getting slower but with the laptop it is bad. Of cous ...

Apr 12, 2012

:) ...

May 03, 2012

I have just learned. ...

Feb 19, 2014

Does anyone who goes on Performance Management ever come off again, or does it inevitably result in a layoff/firing or quitting? Is this usually done after failing the 3rd audit? What usually happens when you fail your second audit? I've only failed one but I'm trying to put a plan together in case there's a 2nd. ...

Aug 07, 2014

I failed for the month of July at 9.38 so will be moving onto my final warning...I would love to know how many others are going through the same...Just makes me feel stupid and inadequate. :( Probably unemployment line for me soon. So humiliating. ...

Aug 07, 2014

It's clearly just a maneuver to save them money. The more of us on performance management, the less they have to pay us. I'm sure it is a monstrous savings to them. Failed my first audit this month. The minute I'm put on performance management is the minute I'm filing for social securty and changing my phone number. ...

Sep 03, 2014

Could/would someone please tell me where I can find information outlining performance management steps. TIA. ...

Sep 25, 2014

I know this has been discussed before, but I couldn't find the thread. I'm wondering exactly what the peformance action plan is. Are any of you on this and what is the reason behind why you were put on it. TIA. ...

Oct 27, 2014

are they still here? ...

Jan 09, 2015

This is the 3rd one since being put in this pod. I liked the last one because she was laid back, calm, answered the actual question you asked and actually gave useful nonshaming advice. The first PC I had in this group was hyperactive, never could seem to understand or answer the question asked, always had something to say about absolute correctness, and never let you get a word in edgewise if you tried talking to her on the phone. We'll see about this one. She sounds like she might be ...

Jan 17, 2015

Here is a link you may be interested in. http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/10/29/8-workplace-rights-your-employer-might-not-tell-you-about ...