California Minimum wage change

[gonefishing]

Hello All!,
Curious to everyones input on the minimum wage change coming up in July to $9hr. Going up to $10 shortly after and the effect if any its going to have on the companys. Such as the EMT at his/her job making say $9.60 an hour or even the newbie making $9.00 an hour. Will employees be subjected to making minimum wage? Or will lay offs happen in order to raise the pay a bit and recover in order to rehire at a later time? Its gonna get interesting. Shameful at the same time for most will say they make $1 over minimum wage lol

 

[TransportJockey]

I bet they'll make minimum wage. No reason to pay an EMT more when there's an army of them out there that will do the job at whatever they offer them

 

[gonefishing]

I bet they'll make minimum wage. No reason to pay an EMT more when there's an army of them out there that will do the job at whatever they offer them

Sad.lol Time for everyone to bum rush up north to places like Seattle with a $15hr minimum wage.lol

 

[Bailey534]

That's a good question, I myself agree that ems should be making a livable wage. If I owned a company I would pay basics 30 an hour and medics 40. Plus excellent health benefits. The company pays 95% of health cost and the employee pay the other 5%. Plus a pension and 401k and have a disability pension should they have to retire due to an injury. Some people may think I'm nuts to do this. But when it all adds up, it means a lot of people would jump ship to come work at my company. I just don't get how ems does so much but earns so little even in benefits.

 

[TransportJockey]

That's a good question, I myself agree that ems should be making a livable wage. If I owned a company I would pay basics 30 an hour and medics 40. Plus excellent health benefits. The company pays 95 and the employee 5. Plus a pension and 401k and have a disability pension should they have to retire due to an injury. Some people may think I'm nuts to do this. But when it all adds up, it means a lot of people would jump ship to come work at my company. I just to get how ems do so much and make so little even in benefits.

And with reimbursement being cut, municipalities going bankrupt, services folding... how would you last like that? It's not feasible without a major redesign of EMS in America. And there's no money in that. We can't even show this county a United front or that we are with paying more than the minimum. Not when the entry requirements are so low it's ridiculous. And with people doing this as a hobby.

 

[Medic Tim]

That's a good question, I myself agree that ems should be making a livable wage. If I owned a company I would pay basics 30 an hour and medics 40. Plus excellent health benefits. The company pays 95 and the employee 5. Plus a pension and 401k and have a disability pension should they have to retire due to an injury. Some people may think I'm nuts to do this. But when it all adds up, it means a lot of people would jump ship to come work at my company. I just to get how ems do so much and make so little even in benefits.

you would most likely be bankrupt in no time.

I am all for higher wages but EMT is still an entry level position that does not require a HS diploma or GED in some states. The training is also 120-150 hours. In some areas you cant swing a stick without hitting a few EMTs and a Medic. When the choice is no job or a minimum wage job.....ppl will chose the job. supply and demand. If people are willing to work for minimum wage not many companies are going to pay more. We also have people that are willing to do it for free. All of the above does not justify making above minimum wage.

that said there are good paying ems jobs out there. You just need to be willing to move and go above and beyond the minimum.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

And with reimbursement being cut, municipalities going bankrupt, services folding... how would you last like that? It's not feasible without a major redesign of EMS in America. And there's no money in that. We can't even show this county a United front or that we are with paying more than the minimum. Not when the entry requirements are so low it's ridiculous. And with people doing this as a hobby.

I agree with everything you said except for there is no money in a redesign of the EMS system. If you look at EMS as a separate body, not affiliated with the rest of the nations healthcare complex, than yes. However, that is changing rapidly in my opinion. Policy makers, shareholders, and hospital conglomerates all beginning to see the benefit of redesigning the EMS system to better ingrade it in my opinion. Look at how fire has used it (exploited is better word) to justify their bloated budget and protect firemen jobs. However thats a discussion for another time.
Where I am going with this is community paramedicine, ACO's, ACA, ect, ect. Its not financially or socially responsible to to transport everyone to the ED and EMS is beginning to adapt to that fact. In my opinion, in the next 10 years your gonna see EMS fall more in line with healthcare and public health, and drift further from emergency services.

 

[Bailey534]

The problem is that companies make so much but pay so little, I just think ems should be making more for what they do. If firefighters and cops make 60,000 a year why can't Ems? Same with the retirement benefits. I"ll tell you cause, they expect everyone to work for nothing. I don't subject to the fact people do this as a hobby, I've seen my fair share of people who get their ticket realize what they got into some even a work week and hit the road. And some are scanner wackers. I myself stared full time and did it for 6 years. I'm was per diem until a few days ago until I got a job with AMTRAK as a conductor. Sometimes you need to plan for the future and I'd rather be making a living and have a nice retirement, especially in Ems which I feel they so deserve. I did my share of it, it was a good run but it's time the keys get handed over to someone else. I still am have been honored to have been able to do it. And still keep in contact with my former Ems co workers. They were great and I do miss them but sometimes you have to get out while the getting's good.

 

[TransportJockey]

I agree with everything you said except for there is no money in a redesign of the EMS system. If you look at EMS as a separate body, not affiliated with the rest of the nations healthcare complex, than yes. However, that is changing rapidly in my opinion. Policy makers, shareholders, and hospital conglomerates all beginning to see the benefit of redesigning the EMS system to better ingrade it in my opinion. Look at how fire has used it (exploited is better word) to justify their bloated budget and protect firemen jobs. However thats a discussion for another time.
Where I am going with this is community paramedicine, ACO's, ACA, ect, ect. Its not financially or socially responsible to to transport everyone to the ED and EMS is beginning to adapt to that fact. In my opinion, in the next 10 years your gonna see EMS fall more in line with healthcare and public health, and drift further from emergency services.

I actually meant for that. Stupid phone lol. I fully agree with what you said here

 

[Bailey534]

We'll I'm not going to say its a typical entry job, your not bagging groceries. When you deal with people who have hep c aids and all that :censored::censored::censored::censored: like I have an could contract it. There's a difference in having wages as being paid as a dude flipping hamburgers. Plus if I got hep c or something and could no longer work, just using it as an example I want a decent retirement. These are all valid points and I take any feedback. It just makes me mad that all of us get paid so little but do so much. Now people will say you don't do it for the money but I always said your entitled to a fair living, and happy retirement. That's why I stopped I had had it, I still have my ticket and probably will just to have something to show that I accomplished in my life. I miss the people but not the bs.

 

[Bailey534]

I actually meant for that. Stupid phone lol. I fully agree with what you said here

Mine is all typed crappy too, spell correct is not always correct. I hate that app. Screws up a sentence