Below are some facts. Read into them what you will:
*The company keeps making profits each year, but the salary range for medical interpreters tops out at $22/hour, even if you are certified.
* You will not receive a cost of living raise.
* You will not receive a merit-based raise until you have worked there for at least 3 years. And who knows if they will give it to you then. $17-$22/hour is insulting for the work we do. It is also unsustainable. That was not enough money for me to support myself and I had to rely on others to help pay bills, housing, etc.
* Our work is treated and tracked like we are a call center, completely disregarding the skill it takes to do what we do and how challenging a job it is physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sitting still looking good and professional and attentive centered in a screen is physically taxing. Trying to listen with the low-quality headsets we are given is migraine-inducing.
* Video remote interpreters only have 30 seconds between sessions. It is not uncommon for Spanish language interpreters to have 25-35 sessions per day. The 30 seconds between sessions are considered "sanity breaks" and you are to use that time to stretch and hydrate. That is not enough time to really do either of those things well. One minute, you are ending a session where you were interpreting a genetic counseling appointment in Texas, and thirty seconds later, you are interpreting for a Physical Therapy session in a gym full of loud background noise in Tennessee.
* There is a lot of talk about self-care, but no real support for that
* You do not get time to do administrative work, like completing trainings or reading emails, etc. You have to do those while you are in a session where you are asked to wait for a provider to come.
* Changes in policy are made without discussing them with clients or interpreters first, but interpreters are expected to implement the changes and deal with the consequences and backlash.
* Video-Remote Interpreters can work from home, but they must have a "studio" office that meets very specific, restrictive conditions. You need a router 10 feet away from your computer, a locking door, pets are not allowed in your office, even the quietest and non-disruptive cats. You must have a very good internet connection, but you don't get paid for that.
* You are only given the minimum legally mandated breaks: two 15-minute breaks and one 30 minute lunch. You are not allowed to take your breaks when you need them. You must take your breaks when they have been scheduled for you, BUT if you are in a session, you have to wait until it is over, then immediately take the break.
* You may be monitored remotely by a Quality Monitoring person at any time. They are more concerned about your presentation than the quality of your interpretation. Are you centered and still in the middle of the screen? Is your lighting perfect? Are you wearing too many accessories? Did you say your lengthy script at the beginning and end of every session?
* You will be given poor-quality headsets to do a job that requires intense listening. This will give you headaches and ear pain and tinnitus.
* Eye strain is so intense, you will need glasses.
* The complete exhaustion at the end of an 8 hour work day and at the end of a 40 hour work week makes it impossible to have real work-life balance.
Until interpreters unionize and begin to demand better working conditions, they will continue being exploited and used up until they leave.
This whole situation creates an environment where good interpreters will leave and the quality of service to our patients and providers will suffer. I worry for the mental health and safety of interpreters who continue to work at AMN Language Services.
