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

Questions re. How Employees Work At Home - deadre

Posted: Jun 24, 2010

I'm a recent graduate of an MT program and have been reading a lot on the board about different companies and how they work. Could some of you nice people explain briefly how MTs who work at home as employees of a company do some things? There's an awful lot of info out there on the boards to try to take in! I assume one would log in and out on their computer at the beginning and end of a shift. It sounds like most company's employees do work set shifts - right? I actually did a couple of transcription jobs a while back for a company that did general transcription. It was all via internet (I had a very difficult time getting their files through the FTP/server). They worked on a turnaround time deadline. They would send me an email with the deadline and I would respond yes or no to whether I could do it. Then I was on my own as to when to do it, as long as it was completed by the deadline. I have read posts on this board about sitting around waiting for work to come, which may or may not. Then also about jobs being "picked" from a queue evidently available to multiple MTs. Even about being penalized for taking a bathroom break. I would really appreciate some enlightenment from some employees of different companies to get an idea of how they work. Thanks a lot in advance, deadre

There are variations but... - sapient

[ In Reply To ..]
I've worked as an employee for a hospital at home, as an employee for a MTSO (service), and as an IC for an MTSO.

As a hospital employee I used their computer. I would use my home telephone to clock into their time system. Then I would work my 8 hours making sure I was hitting the required average lines per hour. I was paid hourly.

As an employee for a MTSO, I use my computer, but I log into their system via a portal. I then work on the programs they have installed via this portal. This portal keeps track of my hours in it, therefore I don't have to do any additional clocking in and out. I work a set shift, but if I want to start early or late or take a long dinner break, they don't care. I get paid by the line, and have to maintain a certain amount per payperiod to be eligable for benifits and such.

As an independent contractor for an MTSO using EditScript, they installed the program on my computer, and I work on it whenever I want, though I am contracted to work 6 hours on each weekend day. I can work more than that, or I can log on during the week if I want to. No hours clocked, but I agreed to work mornings so I do, but sometimes I split up my shifts if I have stuff to do during the day. They then use the counter with EditScript to find my lines for the pay period and cut my check using that counter.

I hope that gives you an idea of how some of them work.

How it works for me. - heyho

[ In Reply To ..]
I am an employee of a hospital, but work from home. I'm paid hourly. Over the years, I've worked as an MT under every possible scenario, and this is, hands down, the way to go.

The computer is the property of the hospital. If anything goes wrong with it, the hospital IT staff will "remote in" and try to fix the problem. If they can't, I must physically bring the computer into the IT department at the hospital.

I punch a time clock electronically once I log in. The boss knows exactly what we're doing and can also tell how long we've been idle.

I get half an hour for lunch and two 15-minute breaks, just as if I were on site. I set a timer to keep myself honest. I have full benefits and get a cost of living raise annually (usually in the area of about 3-4%) and get paid time-and-a-half for working holidays. Back when there was overtime to be had, I'd also get paid time-and-a-half for that too. If you work for a service (as I have in the past), you can forget about getting raises or time-and-a-half.

I have never run out of work on my schedule (and never will), but for those who do (days, midweek), our hospital makes them take personal time out of their PTO OR they have the option of coming back on in the evening (where we really need the help to meet TAT) and finish their 8 hours.

sigh I miss my hospital job - sapient

[ In Reply To ..]
I was an idiot to let that baby go ;-(

Me too - My hospital job was unionized

[ In Reply To ..]
And,they had tuition reimbursement, but my "friend" convinced me that national was the way to go. And, to boot, I would be proofreading the work coming back from India! Oh, lord. I love India, like I would never be able to explain to all of you, but what a mistake!!! Give me my university hospital, unionized job back again, and you will never hear a peep out of me. Except, of course, to help a fellow MT in a time of stress or distress. I am there for you! Even if I leave the field (likely), I am will always have your backs. Much affection.

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