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

making more than me - wondering

Posted: Nov 29, 2010

Just found out through the grapevine that someone was hired at my company at a higher cpl that I was offered. I have been there since June and was offered a low rate compared to most MTSO companies. But it did get me off the midnight shift at a different company, which I would have stayed with had I been given the opportunity to change shifts. She was offered 2 cpl more for straight and 1.75 cpl more for ASR. I also have more years in the profession than she does, and working the same hours. I also have one of the harder accounts with more ESL.

Do I say something to my boss (who probably has nothing to say about the pay), what do I say? I know we were hired by a recruiter, so not even sure I would talk to her, she is doing what she was told, I am sure. Just wanted someone else's opinion. Not been in this situation in over 30 years with this profession.

Hard To Know - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
They may have changed their line rate in the past several months. That doesn't mean people who were hired earlier than that get a line rate hike, it means that new people hired are started at the new rate.

I think there's nothing wrong with you asking your supervisor for a line rate hike. I wouldn't bring up that you found something out through the grapevine, though. It could be false information, and if they know people are finding everything out about everyone's salaries, nobody will get a rate hike. If you have a high quality rating on a difficult acute care account, you deserve more money.

With all that being said, I do want to make a comment on "the more years experience, the better." It doesn't necessarily mean better. (I am trusting poster that she has a high rate of quality along with the experience.) Example: I worked at a small MTSO for a short time before going out on my own. When I first started out, my being fresh out of school, a girl came in with 6 years cardiology experience
to my 1 year of school and a few months of cardiology. The MTSO was asking me to correct her work. All her 6 years didn't match up to my good schooling and 1 month, because nobody had taught her right to begin with.

WOW! That's a big difference! - JCM

[ In Reply To ..]
As you well know, this is always a touchy subject. If you say something, they'll probably ask you exactly how you found this out. From what you say regarding your account(s) and your experience, it sounds like you should definitely be making more. I'll tell you though, if that was me, I would have to question my superior about it. That's just not right. Be really careful though because squeaky wheels don't always get the grease. Good luck to you. Keep us posted.

pay rate - none

[ In Reply To ..]
I know someone from my company was told that if they disclose their pay rate that is a reason for termination, which I think is so wrong. I think everyone should know everyone elseâ��s pay rate and why theirs may be different. Suze Orman thinks so also.

It could very simply be that the other account has a bigger budget - Happy MT Robin

[ In Reply To ..]
You have to be careful with a situation like this because, depending on how you found out about the rate of pay, it could lead to unpleasant consequences for you and for the other person. As another poster said, very often discussing one's pay is grounds for ermination because it leads to situations exactly like this.

It could be something as simple as the other account just pays better - they have a different, possibly older contract, or they are just more willing to pay more $$. Who knows. Not all accounts with the same MTSO are on the same pay scale.

Good point - what if this new MTs account doesn't pay for spaces - so the co. made an adjustmen - My company makes an adjustment if the

[ In Reply To ..]
new account coming on does not pay for spaces. When I work on #1 account with spaces my regular pay but on account #2 where spaces are not calculated I make 17% more.

Maybe she is a CMT and gets paid more for that? - lka

[ In Reply To ..]
I am NOT a CMT but was asked before I was hired and offered the job. Could that make the difference? I think having CMT behind your name is just a title, but does not necessarily mean you have more years of experience than me... ya know what I mean?

It could also be the account is a harder or more specialized account. - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't know how much anyone else makes at my company, but I do know when I was in the interview process, I was told they were staffing two large accounts and that one account paid higher than the other because it was specialized and at a teaching hospital. Of course I wanted the higher paying account, but it depended on how well I tested and whether the manager on that account felt I would be a good fit. I tested well and interviewed well with the manager and got the higher paying account, BUT it is a difficult account with high ESL and more specialized procedures, etc. So I may make more per line as other MTs at my company, but I'm working my butt off.

I can also tell you that I have over 20 years experience as an MT, but that only figured very little in what I was offered. My experience has been what you are offered is based heavily on how well you test.

If I were you, I would go ahead and ask for a cpl hike, but choose your words wisely. And do not thow anyone else under the bus, i.e. don't say "I heard it through the grapevine..." or "So and so and I were talking..."

Mind your own fence - mt

[ In Reply To ..]
What someone else is being paid has nothing to do with you. Perhaps she's more skilled. Perhaps she's a better negotiator. Because someone is able to negotiate a better rate than you were able to negotiate does not make you entitled to that same rate.

There are just so many variables that go into it. I'm actually happier to hear that than that there is one rate across the board regardless of experience, skill, and negotiating skills as there is where I work.

First of all, it is actually none of your - lk

[ In Reply To ..]
business what anyone else makes where you work. Just because you have more "experience" does not mean anything. You don't know the circumstances of the other person being hired, she may have come in at the rate she was making elsewhere, may have a "specialty" that makes her more qualified for the position she is in, etc. Worry about your own job, not hers.

P.S. -- You also said you heard it through the "grapevine." How reliable is that?????

Pay rate - none

[ In Reply To ..]
I disagree --- this is what gives these companies power being able to pay peanuts to one person and almonds to another!!! Suze Orman says we should all know what each person is being paid and why!!!! I agree ---- disempower the corporations!!!!

Didn't Want to Say it, but... - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I didn't want to say it, but not everyone is equal in a company. If one does heavy duty ESL, including all acute care specialities including all surgeries and procedures, but only has 3 years experience, why should a 3-speciality easy clinic MT get more or the same, even if she or he has 10 years experience?

I'm not putting anyone down, but this makes sense to me. And it's not anybody's business. Making it everybody's business is how everybody gets diddlysquat, regardless of ability. Keeps the fights down.

I agree wholeheartedl. It isn't everyone's business how a - company negotiates with each EE.

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Since market forces determine our wages, - what others make is very much our business.

[ In Reply To ..]
Smart, competent people make it their business to know what others are earning.

A vague "grapevine" is an extremely unreliable source, though. When I was an appraiser (before Internet days), people would tell me what a neighbor's house sold for. I'd stand there with my public records info on my clipboard and never contradict them, but if the seller had told them, the price claimed was usually significantly higher than it really was. If it was the buyer who told them, the figure was usually significantly lower than it really was. Human nature. Based on my experience, anywhere from 2/3 to 3/4 of us can't resist massaging our figures a bit.

It definitely is her business to know - Happy MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Why shouldn't someone know if he or she is getting the fair rate for doing the same work as another person? She should just ask her supervisor why or if there's a difference in pay. The supervisor isn't going to shoot her for asking. I was a crew manager for 20 employees for years. My employees were free to ask me about fairness in pay. Anyone who wouldn't ask about the pay policy will get lost in the shuffle. So I recommend being open about the situation. If the rumors are false, the supervisor will let her know. Pay isn't a matter of national security. It's a matter of fairness in this case. I'm sure a short conversation with the supervisor will help to clear the air and get rid of resentment. We all work for pay, so our pay should be fair.

We all work for pay, so our pay should be fair. - glt

[ In Reply To ..]
This statement is so open for interpretation.

Perhaps the OP doesn't do as good a job as she thinks, or she restricts herself or she just didn't ASK for more money.

I think she should ask her supe but I don't see that just because someone makes X that it entitles everyone else to make X by reason of "fairness."

Wow, she should certainly make it her business. - BackwoodMT

[ In Reply To ..]
The 2 cpl difference very well could be on an account with VBC, and clients are in the habit of asking for that. If you went from typing and being paid with spaces to being paid without spaces, it would equate to about a 2 cpl difference.

If not, it is still her business to know this. If she is not as qualified or perhaps it is a more difficult account, ESLs, etc., she still must know this or how would she ever know the requirement to strive for that higher pay? I think discussing that with the account manager would certainly show some ambition and motivation and motivation on her part.

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