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

Would you work for 5 cents a line? - NewMT

Posted: Jul 28, 2012

I was offered a job making 5 cents a line for straight transcription. Is that an insult or a fair wage?

I don't believe that I would - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
as that seems very low for straight typing. However, even MTs with years and years of experience are getting only 8 cpl.

It isn't "fair" per se, but if you need the job and want to be an MT, you could do it for a year until you could move to another company and get more.

I remember when I started out we were getting at least 6 or 7 cpl. It is a terrible trend that is happening right now.

I wouldn't. - Noway

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That's about what VR is paying so if it's straight typing they're taking full advantage of you needing a job.

Absolutely not - nm

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nm

Absolutely not!! - NEVER

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I wouldn't even consider a job that paid that and I will tell you why? I tried working for low pay, try 6 cpl (which isn't much better than 5 cpl). OMG, you cannot and I mean you cannot make any money whatsoever. Maybe if you had a good account and lots of macros, you could make $10.00 an hour, but have to work your fanny off to get even that. Don't waste your time. Shoot for the stars and go for 7 cpl! LOL. I make 8 cpl and will never, ever make any more with the company I work for and it is the best account ever (dictator wise, all American docs), but between the sporadic work flow and the short reports I get some times, it is so hard to make my lines and any decent money! It is very difficult to make a good wage, like we used to.

That's About $10 an Hour +/- - mt13

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Only doing work for free is an insult these days. I'm reconsidering these "low" line rates in today's economic reality. To determine your "hourly rate," most MTs can type 200 lines an hour. That means if can type 200 lines an hour at $0.05 per line, you're making $10 an hour. Not bad given what's out there, and especially if you're new. I'd give it a chance.

Your hourly rate diminishes of course by lesser line count because of researching terms, verifying info, etc.

At this point, I would take a chance. You have nothing to lose and it may not be forever. Unless you can get a job that pays more than $10 an hour, I'd go for it and see what happens.

I've been doing this for 15 years and have surely typed for less than $5 an hour at times, given uncertainty with terms, etc., when starting out--and many times even now.

I would not be too proud to accept anything anymore unless I absolutely didn't need the money. It's not a matter of pride--it's a matter of earning some kind of income. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Hope you decide to give it a try.

Your mind set is exactly why companies get away with these - insulting wages!

[ In Reply To ..]
If people - everyone - would say NO to this type of wage, 5, 6 or 7 a line, they would have to pay it - this would force them to bed the contracts like they should. If all companies start bidding up where they need to be to make a living and pay us what we are worth, things WILL change! The people like you are killing our field. If more companies bid higher, I'm telling you, the work won't go overseas if there is a great majority still bidding up where it needs to be. Do you really think MModal or Nuance is bidding 10 cents a line? HECK NO!! It's up in the upper teens per line! WAKE UP!

no, YOU need to wake up - Snow Bunny

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You have absolutely no idea what MModel and Nuance are charging, unless you've read the contracts. You also don't know how the funds are distributed: percentage of social security tax for employees, for starters.

Sometimes I REALLY choke on the hubris here.

Really uncalled for - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
"The people like you are killing our field." Seriously?? Wow - that's pretty rude, not to mention wrong.

ITA with mt13. It's a JOB. It's experience. Take it as an in-between if you want. It's at least something. If you hate it, leave. If you like it, bonus!

But regardless of what you do, PLEASE ignore posts like the one above. Do what you feel is best for YOU.

Not uncalled for at all - Old Pro

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It is her opinion, after all, and it does happen to be true.

She didn't have to personally attack... - sm

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the OP. Not to mention, the OP is a NEWBIE. All of us have been there. 5 cpl is not that horrific or insulting for someone just out of the gate with no experience.

I understand her opinion, and for someone with experience I agree that 5 cpl is too little, but her post was very rude and nasty towards the OP and *that* is what was uncalled for.

Wake up, indeed! - Old Pro

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I wouldn't get out of bed for 5 cpl. It is indeed an insult.

thank *** we're not all you - Snow Bunny

[ In Reply To ..]
What means more to me than the almighty dollar are a good platform, wonderful QA, control of my schedule, great dictators, and ESLs who actually speak decent English.

To each their own.

As a former in-house MT that saw a MQ contract, it was only for 12.3 cpl. - WideAwake

[ In Reply To ..]
I can consistently transcribe 300 lph on straight typing, so it would be $15 an hour for me. I can either find a lower cpl with a lot of work or sit and wait for work at 9 cpl. I would rather have $15 an hour than $0. Just sayin'

How about deducting expenses from that $10/hr. sm - RoadrunnerMT

[ In Reply To ..]
OP didn't state but I can pretty much "assume" that job is as an IC and not employee so take expenses, electricity, internet, away from $10 and I bet you end up in the hole/negative!

No. And yes, insult - MT

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To me that sounds like a company that is a subcontractor to another "normal" paying MTSO. No way would I work for that.

Would you work for 5 cents a line - Tiger

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I would have to say, no. This job is difficult and you need a modicum of intelligence to master it. I see ads in my local paper; I live in Florida, that are hiring clerks and receptionists at 10.00 an hour. In NYC, transcriptionists make anywhere from 17.00 to 25.00 an hour. I believe we should get at least 15.00 per hour. - .05 cents a line per 200 line hour only comes to 10.00, may as well be a receptionist.

Wage in NYC is deceptive as cost of living is 3x higher - nm

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x

I soo agree and In Miami - nn

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I live in Miami and now living in a motel "homeless." There is NO assistance availale either. Rooms here are $800 a month and these companies want to pay us 5-7 cpl? i love the MTs as well who just say "move to a different part of the country." Umm hello, Right now getting a whopping $800 a month in UE, and it takes money to move as well.

Independent contractor or employee with benefits? - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
.

I would not - AnOldMT

[ In Reply To ..]
work for 5 cents per line; that's an insult no matter what your experience. I got paid 5 cents per line in 1980! Gas and food were cheaper then. Rents were cheaper.

Depends where you are in your MT life... - B

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In 2006, when I was first starting out, I took a job for 5 cpl because I had no other offers with no experience. I always had plenty of work, and I was able to make between 500.00 monthly (when I first started) and 1700.00 monthly. I stayed there 4 years and gained a lot of experience. I went up to 7cpl there and stalled out. I moved on to make 8.3 and 8.25 where I am now. I don't think newbies should say no to gaining experience with a place that pays lower but welcomes entry level workers. I do think we should all move on from lower pay when we can and as we are able. I owe a lot to that first company. Didn't pay me too well, but I learned and earned for 4 years there.

would you work for 5 cents a line - poverty princess

[ In Reply To ..]
yes, it is an insult. Keep looking.

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