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

Unpaid 30 minute break and... - justdontknow

Posted: Jul 22, 2013

I don't mind having an unpaid 30-minute break, but the thing that bothers me about some of these companies is the fact that it is tiring sitting at a computer for 8 hours and getting only a 30 minute break. If I want two more 15 minute breaks those can be worked in, but then I have to add back 30 more minutes to my time! I like to at least stretch ever hour or so. :/

Agree. In this business... - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Up until these national off-shoring companies monopolized the industries, no one expected MTs to stare at a screen typing nonstop for hours at a time. Think about how crazy that is. That's why we were paid hourly or on production and made our own schedule as long as we fulfilled our commitment.

It actually makes more sense to me that these big MTSOs demand it. They have no clue.

I'm more surprised by MTSOs who have supervisors and/or owners who used to be MTs even think this is in any way humanly possible without quality suffering, work fatigue affecting morale and production, eye strain, physical pain and discomfort, etc. It's even worse to do this with the repetitive motions and monotony of VR as opposed to straight.

I can't believe what's happened to this industry. Now the only ones you hear who "love" their job are those who still work for those rare great companies but are afraid to share the names (I understand), or those who think all the above is acceptable because their only worth is, "I get to work from home". Sigh. So sad.

Unpaid breaks - Me too

[ In Reply To ..]
Boo, hoo, hoo...I don't know if you realize it, but MTSOs are not the only ones who have unpaid 30-minute breaks. Every onsite employer I have had, the work day has been 8.5 or 9.0 hours. Where I work, it is our choice to take a 30-minute or 60-minute lunch break but it is on our time. Our employer wants 8 hours of work, not 7.5 or 7. I also sit at a computer all day but don't do MT. I rarely take 15-minute breaks because I am too busy, life is rough.

shoot....most of the day is - an unpaid break

[ In Reply To ..]
just sitting here refreshing the screen every 15 minutes waiting for work to come in. I would rather work.

LOL - You nailed it! A day-long unpaid break - is exactly what MT has devolved into. NM

[ In Reply To ..]
X

I am waiting for the day - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
when OSHA or someone gets involved and finds out exactly what is required of us and what we are not allowed to do to preserve our health while performing our jobs. We should be allowed at least 5 minutes of stretching or relief from intensive computer work at least every hour, and many employers require this, including where my husband works even though his computer work is not nearly as intensive as what we do as MTs. Do a search on computer safety and health hazards and note how some industries and companies value the health of their employees, Berkeley University Health Services for example, as noted on their website...1.Computer users should not be required to perform continuous, intensive keyboard work, such as highly repetitive data entry or wordprocessing, for longer than half an hour without the opportunity for five minutes of alternate work or the employee's regularly scheduled work break. Alternate work should not include other forms of typing or data entry that are substantially similar to computer duties and should provide a rest from intensive visual demands.

The day is coming, although I will not be here to see it, either gone from MT or dead. This has become, as many have noted here, a sweatshop industry flying under the radar of health safety for its workers, and something will eventually happen to bring it attention of health authorities.

Yeah, all that "hands on the keyboard" garbage - is gonna come back & bite them someday. NM

[ In Reply To ..]
X

perhaps you should consider working hourly pay. - NM

[ In Reply To ..]
~~

myptevious job was hourly - original poster

[ In Reply To ..]
My previous job was hourly and the same way. My main complaint is not having an unpaid lunch. My complaint is as long as you are meeting or exceeding the 8-hour line/hour quota, then one should be able to take a5 or 10-minute break without having to add time back in or be penalized or scolded for having done so.

Most companies have impossible-to-meet quotas. - MTBankAccount

[ In Reply To ..]
That doesn't exclude them from needing breaks. If anything they (myself included) are even more harried and tense trying to meet these ridiculous standards, and tire more easily, so sometimes we need even more breaks. So that's why when I need one, I take it, because taking breaks actually makes us MORE productive, not less so.

I take my breaks when I need them. (sm) - MTBankAccount

[ In Reply To ..]
If they can't keep the work coming in with any regularity, why should I care if I already took a break earlier, and find myself needing another later on? I take it. They forget to factor in the stress of logging on to find:
a) No work
b) All 20-min. dictation messes by the worst ESL in the account.
c) All reports by the P.A. who never adds the demographics, leaving the MT with a 15-min. snipe hunt for each report. Unpaid, of course.

No, my health, both mental and physical, is far more important than the statistics the company's bean-counters might be collecting on me.

I also take breaks when I need to. - mt2

[ In Reply To ..]
I take my dog out, I get something to drink, I get up and move, look at my facebook page/news, etc. I am not sitting here with fingers on the keyboard for pennies on the dollar. When I feel the urge to get up, I do. And no, I don't clock out except for my 30-minute break and yes, I'm able to make a decent paycheck w/out working OT.(Husband has an income or I'd be killing myself here.)

This is the only way I can get through the day here.

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