Still recovering - Speech-Language Pathologist Pearson Employee Review

My top 10 observations during my short year working for Pearson LiveSpeech: 10. Most SLPs are aware that the pay is much lower than in most places, but they still sign on because Pearson claims to have a workload approach of 40/60. However, many requirements are not factored into the 40% indirect time. Time spent obtaining additional licenses is not included. If sessions need to be canceled for fingerprinting or other requirements, you have four weeks to make up the minutes. Their systems are excessively antiquated and convoluted, requiring uploads to multiple platforms, which consumes additional time. For example, completing an evaluation involves uploading it to one system, confirming test completion in another, informing the special ed director via internal messaging, and sending it to the caretaker via email. Failure to complete these steps correctly may result in overdue evaluation reports in the internal audit system, requiring explanations. 9. While sick time and vacation time are provided, minutes need to be made up, discouraging the use of sick time. Managers closely monitor progress, pressuring employees to fulfill accumulated minute quotas that accrued even before the job started, leaving little room for sick leave. 8. Employees may be required to obtain licenses in any state at any time without a cap on the number of states. There is no time allocated to take steps needed to obtain the licences and to fulfill the diverse continuing education requirements for each state. There are one hour long professional development meetings but they are not based on what the staff has indicated as a need. Instead, it's more like Freshman orientation in undergrad. For example, one session consisted of topics like professional communication and how to stay off your phone during work, because apparently they think we have time to scroll social media and text friends. 7. If you work in a state with a caseload cap, once you reach that cap, they will have you take more students in another state. So loopholes, that may or may not be legal, are used to ignore state caps. 6. Despite diverse student needs, only $125 is allocated for online subscriptions. This poses a challenge when supporting students from all grades levels with needs ranging from basic vocalic /r/ remediation to high school students requiring intensive language intervention. 5. There is pressure to group all students, with monthly audits tracking the percentage of grouped students. High grouping numbers are celebrated in meetings, although this practice may be ethically questionable and potentially violates IDEA law. 4. If you are hoping to move up, which you can tell those that do (e.g ., cheering in chat at meetings for those high grouping numbers), don't hold your breath. They hire SLPs they feel they can shape; not the many highly qualified SLPs that apply and that have been with them for years. I witnessed this after my manager resigned mid-year. 3. You are required to meet with a mentor monthly but your mentor may not be working in your state(s) assigned, or even your pod which consists of many states. So, many of the things you need support with; state specific terms and ancroyms, case management protocols, progress report protocols, pod protocols, etc.... the SLP mentor won't know. 2. Attempting to get reimbursed for licenses and the measly $125 allowed for supplies is a headache due to their systems, poor communication, and their policy of one expense report per month. Seriously, at times it felt like they were purposely trying to make it difficult to get reimbursed. Yet another time sucking aspect not calculated in that 40% indirect time. And the number 1 observation of my time working at Pearson LiveSpeech..... Drum roll- They required ASHA CCCs! Not only do they require ASHA CCCs, they don't reimburse for ASHA CCCs until you have worked there for two years. And, even if you aren't currently being reimbursed, they expect you to pay your ASHA CCCs in October and download proof into the license and certification tracking IA. Even if you let the lady in charge of tracking your licenses and ASHA CCCs know in the IA that you will pay at the end of December before it is due, she will harass you in the IA and post screen shots of your contract that says you will keep your ASHA CCCs current. Attempting any logic with this lady is waste of time; time you will not have.