VFlutter
Flight Nurse
- 3,728
- 1,265
- 113
I worked 24 a week as a student. Full time RNs work 36 a week (3 12s). I have been working 36 the past few months since I only have class one day a week.
Austin Travis County EMS hiring Paramedics and paying them as Basics
- Thread starter ExpatMedic0
- Start date
I worked 24 a week as a student. Full time RNs work 36 a week (3 12s). I have been working 36 the past few months since I only have class one day a week.
marshmallow22
Forum Crew Member
- 60
- 2
- 0
:glare:
Because this job is not only fun, but it's the easiest job in the world. There are so many other professions and jobs that you have to work much harder at to make that kind of money... not to mention the fat cat pension I'll be getting when I retire.
Because this job is not only fun, but it's the easiest job in the world. There are so many other professions and jobs that you have to work much harder at to make that kind of money... not to mention the fat cat pension I'll be getting when I retire.
I too am happy that I have a pension....... But you are waaaayyyy to confident that it will be there when you retire(I am gonna guess you still have over 20yrs). You have to contribute to a seperate retirement account if you want to insure you will live like a "fat cat"....... The age of Pension reform is here, Texas pensions have been under attack the past few years, they have already been overhauled in CA and NV. If Texas retirements do not stay modest, then we will be next. The only way to insure a retirement....... Is to literally go out and make it happen.
Easiest job in the world?
RocketMedic
Californian, Lost in Texas
- 4,998
- 1,462
- 113
I didn't mind it. They didn't force-feed Koolaid, at the very least.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
- 6,289
- 2,162
- 113
Hey marshmallow22[YOUTUBE]ggXmKPMaHMo[/YOUTUBE]
NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
- 12,203
- 6,965
- 113
I love what I do, and I certainly appreciate my pension plan, but I wouldn't call it the "easiest job in the world."
Fat cat pensions are going by the wayside. It's my goal to work toward keeping what I've got. And yes, I invest on the side. Gotta hedge those bets.
Fat cat pensions are going by the wayside. It's my goal to work toward keeping what I've got. And yes, I invest on the side. Gotta hedge those bets.
What kool-aid do you keep talking about?
RocketMedic
Californian, Lost in Texas
- 4,998
- 1,462
- 113
An agency's loud and omnipresent claims of superiority and the culture surrounding it. I really do wish I'd done more research before I moved up here, I honestly was happier at my old job.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
- 6,289
- 2,162
- 113
this link will explain the phrase http://bit.ly/SjBZzi
I know the phrase, just wondered what kool-aid he kept referring to
marshmallow22
Forum Crew Member
- 60
- 2
- 0
Yeah, I realize that pensions are under attack, however CA and NV based a lot of theirs on the housing market with mortgage backed securities and the tax revenue generated from those highly inflated home values. The bubble burst and so did CA and NV's pension system. Texas has one of the strongest economy's in the nation and did not have a fraction of "the bubble" that CA and NV did. And yes, I also contribute to my 457b plan. Yes, compared to other jobs that I've had in the past, this by far is the easiest, and most fun. So I do not mind putting extra hours, especially if I want to enjoy some of the nicer material things now and then.
Where are you working now? Why'd you move there?
I don't understand you. Throughout this thread you've been intentionally vague for the most part, and then you complain that everyone's speculating, this post being the latest example.
Need I remind you that I've asked you specific questions about your department? Post # 127 on this thread to be exact. It's cute that you've conveniently ignored that post, but then you say you "had a good laugh" about my assumptions.
Regarding my comparison of the pension job with a 48 hour schedule @ $15/hr and the private job w/ 401k @ $20/hr, explain to me how my numbers are inaccurate.
Anyway, here's my questions about your department, again:
Some questions about ATC-EMS out of curiosity:
What is the service requirement (how many years) for the defined benefits retirement? For example, is it 25/55? Does there have to be an addition of age to years of service?
What is the percentage multiplier for the pension benefit? For example, CCEMS only offered 1.8% @ 28 years of service, which only gives you a 50% yearly benefit.
Is your medical premium paid by the employer after your retirement, or do you have to pay the premium 100%? Is your medical insurance portable?
What are the bottom and top salaries for each position, and how many years does it take to reach that top pay?
Do you have a DROP (TERI in SC)? I've heard Houston fire has a ten year drop @ 20 years of service.
How much do you pay in bi-weekly medical premiums, and are there deductibles?
How many light duty positions are available for the injured and pregnant?
How many different positions are there for non -supervisory employees that do not involve field EMS transport?
How many supervisor positions are there in your organization, and what is your total headcount for the organization?
What criteria are used to fufill or deny leave requests?
What is your policy on mandatory recall and holdover? Also, if the employee has travel plans on their days off (plane tickets, hotel reservations, etc), can they be held or recalled?
Are CEU's given on duty, are they given off duty but mandated and compensated for, or are your employees on their own?
Are units automatically placed in-service as soon as they arrive at the hospital, or are they permitted to finish their report before having to go back in-service?
Is there a policy in place that lets an employee use their leave to go home during the overnight hours of their shift (or the next day if held over) if they feel they are too tired to drive or give pt care?
Maybe we can have more accurate information and not have to make assumptions if you would answer these questions, thanks
This was quite simple. ATC-EMS starts ay $15/hr, AMR, $20. I simply showed how a $5/hr difference in pay invested 100% over 25 years can easily trump a 50% pension @ 25 years with a very modest annualized return, which was less than you would get from a relatively stable bond fund, such as the Vanguard intermediate-Term Bond Index, for example. Don't take my word for it, just look up that fund (I generally go with ETF's, but the regular fund will show the necessary price history) and see for yourself. It's the same where I work. We pay 7% of our base pay into the retirement fund, and the county pays 33%. If I could keep the 40% and invest it, I'd have way more than what my pension will pay, and it's about 75% @ 25 years, and around $100% @ 30 years of service. Having the three year DROP mitigates this to an extent, but I'd still rather have 40% of my base pay to invest every year instead of 75% @ 25/55. Explain to me how any of this is innacurate given what little information I've been given.
Oh, did I forget to mention that the 401k employee in our $15/hr vs. $20/hr example will also have their principal in their posession in addition to the income that their investment yields? You don't get that with defined benefits.
If you would be so kind as to show us your company's grade and step incease information, perhaps I can give a more accurate analysis, thanks
Layers of paint are irrelevant; the 401k is portable. 100% of my 403b money from my previous hospital based employer, plus their contributions was rolled into my 457 where I currently work.
Volatility is irrelevant for the long term, which is why you and your advisor need to decide how to allocate your capital over the various asset classes, and then perform percentage based portfolio rebalancing. It's that simple. Market timing never works out in the long run.
marshmallow22
Forum Crew Member
- 60
- 2
- 0
In reply to the main financials:
23 years of service x 3% per year.
Employee contributes 8% per check mandatory pre tax
5 year drop @ 23 yrs
Buy back allowance is 5 yrs
Employee health premiums for employee paid by the city, add employee + family, around $240 per check.
Other random ?'s:
No one has ever been denied light duty due to injury or pregnancy
Multiple command positions, division chiefs, assistant chief, and chief.
At hospital autmatically granted 20 min to complete report before placed available. 30 min + granted to finish report for code 3 return to hospital (most don't even need the 20 min though).
Extremely rare but yes, you can go home in the middle of shift for ill
On call list made with every bid so you know your days 7 months in advance (aprroximately 5 "on call" days in 7 months)
We utilize the telestaff system of staffing so if you are familiar with that system then there is no need to explain how vacation, sick time, etc is requested. We allow 12 slots of vacation and find your own coverage per day.
"With a good amount of OT?" How about not being intentionally vague and telling us what a field medic starts at and tops out at, and the same for the officers? You tell me that, and I can give you a good estimate on how much OT they need to break $100k.
My base is $84k/yr which includes medic riding pay for the ambulance and engine, $3/hr and $2/hr, respectively. Night differential is worth around $2,500/yr. We get 10% of a basic FF's pay as our ALS stipend as well. Our regular schedule is a 56 hour workweek, and FLSA kicks in @ 212 hrs/four week cycle, so on the average we get 53 straight and 3 @ 1.5x. I haven't counted all the county holidays, where we get 11.2hrs extra straight pay for holidays on a scheduled off day, and 16 hrs extra pay for a holiday worked. In addition, when we do OT, it counts as 1.5x right off the bat, but it also counts towards our 212 hour FLSA threshold. So, if I do Ot in the first three weeks, I get an additional 6 hours of straight time for 12 hours worked, and 12 hours additional pay on every 24 hours worked.
If my base is $84k/yr (next step coming soon, another 3k+), then I need another $16k to make $100k. That's $ 616/ pay period, or $1334/month in OT. My base hourly in the field is $23-something/hr, so my OT is $34.50/hr + at least $2/hr in ALS riding pay, so $36.50/hr as a rough estimate. 616/36.5 = 16.9 hours a pay period, or 37 hours/month, or 440 hours/yr, or 8.5 hrs/week, on the average. But, with FLSA, this figure will actually be much lower.
Your turn. What are the $100k tenured medics and Capt's hourly pay rates, what are their bonuses, work hours, etc? Just how much is "a good amount of OT" like you say?
marshmallow22
Forum Crew Member
- 60
- 2
- 0
Some of our tenured and captain medics make high $20 to low $30 per hour. So OT rate is $45/hr. Our pay is just a straight time and a half after 80 hrs in a pay period and a standard check is 96 hrs from either 4 twenty four hour shifts or 4 twelves and 2 twenty four hour shifts. So automatically with just working the 96 hrs in those two weeks we get 16 hrs of OT. A few checks ago I had a total 164 hours... 80 regular and 84 at overtime rate. Pretty simple math. I'm not saying that's the standard but even making 80k per year goes pretty far here in Austin.
- 2,140
- 84
- 48
I am happy making my 75k a year on 150 hours a month. (37.5 a week) I like my time off. With the occasional ot shift I do quite well without working myself to death. It is no wonder so many medics burn out. I would hate my job putting in 60-70+ hours a week.
The new job I am looking to get (fingers crossed) has a base of 110-145k depending on the sched. I would be a very happy medic if I was somehow able to get it.
The new job I am looking to get (fingers crossed) has a base of 110-145k depending on the sched. I would be a very happy medic if I was somehow able to get it.
Yes, but another factor was the extremely generous and unsustainable retirements that those states had in certain municipalities. I see some Larger Texas cities starting to head this way, although our housing market has not crashed. Who knows what will happen in 20yrs. With the more the retirements grow, the harder they will be to sustain in hard times. And hard times WILL come, they always do.