Not getting paid on expedites for copies

[Susan Magee]

I recently had an O+2 expedite.  When I got paid from the court reporting firm, they only paid me for the expedite on the O+1.  When I inquired, they said their policy was if one person expedites, no one else has to pay for an expedited copy since they're just going to send it out to everyone else anyway.

I've had attorneys try to justify not paying an additional fee for this reason but never a court reporting firm. Have you come across this?

[Rhonda Hall Breuwet, RDR CRR CLR]

That is norm in a lot of locations.  I've only done work for one firm that pays expedites for all sides.

[Rosalie DeLeonardis]

I haven't had that happen yet.  I know I had a two-day depo where one of the copy attorneys wanted his transcript expedited, but the noticing attorney and three other copy attorneys didn't, but from what I was told before was they only send out the expedited copy and hold the rest until the normal turnaround time.

[Patricia Babits]

I'd say for me it's about half charge everyone the expedited rate and half charge only one party.

[Judy]

I'm in So Cal.  I'd consider it a gift from the Steno Gods if I ever got paid expedite on a copy.

[Mary Ann Payonk]

I have one court reporting agency client who insists this is the way to go - can only charge and pay for the expedite on the original.  I love working with the gal so no way am I going to balk at that because she's a true professional in every sense of the word.  Even though I disagree with the policy, I'm accepting of it because I'm working with someone I adore.  Now, when trying to make your case for getting paid on the copy sales for an expedite, use this example.  Next time you have a FedEx package to go out in a big case, go up to the counter with five packages and ask FedEx to take them all across the country for you for the price of one package.  After all, they're all packaged up and ready to go, and the FedEx plane and trucks are going to that far-away city anyway.  Right?  Yeah.  See how that flies.

M.A.

[Keith Rowan II]

Exactly, MA.  Luckily, here in Nor Cal, the trend seems to be to pay for it from what I've seen.  I've only had 2 firms not pay it, and one was a So Cal firm.  Several others have paid it.  

[Eric Gilliam]

Hi Susan! I remember in the past working for an agency that never paid expedites on the copies.  I can't remember which one it was now.  But their policy was the same - they'd send the copies out at the same time as the original. Since then, the agencies I work for now (at least as far as I know) hold the copies and send them out normal del.    

[Amanda Leigh]

Usually the agencies that I have worked for that do not charge expedited on copies do not worry with waiting because they want to produce the job and be done with it--some are confused that they "have" to send them all out at the same time.  Please--just don't release the original until a later date, and send other copies at that time.  If it's an issue that the witness get the original expedited, then and only then do I go ahead and release all copies at the same time.  Because it takes more effort to tickler the file for release a week or two later, seems it's just too much trouble.

My agency does not send out at the same time, and I have had to go head to head with more than one attorney arguing he shouldn't pay and to send the file immediately.  No pay, they wait, period.  We, once again, are our worst enemies--and also the employees in production departments who just want it out of their hair.

Then there are those agencies who tell the reporters they charge X, pay the reporters Y, but really charge Z.

[Susan Magee]

Thanks for all your input, everyone.  I guess I should consider myself lucky - in all my years of reporting and all the different firms (Bay Area, LA, NY and DC) I've worked for, this has never come up until now.

I love your FedEx example, MaryAnn.  That's completely how I see it also which is why I don't understand the reasoning behind it.  Isn't it unfair to the party paying for the expedite to charge him/her but not anyone else for the same exact service?  

[Amanda Leigh]

It is completely unfair, Susan.

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Susan, agency owners can be pretty hardheaded. I was surprised recently by a response to a billing issue. Short of opening up our own shops, what are ya gonna do, right? Will we see you here in DC for our annual conference in October?
MA

[Susan Magee]

I'm going to have to mull it over a bit longer before I decide what to do, MaryAnn.  As far as their policy goes, there's nothing I can do about that.  We're fortunate as freelance reporters to decide whether or no we want to accept work from a firm, so that's what I have to decide.  Like your situation, I like working for the firm, so I will probably take a bit or work from them but nothing on a regular basis.  

I live in northern California and work for firms not only from the Bay Area but LA, NY and DC as well, and this is the first I've heard of a company having a policy like this; so I was, to put it mildly, shocked when I found out.