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Typing speed cut in half with poor dictators? Try this... - Linda
Posted: May 29, 2015
It can be shocking to see what your actual typing speed averages with poor dictators, pauses in dictation, having to research, etc.
- Take your total lines per shift.
- Divide by number of hours you work.
- Times 11 (I believe average words per line)
- Divided by 60 (minutes) Equals your words per minute.
So if you do what many MTSOs require, 250 lines transcription per hour, your average typing speed to achieve that is 45.8 WPM. If your typing speed is really twice that (92 WPM), you are only being paid for half the work you do. The other half consists of research, pauses in dictation and other things we are required to do without pay. If your average typing speed is cut in half by bad dictators you are only being paid for about 50% of your work. A competent dictator allows us to transcribe our fastest time with very few pauses, doubling our time and money.
I'm thinking this is something that should be reported to the labor board. Perhaps it has not been because it is difficult to quantify the amount of work you do for free. Perhaps the above would give them a good idea of how much work we do without pay.
I used to be in law enforcement where we were required to come in 15 minutes early for "briefing" and leave 15 minutes late for "debriefing" (filling in the new shift of what transpired on our shift). We were not paid for this required 30 minutes per day. When I left that job I took them to the labor board and was awarded back pay of 30 minutes for every day I worked. Do you think we could win similar awards for our unpaid work? If I had a labor board that answered the phone, I'd ask what evidence is needed. Is it sufficient to present their rules and account specs highlighting all the work required that is unpaid?
We have seen what transpired from the labor board suits from MTs not being paid minimum wage. Now they all seem to be paying at least minimum wage. Would a suit for unpaid labor similarly result in our being paid per hour? If successful, I think it could either do that or shut down these middlemen when they are forced to pay a living wage and getting our jobs back. Your thoughts?
typing speed - cherylsue
[ In Reply To ..]Most of us don't really "type" anymore, so not sure if your plan would work.
The same principles and productivity drains apply when editing. NM - echomt
[ In Reply To ..]XX
I know, but how do you define what is included in editing.... - Linda
[ In Reply To ..]vs. what they require you do for free? It's easier to identify these unpaid duties with straight transcription because they only pay for black characters on the page, that delineates our paid from non-paid labor. I can see them claiming all this unpaid work is part the editor's position.
If the hospitals and clinics would do away with the middlemen... - SickNTired
[ In Reply To ..]they could still save money and pay us more.
The only problem is turnaround time... - Linda
[ In Reply To ..]From what I understand, the only benefit provided by the MTSO is turnaround time and the SR software, or do they charge for that too?
Quality is not improved with an MTSO, as we did fine without QA and a supervisor for decades. I can see how closing the in-house MT departments saves money, as they don't have the overhead, but they are paying the MTSO more than they paid us as IC MTs.
I don't think MTSOs do anything to warrant their positions. They are just leaching off of us. I think it hit them hard to learn they had to pay minimum wage, but I think we need to take it a step further with labor board complaints for unpaid labor. I highly doubt this is legal.
Very true what you say - cindy
[ In Reply To ..]Very true. I worked for 20 years without someone going over my work with a fine tooth comb. The doctors were very grateful for their work getting done. And if we couldn't hear something or didn't know what he was saying we would get one of our colleagues or all of them to listen till we figured it out. The MTSO are just a waste of time, and money paying extra for unneeded services. The only time work needs to be reviewed is the new people coming on to make sure they are competent to do the work. The main reason the hospitals get rid of MTs is for the space is what I heard when I was working in the hospital. The other reason is that they can put this in a different category and it makes it look better on paper that they are saving money on employees and their bottom line looks better.
I would not put it past these MTSOs to even pad their line count numbers to the hospitals. I remember when I was bringing home work and making 10 cents a line for a physical line. Those were the best times ever and that was on an IBM selectric. Made way more than I ever dreamed of these days. Computers just screwed us all and not just our field, but many other careers.
Good idea, but - cindhy
[ In Reply To ..]The MTSOs complain about paying minimum wage, and threaten to fire you if you keep getting MUP (makeup pay). So their solution to that is as soon as you run out of work you have to punch out. So I tried to type slow and stay punched in because MUP was better than what I was getting with no work. That's when I got the threatening e-mails saying we have to cut down on makeup pay, so they don't even want to pay minimum wage. They want us to all work for free. How about they work for free, since they want this so bad and pay us their salary and I am out of MT now and I wish I had gone to the labor board. Maybe its not too late, but I don't keep good records of my time, For everybody that is still there you all are just in a bad situation and it just keeps getting worse. Even working in a bakery I made more for part-time than I did sitting at Big N waiting for work to come in and having to punch out while there was none.
Cinhy, Please call the labor board... - Linda
[ In Reply To ..]They have all your payroll records and the labor board can subpoena all of those. I don't know what the statute of limitations is on labor claims, but it is worth a phone call to find out. If you call, please let us know what they say.
Good for you for getting out of this profession. I wish you luck in the future. I'm sure it will be much better for you!
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