Thread: Mueller Services Inc. - Insurance Loss Control Surveys

Hello everyone, Although I am new to this forum, I am a twenty seven year old veteran to the industry. I sold our REO maintenance business two years ago and semi retired.
I have seen "inspections" diminish over the years from a wonderful merchant verification for $150.00 to these companies getting into P &P inspections.
It sounds like that is exactly what you are talking about. Of course occupancy inspections do not pay anything, there are companies out their who pay their inspectors $3.00 an inspection. Those companies get hundreds of these a day.
Now the commercial companies are getting in on the "greed act" and they are making the big bucks by shaving inspections back.
They require inspectors to carry E and O insurance and that would be my rebuttal. Pay my insurance and vehicle maintenance and I will be able to do your inspections for $6.00.
The whole point is. We are all private contractors and we can refuse work we cannot make money doing.
I have often told them, sorry I am not in P & P, so I cannot do those occupancy inspections. They accept that and continue to give me the merchant verifications or lease equipment inspections, or fleet audits.
I am not sure this will help you, but if you do not let them low ball you then they can't take advantage of you. That is exactly what ruined the P & P industry. The contractors were so anxious to get the work from other contractors they accepted cut prices and ended up cutting their own throats. Now they are all crying, but they did it to themselves. The inspection industry must not let that happen. Stick to your guns and don't work for free or worse go in a hole doing their work so they make a hefty profit.
That is my two cents for what it is worth.

Here Here for Beverly! You preach it Sister... you will find alot of support on that matter here on this forum.

Just to clarify. Yes, my particular deal is that the mileage expense is deducted from the fee and then reimbursed non-tax. That's why I asked my CPA. He reasoned that the net effect is to NOT reimburse mileage. In effect, they are stealing my deduction. My CPA advised that I simply disregard this strange business practice and file for the mileage.

I also have other deduction (non-Mueller) that put me over the limit for a standard deduction. So, I'm lucky there.

I like my job, too. But let's face it- It's very VERY low pay. When I looked at my full year W2, and considered the expenses I paid out of pocket, that became crystal clear.

I agree with your CPA that the net effect is not mileage reimbursement, since it's taken from (more or less) set fees that aren't directly dependent on miles driven. The way Mueller looks at it, our expenses are accounted for in our fees. Besides gas and vehicle wear and tear, I haven't found my expenses to be that high, though there are some necessities.

Personally I'd be wary of claiming mileage as an expense because of the way Mueller handles it. You could claim the difference between Mueller's rate and the federal rate. Otherwise you'd be claiming twice the deduction, since that portion of your net income wasn't taxed. They've already given you that deduction. That's the way I understand it, anyway, but I could easily be wrong.

Onto Beverly's post...I think for the sake of all the potential Mueller Field Reps who read this thread it should be emphasized that the post is not about Mueller, though some of it may be about the industry Mueller's a part of. For example, Mueller FRs are usually employees, not independent contractors, and they aren't forced to carry any particular insurance.

Actually, I'm not exactly sure what Beverly does, or how it relates to Mueller. Mueller FRs are not inspectors, though some of what we do is inspection. We are first and foremost assessors of replacement costs. The inspection part comes into play because we also collect data about the likelihood that insurers will end up having to pay out for any of that replacement (or for liability due to property hazards).

We can certainly ask for more money, and I think it's not a bad idea to do so after being there a while, but we can't demand it, nor can we afford to anger or annoy our managers. Mueller does want to keep good FRs, though, and I believe part of their strategy is to award people for good work. Hiring and training new people costs them money, and they have to keep the product up to snuff to retain their customers, the insurance companies. My pay (not including mileage "pay") has risen in the 4 months I've been there, though it may still be a bit below what was advertised. But I still have stuff to learn, and will get more efficient.

Not to make anyone unhappy or discontented with their work situation.

From what has been said I take it that you all act as independent contractors.
Do you take into account that at some time you will be injured while either on the road or at a property? Thus not being able to perform your tasks and therefore not having any income? I would think that if you are truly independent contractors you are left to your own resources for covering illness or accidents. If you account for potential income loss or coverage against loss, you generate a significant cost to account for from your general income.

Do you add the cost of protecting yourself into the total cost of doing business?
The calculated what your real rate of return is for your efforts?

Like all business you have a fixed cost to account for each and every day. It may equate to $100 just to start a vehicle before it actually evens moves.

I'm not sure who brought it up first anymore, but as I've said a couple times, most Mueller field reps aren't independent contractors, we're employees, and as such are covered for on-the-job accidents. ...Oh, I see it was Jason himself, the OP, who first brought up independent contractors. I think things may have changed since the thread started.

Just a quick add on to this thread...and it keeps on growing.

Mueller Services Reviews | Glassdoor

I think that the keys to Mueller is you have to be in a high volume area. It can also work if you have other sources of income and this is supplemental income. I also know that some field reps are full time employees. The pay is low for the amount of work that they want done. You cannot deny that because the organization has to be paid and the person doing the field work gets what is left over. You have to drive to the location, do the inspection and measurements, fill out the report, do a diagram, and wait for QC to call you to correct something. Even with the high value inspection which pay more but the report is three times as long and still time consuming. What makes it worse is that they make you a W-2 employee so you are a hourly wage earner. So the first 40 miles to and from your home cannot be claimed and they do not have to pay you for that mileage. Additionally as mention in a previous post that means that you have to be able to do a Schedule A and then overcome that 2 percent AGI on the form 2106. So if your gross is 50,000 then the first 1,000 you spend on the job comes out of your pocket. If they made field reps contractors then you could deduct all kinds of business expenses. Unfortunately this favors the field rep and Mueller is more interested in impressing clients with the number of employees that they have. I can see doing this type of work to gain experience that will eventually allow you to move into more lucrative fields of inspection unless your retired and just want to get out of the house.

Originally Posted by harvey kelly

I think that the keys to Mueller is you have to be in a high volume area. It can also work if you have other sources of income and this is supplemental income. I also know that some field reps are full time employees. The pay is low for the amount of work that they want done. You cannot deny that because the organization has to be paid and the person doing the field work gets what is left over. You have to drive to the location, do the inspection and measurements, fill out the report, do a diagram, and wait for QC to call you to correct something. Even with the high value inspection which pay more but the report is three times as long and still time consuming. What makes it worse is that they make you a W-2 employee so you are a hourly wage earner. So the first 40 miles to and from your home cannot be claimed and they do not have to pay you for that mileage. Additionally as mention in a previous post that means that you have to be able to do a Schedule A and then overcome that 2 percent AGI on the form 2106. So if your gross is 50,000 then the first 1,000 you spend on the job comes out of your pocket. If they made field reps contractors then you could deduct all kinds of business expenses. Unfortunately this favors the field rep and Mueller is more interested in impressing clients with the number of employees that they have. I can see doing this type of work to gain experience that will eventually allow you to move into more lucrative fields of inspection unless your retired and just want to get out of the house.

I agree with just about everything that has been writtien above. In terms of taxes there are a few things that my tax guy advised me to do. If you don't own a home, it's going to be tough to get any of the expenses due since the taxes paid from your salary at Mueller aren't enough to get a decent refund.

However, I deducted the difference between what Mueller's mileage reimbusrment is v the actual number. It wasn't easy to figure it but I can provide the details to anyone who needs it. I also have a home office which occupies about 12% of my living space (not counting the basement of course In my state, there is a line for unreimbursed business expenses. Mueller does not pay for my paper, ink, pens, pencils, internet, phone, computer or car maintenace. I can't claim this on my federal but I can claim it on my state return. The actual expenses worked out to be about $600.

Of course, your home office could be the corner of a bedroom if it's where you work. Or it could be a whole room you are using for storage and just happen to have a desk and chair in that room. That means that 12% of your taxes, utilities, cleaning expenses, mortgage payment and anything else associated with that area can be claimed. If you remember your Mueller training, they suggest you have an area where you can work and not be distracted.

I would be happy to provide any info I can to anyone who needs it.

I deducted the difference between what Mueller's mileage reimbusrment is v the actual number.

I don't understand this. What "actual number" are you talking about? 55.5 cents? Should be pretty easy to figure - add up the mileage from the last 6 months of 2011, multiply by 0.045, and that's the dollars you can claim as unreimbursed mileage.

What makes it worse is that they make you a W-2 employee so you are a hourly wage earner. So the first 40 miles to and from your home cannot be claimed and they do not have to pay you for that mileage.

I don't understand this. Are you sure you're not talking about miles for commuting to a place of work? Or is it a state tax law you're talking about?

This IRS publication covers a lot of this stuff in Ch. 6.

Originally Posted by Kristi Silber

I don't understand this. What "actual number" are you talking about? 55.5 cents? Should be pretty easy to figure - add up the mileage from the last 6 months of 2011, multiply by 0.045, and that's the dollars you can claim as unreimbursed mileage.




I don't understand this. Are you sure you're not talking about miles for commuting to a place of work? Or is it a state tax law you're talking about?

This IRS publication covers a lot of this stuff in Ch. 6.

if you have no regular office and you do not have an office in your home. In this case, the location of your first business contact inside the metropolitan area is considered your office. Transportation expenses between your home and the first contact are nondeductible commuting expenses as well as your last business contact and your home.

Mueller will not pay mileage for job within the city you live (I haven't work for them in a while). You can drive to the other side of town or next door but the fee is the same. Most companies will not pay travel expenses within a certain radius. I do not know how they come up with a number but one company I work for as a contractor will always deduct 40 miles from any trip and not pay that 40 miles but will pay anything over. I can easily deduct it on the Schedule C form. I also work as a W2 employee for another company and they will do the same thing. They will not pay any expense for the first 20 miles to the first job and the last 20 miles of the site for the last job.

So if your doing 10 or 15 inspection within your city, Mueller will not pay mileage and you will be hard press to claim any of this on a using the Form 2106 and Schedule A. You will also be hard press to have a room in your home that you can call a home office. By the book the home office should only contain business equipment but they will never check so you can have your TV on while you work. If you are able to claim a home office then it will depend on the company that you work for and what they are willing to pay for mileage expense. As a contractor, home office is irrelevant for "claiming mileage" on a Sch C. My point being is that some employees (field inspectors) of Mueller should really be contractors because the volume of work is low and the employee loses money and valid deductions for tax time. If people want to earn money that is great but I think Mueller takes advantage of this for what is best for Mueller.

Originally Posted by harvey kelly

if you have no regular office and you do not have an office in your home. In this case, the location of your first business contact inside the metropolitan area is considered your office. Transportation expenses between your home and the first contact are nondeductible commuting expenses as well as your last business contact and your home.

Mueller will not pay mileage for job within the city you live (I haven't work for them in a while). You can drive to the other side of town or next door but the fee is the same. Most companies will not pay travel expenses within a certain radius. I do not know how they come up with a number but one company I work for as a contractor will always deduct 40 miles from any trip and not pay that 40 miles but will pay anything over. I can easily deduct it on the Schedule C form. I also work as a W2 employee for another company and they will do the same thing. They will not pay any expense for the first 20 miles to the first job and the last 20 miles of the site for the last job.

So if your doing 10 or 15 inspection within your city, Mueller will not pay mileage and you will be hard press to claim any of this on a using the Form 2106 and Schedule A. You will also be hard press to have a room in your home that you can call a home office. By the book the home office should only contain business equipment but they will never check so you can have your TV on while you work. If you are able to claim a home office then it will depend on the company that you work for and what they are willing to pay for mileage expense. As a contractor, home office is irrelevant for "claiming mileage" on a Sch C. My point being is that some employees (field inspectors) of Mueller should really be contractors because the volume of work is low and the employee loses money and valid deductions for tax time. If people want to earn money that is great but I think Mueller takes advantage of this for what is best for Mueller.

I agree with everything you said. I am lucky enough to have an office dedicated to work. In the past I performed pre construction inspections on high value homes and I still do some work for that company as a contractor. You are correct in your point that no one can see if your TV is on while you are working.

For what it's worth, I really can't complain about working for Mueller. I handle between 150 and 200 cases a month for them and they pay me more when I think the case deserves it. I also have a great manager who knows what they are doing. My manager knows I only call when an email isn't gonna work. As far as asking for more money on cases, I don't abuse it so when I ask, they are ok with it.

I am really curious about something, does anyone know how much Mueller is paid for the cases we complete? A friend of a friend is an actuary (sp) for Liberty Mutual and she said that drive by inspections are $50 and interiors are close to $150. If that's the case, High Values must be well over $200, maybe even $300. I understand that Mr. & Mrs. Mueller don't work for free and all the rotten people in QA need to eat (not if I could help it) but it would be nice to know the dollar amount so you know how much room there is to negotiate.

And while I am on the topic of QA - Those who can, do. Those who can't, sit at a desk and critique the work of others.

@Muller Fieldrep: Yes I have heard that Mueller gets a substantial amount per case compared to what is given out to the FRs. I suppose a business has to make money but wow what a return! Quite frustrating when a simple occupancy turns into a multiple major concerns survey and you don't make an extra dime (well maybe a dime that's borrowed from another case to make you think you got something special...).

And speaking of QA, it is very obvious that some of those folks have never driven a nail or picked up a paint brush. What a gig.


I am really curious about something, does anyone know how much Mueller is paid for the cases we complete? A friend of a friend is an actuary (sp) for Liberty Mutual and she said that drive by inspections are $50 and interiors are close to $150. If that's the case, High Values must be well over $200, maybe even $300. I understand that Mr. & Mrs. Mueller don't work for free and all the rotten people in QA need to eat (not if I could help it) but it would be nice to know the dollar amount so you know how much room there is to negotiate.

And while I am on the topic of QA - Those who can, do. Those who can't, sit at a desk and critique the work of others.

Originally Posted by K Mangum

I don't think you can write something off that you have been reimbursed for - for instance, mileage. Mueller reimburses you for mileage even though it is not listed on your W-2. You would have to keep records of your mileage and the most logical way to prove it would be your weekly payroll. The remittance portion of your pay stub indicates that you were reimbursed.

It really depends upon how they report the income on the W2 , If I remember correctly Mueller reports this extra money as gross income and you would have to, if you can, write it off as mileage or you will have to pay taxes on it. If it is reported in line 14 ( I can't remember exactly where it goes) then you cannot claim that mileage that was reimbursed. But you can claim any amount between what was reimbursed and the maximum limit. IE I was reimbursed for 35 cents a mile and I can claim the difference between 35 cents and 55 cents which is 15 cents a mile and can be claimed.

To those Mueller reps who use their real name, I tip my hat to you because I believe that if someone in Mueller management is reading this tread then they should learn from it and become better at managing people. My regional manager was always been fair and they always paid on time but beyond that I would have to cast serious doubts on some of the things that the company does.

I also find that Mueller will negotiate with you for inspections that require significant travel. I was always able to come to a satisfactory agreement. I think that you have to ask if you believe that the amount is unfair.

Hey, Mueller has its expenses...think how many people they have to train!

Um, I don't even want to say it, but have any 2011 employees noticed anything curious about our W2s?

It really depends upon how they report the income on the W2 , If I remember correctly Mueller reports this extra money as gross income and you would have to, if you can, write it off as mileage or you will have to pay taxes on it. If it is reported in line 14 ( I can't remember exactly where it goes) [line 12] then you cannot claim that mileage that was reimbursed.

..............

I believe that if someone in Mueller management is reading this tread then they should learn from it and become better at managing people.

I agree. I doubt, though, that they'd go through the whole thing and take to heart the important bits, which are kind of scattered. I believe there are a couple main problems (apart from the pay system, which is really weird):

- FRs are treated impersonally, like drones. The only contact that is initiated by the company is about our "errors." This isn't good for company loyalty or worker morale, both of which affect turnover and the quality of the product.

- Training is not sufficient if it can take several months for FRs to work up to the wage advertised, if they ever do. There needs to be ongoing support for a while after FRs enter the field. There should be some kind of real-word type training, like a video component of FRs doing surveys, narrated but not edited, so trainees can see how surveys really are done in the field. Or a webcam. ... And the modules need editing.

i am interested in becoming a field rep. any suggestions on how to get started?

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

$15 an hour? This must be a typo. With gas costing around $4 a gallon and higher in some parts of the country I would hope that you would be paying around $75 to $125 per hour or better. Heck, you can make $15 an hour as a "Tilt-A-Whirl" greaser!

It is time for jobbers like your company to realize that times have changed and expense are not what they were 10 years ago. Insurance field work has historically been low paying and one of the main reasons that experienced inspectors do not do them.

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

$15 an hour? This must be a typo. With gas costing around $4 a gallon and higher in some parts of the country I would hope that you would be paying around $75 to $125 per hour or better. Heck, you can make $15 an hour as a "Tilt-A-Whirl" greaser!

It is time for jobbers like your company to realize that times have changed and expense are not what they were 10 years ago. Insurance field work has historically been low paying and one of the main reasons that experienced inspectors do not do them.

i am interested in becoming an inspector. i heard there is an aptitude test. what does that consist of? how do i prepare for this?

You are asking the same questions in two threads. I answered already in the other thread that because it's an aptitude test, you can't/shouldn't prepare. The point of the aptitude test is to see whether you're going to be able to learn what you need to know quickly and effectively, or you won't even make it through training - many people don't. Don't worry about it, just do it. If you don't do well, you shouldn't try to do the job anyway.

I am new here, I've been working for Mueller for about a year. I am just curious how high gas prices are going to have to get before other field reps are going to say something to their managers about the fees. I doubt if they will raise them but I refuse to continue to pay for my own gas once it gets to $4.00/gallon unless there is some sort of fee increase

I am not working for Mueller anymore but have followed this board to see what is going on. I agree about gas! Last year, when the federal reimbursement rate was raised, they did raise their rate to .55 per hour. You have to realize, however, that if they do raise your "reimbursement" rate, it is very deceptive. On a standard case, with no adjustments for extra miles or time, you still will make THE SAME AMOUNT of money each week, the only difference will be in the amount that is considered wages and the amount that is considered mileage reimbursement. Mueller needs to raise the standard pay per case. Last year, in Alabama, an address verification payed only $6, and a basic exterior only $10.

I am in my second year. On a recent interior/exterior survey with a significant drive of just under 100 miles one way, I was paid just a hair over $8.00 an hour after mileage for the case.

My kids make more per hour bagging groceries. I gave them a year and proved my worth over a thousand or so cases. I am on my way out.

add'l: My mileage reimbursement never changed. It has always been .51 per mile.

I talked to a friend of mine over the weekend. He delivers pizzas for Pizza Hut. He makes more than I do. They don't pay mileage either. But, I mean, you get my point.
There are two kinds of employers: Those that regard employees as assets, and those that regard employees as "tools."
Wake up Mueller. Your employees want to do a good job. But you keep sending them the message that you think they are tools.

I would like to know if there is any other companies out there looking for Field Reps like Mueller. The reason why I ask is because I was turned away by Mueller I believe in part because I wanted it as a part time job. There would be No other reason why. I mean they need reps in the Philly area and I was willing to work up to 30 hours part to e but they declined.

If anyone knows of any other company out there please let me know!!!

You can email me or even call me at 267/446-5362

Thanks

There are a few big ones, but this one is hiring in PA:

Spotlight Risk Services
http://www.spotlightriskservices.com/careers/

I have worked for Mueller for almost 3 years. My area is not high volume. I have a manager that has incorporated new rules-I have to have all exteriors done by Friday of each week to receive more work. This week I have one-yes one that will be a 35 mile drive one way. I rejected it for more pay and now I am to receive $19.50 for doing it. I cannot hold onto it to see if I have more work in that area because he expects it to be done by Friday the 6th or he won't assign any more work to me. It is not due until the 13th but that does not matter. QA is a joke-I am making twice the number of phone calls to try to locate the right people or properties as I was doing two years ago. I am paying over $1 more per gallon of gas. It's just not worth it anymore. I am looking for other work.

Wow! I am glad that I resigned the first of the year. And as I have said many times before, I would have been happy to continue if Mueller had been willing to be more accommodating and willing to work with the field reps. A fair pay scale, accessibility, a willingness to listen and make changes, and reasonable reimbursement for the all of the additional required phone calls, documentation, labeling, etc. would have made a huge difference. A happy employee is the key to good customer satisfaction.

Originally Posted by Norlene Leake

I have worked for Mueller for almost 3 years. My area is not high volume. I have a manager that has incorporated new rules-I have to have all exteriors done by Friday of each week to receive more work. This week I have one-yes one that will be a 35 mile drive one way. I rejected it for more pay and now I am to receive $19.50 for doing it. I cannot hold onto it to see if I have more work in that area because he expects it to be done by Friday the 6th or he won't assign any more work to me. It is not due until the 13th but that does not matter. QA is a joke-I am making twice the number of phone calls to try to locate the right people or properties as I was doing two years ago. I am paying over $1 more per gallon of gas. It's just not worth it anymore. I am looking for other work.

That's crazy! It's in no one's interest. If I were you I'd complain to your regional manager about the due date thing. You're looking for other work anyway, what have you got to lose?

This thread has gotten pretty diluted with all sorts of information flying around, so I can't say I agree or disagree with all of it. However, I will say that pretty much all of the negative points are spot on. I have been working with Mueller for a while now, and it's just the same stuff over and over - they pay a very low wage for a job that requires a lot of work, and the wage they pay doesn't even include large chunks of time spent working. On top of that you have inconsistent QA rejections which often times reject things asking for obscure information that was never requested in the first place, and are often times from a while back (you remember minor details from that survey from 2 weeks back, don't you???). Also, lets not forget the less than stellar training you get in the first place, and the huge amounts of time you will spend cold calling policyholders and trying to explain that you need to go inside their house and take pictures (if I wanted to do that I would get a job as a telemarketer - probably make more money doing that anyway...). They then have a high turnover rate and they seem to be completely puzzled as to why.

Yes, it's true that you don't get a lot of positive feedback from management, and yes, that could be a part of the reason why the turnover and (judging by this thread) morale is so low, but I'm guessing the biggest factor is pay. They have to realize that they can't have the best of both worlds - you aren't going to get many quality employees who are willing work hard and do a good job, but at the same time be content making the as much money as someone standing at a grill flipping burgers.

Why am I still working for them? It's really just a pay check while I look around for other work - work that is not in insurance loss control (I would be quite surprised if any of their competitors offer higher pay or better working conditions). As soon as I find it, see ya later Mueller. I tried to work with them so everyone could be happy, but they are either unwilling (bad employer) or unable (bad business model) to change their ways.

Originally Posted by D. Dimmick

I would like to know if there is any other companies out there looking for Field Reps like Mueller. The reason why I ask is because I was turned away by Mueller I believe in part because I wanted it as a part time job. There would be No other reason why. I mean they need reps in the Philly area and I was willing to work up to 30 hours part to e but they declined.

If anyone knows of any other company out there please let me know!!!

You can email me or even call me at 267/446-5362

Thanks

US Reports does both commercial and residential. I do not know if they are hiring in your area but it can hurt to check them out as they are hiring as of 2 weeks ago. I don't think that the pay is any different than Mueller on residential but at least they also offer commercial inspections which do pay more.

I have recently started with Mueller Have experience with other companies and have found that Mueller makes promises to new hires that they do not keep An example would be the amount promised for each inspection. It was changed by the area manager without any discussion despite the fact that paperwork was signed prior to hiring that stated the rate of pay. I have found that the training provided was less than stellar. They require a 90 percent pass rate, but you find that the training is poorly suited for the work that you will be doing.

Recently field reps were required to have a full day of training with their managers I found that the manager was poorly prepared for the kind of inspections that were being conducted. I found that the directions that the insurance company provided gave specifics of what they wanted. The manager did it his own way which made it confusing.

QA department is not consistent. If you get a return on a case I find frequently the directions are poorly written and do not qualify for a return which creates additional work for you as a field rep. If you are detailed you will find that they will reject your case for too many photos or other detailed work that other companies want.

I will say that they do pay on time each week. When you go through training they pay you for that training when other companies do not. I guess it is one of those things does the small amount of pay add up to something that might help you in the short term, or do you spend so much time correcting things that are returned from QA that reduces you ability to stay happy with the company.

To those at Mueller in a position to make changes It is important that your field reps are happy. If you are receiving large amounts for these inspections and you pay minimal amounts to the field reps, you will have huge turnovers continually. Think of the amount that you pay out each time that you have to train a FR Would it be better to keep those reps rather than going through person after person over the years. A good business plan is where the majority of employees and field reps are happy with the work and the pay and when something gets returned from QA its no big deal. If not you will loose your reps to other companies who appreciate the work.

So I am in the "ignore" Q with Mueller. Is it normal to wait 2-3 hours for them to answer? I started at 7 A. M. this morning. It has gone from 55 callers ahead of me to now 50. My phone interview was about 5 minutes. I am not sure if I am posting on the right thread or not, I am a first time poster here!

Hi
Ive worked for mueller for abt 5 years. The money you make is based on your workload. The more you work, the more you get paid. I get 14 per exterior. Interiors and commercials are more of course. My weekly income could be from 600 to 700 ... like i said the more i work, the more i get paid. An avery exterior take me about 7 minutes on the web and about 15 minutes in the field. I luv it! i manage my time and schedule! Any other companies out there? Let me know!!! im willing to work more!!!

Population density of the territory makes a huge difference. Queens pop. density is over 21,000/sq. mi., while Minneapolis is 1/3 that. It could (and often does) take me 15 minutes just to get from case to case. And do you have to label your photos? That's often the most time-consuming part of data entry.

I couldn't ever make as much as Kelly because my case load is limited (plus my fees are lower).

Internet and computer speed, experience, attention to detail, how many of your cases are scheduled, neighborhood (wealthier neighborhoods have fewer dwellling hazards because of better maintenance)...there are a million little factors that determine actual wage. The neighborhood I spend most time in not only is one of the poorest in Minneapolis, there was a tornado that ripped through most of it last summer, and much of the damage still isn't repaired. That means many more photos to take and label, more hazards to write up...much more time involved.

It all depends. But it's good to hear from a variety of reps to get an idea of the factors involved and the range of pay.

Just filled out an online app and sent a resume today. Hopefully they call me.

I have done similar work but it was property preservation. Cleaning foreclosed homes. There was a lot more labor involved but it did consist of inspections. Not for insurance companies though. Wasn't uncommon for me to take 300+ pictures.

I don't know where I am going with this. It is nice to see there are some positive people on here.

Originally Posted by kelly lopez

Hi
Ive worked for mueller for abt 5 years. The money you make is based on your workload. The more you work, the more you get paid. I get 14 per exterior. Interiors and commercials are more of course. My weekly income could be from 600 to 700 ... like i said the more i work, the more i get paid. An avery exterior take me about 7 minutes on the web and about 15 minutes in the field. I luv it! i manage my time and schedule! Any other companies out there? Let me know!!! im willing to work more!!!

Draw a diagram, attach the photos, and fill out the form in 7 minutes on average. Exterior only inspection are easy to do and don't require a lot of time but you still have to do the diagram unless they did away with that requirement. As Kristi said downloading and attaching photos takes some time. Your weekly income is 600 to 700. Is that every 2 weeks, once a month or once in a while. Are you a full time employee or part time? Just trying to get the information because you may be the exception rather than the rule. I think that Mueller is located near New York and that sounds like this is there back yard. The only time that I made that kind of money is if they had a backlog and they wanted me to take a road trip to cities like Houston to do an outrageous number of inspections that was backlogged. But that was still once in a while and wasn't every 2 weeks. Living in a large city with various sister cities provides a large enough base that you can get a good amount of work. Smaller cities will not generate that amount of money. Also smaller cities would require a good deal of amount of travel to the next town in all directions. I always like to knock on the door and let them know what I am doing on their property. I always like when they follow me around to see what I am doing or fail to read the letter letting them know that the insurance company does physical inspections. I think I had 3 or 4 time in 4 years when the customer actually refuse the visit.

Originally Posted by harvey kelly

Draw a diagram, attach the photos, and fill out the form in 7 minutes on average. Exterior only inspection are easy to do and don't require a lot of time but you still have to do the diagram unless they did away with that requirement. As Kristi said downloading and attaching photos takes some time. Your weekly income is 600 to 700. Is that every 2 weeks, once a month or once in a while. Are you a full time employee or part time? Just trying to get the information because you may be the exception rather than the rule. I think that Mueller is located near New York and that sounds like this is there back yard. The only time that I made that kind of money is if they had a backlog and they wanted me to take a road trip to cities like Houston to do an outrageous number of inspections that was backlogged. But that was still once in a while and wasn't every 2 weeks. Living in a large city with various sister cities provides a large enough base that you can get a good amount of work. Smaller cities will not generate that amount of money. Also smaller cities would require a good deal of amount of travel to the next town in all directions. I always like to knock on the door and let them know what I am doing on their property. I always like when they follow me around to see what I am doing or fail to read the letter letting them know that the insurance company does physical inspections. I think I had 3 or 4 time in 4 years when the customer actually refuse the visit.

Hi that income can vary. Most of the time its in the 600's on a weekly basis. I attach all the photos first that takes about 20 min depending on the cases. THEN after all photos are attached to each case, I being filling out the form that takes just about 7 to 8 minutes. I like the fact that I see different ppl and different places everyday. I also like that I see new materials such as siding counter tops, flooring etc... Its nice to do different things everyday. Ive been working for 5 years and only 1 person stopped inspection halfway and i still got paid for it. I have tons of work. THANK GOD!! if i wanted to make in the 700 or 800's i could easrly but i have a toddler and two other children I luv to spend time with. All in all I LUV IT!!!!

Originally Posted by harvey kelly

Draw a diagram, attach the photos, and fill out the form in 7 minutes on average. Exterior only inspection are easy to do and don't require a lot of time but you still have to do the diagram unless they did away with that requirement. As Kristi said downloading and attaching photos takes some time. Your weekly income is 600 to 700. Is that every 2 weeks, once a month or once in a while. Are you a full time employee or part time? Just trying to get the information because you may be the exception rather than the rule. I think that Mueller is located near New York and that sounds like this is there back yard. The only time that I made that kind of money is if they had a backlog and they wanted me to take a road trip to cities like Houston to do an outrageous number of inspections that was backlogged. But that was still once in a while and wasn't every 2 weeks. Living in a large city with various sister cities provides a large enough base that you can get a good amount of work. Smaller cities will not generate that amount of money. Also smaller cities would require a good deal of amount of travel to the next town in all directions. I always like to knock on the door and let them know what I am doing on their property. I always like when they follow me around to see what I am doing or fail to read the letter letting them know that the insurance company does physical inspections. I think I had 3 or 4 time in 4 years when the customer actually refuse the visit.

Hi that income can vary. Most of the time its in the 600's on a weekly basis. I attach all the photos first that takes about 20 min depending on the cases. THEN after all photos are attached to each case, I being filling out the form that takes just about 7 to 8 minutes. I like the fact that I see different ppl and different places everyday. I also like that I see new materials such as siding counter tops, flooring etc... Its nice to do different things everyday. Ive been working for 5 years and only 1 person stopped inspection halfway and i still got paid for it. I have tons of work. THANK GOD!! if i wanted to make in the 700 or 800's i could easrly but i have a toddler and two other children I luv to spend time with. All in all I LUV IT!!!!

It sounds like Kelly doesn't have to label the photos. Not all companies require it, but most of my work (~85%) is for two companies that do want labels on the photos describing what is shown, and where it is on the risk. One company not only demands labels, but wants two photos for any trip/fall hazards: one close-up, and one showing where it is in relation to the risk. That includes every ^%&* downspout draining on a walkway - and over half my cases have that. I can spend 1/2 hour just labeling photos on a HV. I think FRs should get more for cases requiring photo labels.

There's my rant for the day.

Geez, $600 a week! You're very fortunate to have that many cases.

I was wondering how long it usually takes them to let you know if you have been hired.

I did the phone interview the other day. The interview stopped after they asked what I was looking to make a week. I answered 300-400 a week. Which I would like to make a lot more but don't see that as unrealistic.

Originally Posted by John Geogrge

I was wondering how long it usually takes them to let you know if you have been hired.

I did the phone interview the other day. The interview stopped after they asked what I was looking to make a week. I answered 300-400 a week. Which I would like to make a lot more but don't see that as unrealistic.

I find that they if they need someone and have available work, they will get with you as soon as possible. I would recommend that you do the training as soon as possible as the quicker that you do the training the more impress that they will be. They will see that you can manage your time and get thinks done without supervision which is a big plus. As was previously mention in other post, how much you make will depend upon your home area and your willingness to help out in other areas. If your answer did turn them off then they don't project that type of income for that area and they may have moved on. I am just making assumption as I don't what Mueller requirements for your area are. Maybe next time when that question is asked, give them the minimum that you are willing to work for. If they can't meet you minimum, it really is not worth it. Good luck

Greetings to everyone,
I am yet another Mueller field rep and look forward to some fellowship from fellow workers. I have read this thread and surely sympathize with a lot of the comments. Just let me add my first complaint against Mueller and of course this has to do with QA. Recently one of the carriers required that we as field reps "prove" type of construction as either masonry or frame. The supposed proof we are to provide is a closeup photo of a window to show the margin between window trim and the face of the brick wall to determine whether it is solid brick or veneer. Well 99+% of houses built in my area are frame construction. I did a small house that was 25 miles from my house and QA rejected the report because i did not provide a closeup photo of a window that would show if there was a wide reveal to indicate possible masonry construction. The thing was that this house had vinyl siding on it and was obvious from photos already provided that it was frame construction. This is the kind of mindless rule following that really angers me. I went back and took a photo closeup of a window on the house to prove that vinyl siding is not solid brick construction........

Originally Posted by Carpenters Helper

This is the kind of mindless rule following that really angers me. I went back and took a photo closeup of a window on the house to prove that vinyl siding is not solid brick construction........

I totally agree with you on that because it really annoyed me that if you didn't follow the rules to the letter (even if your observation reported was correct) that they would reject your report because you didn't have a photo that obviously makes no difference and does not add anything to the report. You have to make a second trip that will causes you to loose money.

Originally Posted by kelly lopez

Hi that income can vary. Most of the time its in the 600's on a weekly basis. I attach all the photos first that takes about 20 min depending on the cases. THEN after all photos are attached to each case, I being filling out the form that takes just about 7 to 8 minutes. I like the fact that I see different ppl and different places everyday. I also like that I see new materials such as siding counter tops, flooring etc... Its nice to do different things everyday. Ive been working for 5 years and only 1 person stopped inspection halfway and i still got paid for it. I have tons of work. THANK GOD!! if i wanted to make in the 700 or 800's i could easrly but i have a toddler and two other children I luv to spend time with. All in all I LUV IT!!!!

Kelly, do you get many appointment cases? I find it's easier to make more money on exterior only, since you can do as many as you want in a day, versus having to spend countless hours on the phone, and still only being able to get a few appointments setup each day.

How many cases a day are you completing to hit the 600-700 mark? I don't know about the others here, but I get 23 for an interior/exterior, 45 for HV, and 13 for the exterior only.

Good Afternoon.
Quick Check: Mueller-inc.com, and Elizabeth Farley.
This is the same as Mueller Services Inc. ??????

I am very uncomfortable with the amount of information which they wanted and when I wanted company information - "mis-direction, and non-sense".

I am in Texas - SouthEast Texas. Anyone else from Texas on this thread?

Does anyone have any information on this company? Like, CEO name, Incorporated in which state? CFO name? Who does payroll (ADP, Primepay, or Paycheks)? EIN from IRS? Texas Workforce Commission (unemployment) id number for employers? Corporate annual report? anything????

Thank you, Hope to chat with you'all soon. Ginni

I don't know who Elizabeth Farley is, but Mueller Services, Inc is the same as Mueller-inc.com. And I don't know how old this is, but here's a bit of info. Tom Noe is still the CEO/president. Employee # may refer to full-time staff; it sure doesn't include field reps. Typical that they would be evasive about company info. Payroll by ADP. Incorporated in NY.

Hello again,
I have just went through another change of managers and that always proves interesting in how the job is handled. I have been with Mueller for a little over two years. This time the manager tells me there is no adjustments on pay because of time/mileage considerations. It looks like I will have no choice but to refuse cases that will be out of pocket to complete. For example Mueller has begun to issue bank drive by cases that pays 3 dollars apiece ( not a typo, three dollars) and it is impossible to do any driving and even break even. My manager ask me to group the cases that i did for this drive by survey and submit them at the end of the week so they could be sent to QA as they would be rejected for the reason of pay below scale. Well i wrongly assumed the cases would be adjusted, all that happened was my manager pushed them through at the aforementioned rate of 3 dollars apiece. I am really becoming agitated with this job. I am nearing retirement and thought this would be an easy job to maybe work part time at after retirement but unfortunately it seems Mueller is a company that expresses an agressive disinterest in employess. The worst part is I cannot get an explanation of what the pay system is now regarding cases that are rejected for being below scale. Anyone else having this particular problem?

I got my first (and only, so far) $3 case a couple weeks ago. More than just a drive-by! Pretty straightforward if obviously occupied (one front photo, address number, street sign to confirm that was correct), but if not, instructions said to go to the door, see if anyone answered...if confirmed unoccupied, basically it turned into a occupancy verification, with photos of whole house, garage, outbuildings, any hazards. Plus mine was a rush, so I had all of 3 days to complete, and SOL if there was nothing else in the area to do. $3!

If I'm under the pay limit, my manager tells me to enter other cases first, then hope the problem case(s) goes through...although this week I had one that was overdue because I couldn't submit it, and he did then augment the pay. It's the average hourly wage over the course of the week that determines where we are on the pay scale, rather than the per case basis.

I agree, Mueller doesn't seem to care about employee job satisfaction. It strikes me as odd because in the end they are totally reliant on us to produce quality reports. QA has some control, but there are still many ways for us to cut corners if we choose to (I don't). When I hear about people making $20/hr, I always wonder how thorough and precise they are. Then again, I could be making a lot more with high population density (smaller territory), no photo labeling, and lots of exteriors. (And middle-class neighborhoods full of '50s ramblers - one can always dream, can't one? )

Well each time i deal with a different manager the pay fluctuates wildly. I had one manager who gave me cases with an advance adjustment, 19.50 for exteriors and 31.20 for interior/exterior with 55.00 for high values. This was not all the time but would have some priced this way almost weekly. I have had ajustments to 100.00 for a high value house. This opposed to my normal fees of 13/26/46 respectively. The inconsistency is what bothers me. I would like to know what to expect. This weekend i am finishing reports but QA wont accept them because of the bottleneck created by cases i submitted to my manager thursday. These cases were the 3.00 dollar cases and I had ten of them. I thought the pay was going to be adjusted but the manager just pushed them through. Apparently this still counts on pay scale because i cannot submit anything new. So it looks like next week ill make a booming 30 bucks.....lol
My territory has a wide diversity of homes and density, in one city that is my favorite it is easy to do 20 exteriors in a day. The houses are mostly simple in design, good neighborhoods with minimal hazards. On the other hand my rural work the houses can be 10-15 miles apart, old farmhouses, old outbuildings spaced apart by a pretty good distance and more hazards.. So really the pay thing is relative and I would think Mueller would be more consistent in paying for this difference but i guess they dont want to reward anyone for spending more time on a case. By the way i have to admire anyone who can submit these cases on computer in 7 minutes. I think the best i have done is 10 minutes and this is cases that dont require RCT.. then again I am an old man that is not too good with a computer . I was in construction 30+ years and know housing but that knowledge unfortunately is not always advantageous in this work. Common sense is not in sync with this job. Having complained a lot I should also state I am thankful for my job because a lot of people i know have no job at all. The LORD will provide. My work has picked up the second of my two years at Mueller. The first year was pretty slack. This year i have been averaging between 30-40 cases a week.

Originally Posted by Carpenters Helper

Well each time i deal with a different manager the pay fluctuates wildly. I had one manager who gave me cases with an advance adjustment, 19.50 for exteriors and 31.20 for interior/exterior with 55.00 for high values. This was not all the time but would have some priced this way almost weekly.

Wow, that would be nice! No wonder he's not working there anymore.

I have had ajustments to 100.00 for a high value house.

Me too, once I think, when I was newer and couldn't finish as quickly. And a few $75s.

This opposed to my normal fees of 13/26/46 respectively.

I wonder why some people get higher fees.

This weekend i am finishing reports but QA wont accept them because of the bottleneck created by cases i submitted to my manager thursday. These cases were the 3.00 dollar cases and I had ten of them. I thought the pay was going to be adjusted but the manager just pushed them through. Apparently this still counts on pay scale because i cannot submit anything new.

Now that is just wrong! I would complain.

(Got tired of doing the quote/unquote thing...)

My territory has a wide diversity of homes and density, in one city that is my favorite it is easy to do 20 exteriors in a day. Wow, I wish I ever had that many exteriors. The houses are mostly simple in design, good neighborhoods with minimal hazards. On the other hand my rural work the houses can be 10-15 miles apart, old farmhouses, old outbuildings spaced apart by a pretty good distance and more hazards.. So really the pay thing is relative and I would think Mueller would be more consistent in paying for this difference but i guess they dont want to reward anyone for spending more time on a case. By the way i have to admire anyone who can submit these cases on computer in 7 minutes. Me too! I think the best i have done is 10 minutes and this is cases that dont require RCT.. then again I am an old man that is not too good with a computer . Depends on internet and computer speed, too. I was in construction 30+ years and know housing but that knowledge unfortunately is not always advantageous in this work. I know what you mean - it's so tempting to point out some of the crazy construction "methods" and code violations as hazards - which in some cases they are. Common sense is not in sync with this job. Having complained a lot I should also state I am thankful for my job because a lot of people i know have no job at all. How true. And it's an interesting job, seeing such a wide variety of houses, contents and residents - at least I do. The LORD will provide. My work has picked up the second of my two years at Mueller. The first year was pretty slack. This year i have been averaging between 30-40 cases a week.

Wish I had that many cases...as long as they weren't a lot of $3 ones!

I fully agree with Carpenters Helper. If you have experience in the construction industry you will be told differently by your manager or QA. I think most FR's complaints deal with QA. (Quality Assurance). I received a return the other day for an item that was clearly identified in the narrative. I sent it back after doing exactly what QA had asked. A second return, stating that it should have been done the way it was originally in the first report. Then I review that the QA person was being trained. So I received two returns from a non experienced QA person that did not know what to do. That always makes you feel good when you maintain a high degree of quality in your reports and have someone in NY who has no idea what they are doing return a case that was done correctly the first time around. That is not to mention how it affects your rating scores.

The other one that is difficult is when you are given a 2nd look report. You have to reinspect something that might have been done by another inspector. QA is really difficult as you have to look at the previous report when you go out into the field. If you locate additional hazards that the first rep did not, you are to ignore those and not list them in the report. There are so many variables that come into play that it makes it extremely difficult to understand QA's reasoning. The first inspector noted that the occupant of the risk was a renter for a mobile home. This is supposed to be a automatic termination of the policy. You are given the 2nd look request, you go out check the property and no one is home. You complete the report with the photos showing what has been done and what has not. You then get a return that shows the policy should have been canceled. This should have been done when the first report was submitted. Now QA wants you to go out until you can confirm if a tenant is occupying the risk after no one was home during your inspection. Additional time, additional travel with no benefits due to an error on the part of the original QA when the report was first submitted.

" If you locate additional hazards that the first rep did not, you are to ignore those and not list them in the report. "

What?! Did QA tell you that, or is it on the ticket, or what? That seems very strange indeed.

Originally Posted by Kristi Silber

" If you locate additional hazards that the first rep did not, you are to ignore those and not list them in the report. "

What?! Did QA tell you that, or is it on the ticket, or what? That seems very strange indeed.

Not only strange but dishonest. I would list the additional hazards and if QA wants to decieve the customer let them delete it. I cannot control what they do but I will be honest in what i do.

When I started with Mueller almost 8 months ago I didn't really have any complaints about QA. They were catching legitimate mistakes. In the past couple months, though, it seems like their quality has gone downhill. I've had several "errors" that weren't errors at all. Recently I got a case back saying my sketch was wrong. I sent it to my manager and he resubmitted it with no changes. Then I got it back, with the same "error." This time I committed the taboo of writing directly to the reviewer saying the sketch was right. I still have no idea what she was seeing. Lately at least a quarter of my "errors" have been theirs.

Then there's the annoying fact that if they send it back after the original due date, that gets added to your late percentage. I've gotten so I don't care what my percentages are anymore.

I can sympathize with the QA problem. I would agree their quality has went down in the past several months. I have encountered a couple of trainees in QA recently. One of the trainees (I assume a trainee) sent a case back because she wanted the attached garage to be diagrammed as a built in because there was a two story built in area behind the garage. She changed my diagramm and re-labeled it a 2-car built in garage that was 21 feet wide by 56 feet long . I tried to explain to her that the initial drawing was correct and i redrew the sketch to reflect the original drawing. It was rejected again so i washed my hands of it and sent it to my manager and she took care of things.
I agree that QA has gotten worse and unfortunately those errors do reflect on our work not theirs. I dont mess with the statistics either. My error rate goes from 1.5% low to 10% high depending on QA. And half of the errors are only in the eye of the QA beholder not realistic errors.

[ that gets added to your late percentage. I've gotten so I don't care what my percentages are anymore.[/quote]

I never cared about my late percentage. If you are getting most of your reports in on time, and you do a good job then what are they going to complain about but that won't stop them. Everyone has a job to do and to point out company violation is somebodies job. The time frame is set up by Mueller to get reports done as quickly as possible. Insurance companies have 60 days after a policy is issued to cancel for any reason. Mueller has plenty of time to get those reports into the client. Responsible inspectors will get them done within the time frame. Stuff happens and some reports may take longer especially if you have to travel out of town.

I see the problem and have the answer. The QA need a QA to review their work and then another QA for that QA person and so on till you develop an infinite loop where the first QA is reviewing the last QA work for experience to move up in the chain of QAs.

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

I see the problem and have the answer. The QA need a QA to review their work and then another QA for that QA person and so on till you develop an infinite loop where the first QA is reviewing the last QA work for experience to move up in the chain of QAs.

Garry you have me wondering if youre in Mueller management.......lol

Originally Posted by Carpenters Helper

Garry you have me wondering if youre in Mueller management.......lol

No, rather than say that I have a plan and stop there, I am willing to divulge the plan for job creation, despite the cost. Maybe the Fed Gov will subsidize the the new hires. Oh wait a minute, that is what they say they are doing now with a tax break for business.

QA is probably one of those spots where everyone gets frustrated by having a report rejected. It is even more disturbing when something comes back that you know was correct. I had an open porch that I measured out in the field and transferred that information to the sketch. I had someone from QA that looked at the photo and drawing and decided that it was too big.

Most reps would modify it to get QA off their back and move onto the next report. The problem with that is the incorrect value that will be assigned in the RCT by reducing the size from what was listed is not a fair value to the insured.

I would have to wonder if QA persons have ever done time in the field to fully understand what they are seeing, and if so, how can mistakes like this occur for someone who has had training.

Normally the percentages did not affect me in the past, however our new manager is calling you once a month to discuss your percentages and to encourage you to bring things to a lower level. It does not matter that you get your reports in on time, like has been mentioned before if QA takes several days to review a report, and something is returned to you, they dock you when it is returned and corrected, not when it was originally submitted.

The last problem with QA is you cannot contact them directly, they refer you to your manager that has to be the in-between. It would be more efficient for a FR to call directly to the person in QA who has sent something back for correction and allow the FR to identify the reasoning of the report, diagram or RCT to the person who reviewed the case.

Ha ha - can you imagine all the calls QA would have to field? All the calls from fed up FRs? It's a nice idea, but I don't know how practical it would be.

Yes it would funny to see them have to be responsible for the things that they return to you. I think that if they had to field the calls rather than your manager they might be a little more careful in what they return.

Had a QA person that was totally wrong on his/her assumption that something was missing. Now remember they do not want a bunch of stuff attached to the photo other than basics when you submit your report.

After the first rejection, I added additional information in the narrative section to address his/her concern. After the second rejection I had to use arrows and point to the items that he/she said were missing and tag it as such.

I think there are QA people who are working that boost their percentages by returning reports that are within the guidelines that we follow for the client. I think this is a dis-service to the company and to the FR. It justifies the QA job, but falsely docks the FR for something that was correct on the initial report. As a FR you have no options to correct the rejection and if you have a manager that uses those percentages against you, then you are subject to the Wrath of Khan.

When I first started out doing this type of work QC would annoyed me when they made mistakes. It did not bother me when I made a mistake that they caught and I had no problem quickly communicating with them to correct my mistake. In my old age , I come to the conclusion that they are just doing there job. People make mistakes. Inspectors make mistakes and QC makes makes mistakes. QC are people and they do the best job that they can whether they are new to the game or following procedures laid down by upper management. I believe that management creates the vibe in the work place. If management is controlling and does not give people freedom to make decisions in gray areas or deviate from the Mueller bible, then that is the environment that they create. Everybody is afraid to make a mistake because they will be called out on it. So, I believe that QC serves a purpose and I no longer shoot the messenger because we all are human.

Disclaimer: I do not work in the QC department.

I'm sorry, this is a duplicate post.

I just completed a phone interview with Mueller and was told that someone would be contacting me in a couple days. Is this normal or did I not get the job?

Thanks for your time

Hello fellow Mueller Field reps,

Sorry I haven't yet formally introduced myself, but you will soon be informed that effective July 16th 2012, Mueller will be reducing the mileage rate from .51 cents per mile to .40 which effectively raises your taxable income by $11 for every 100 miles traveled.

If you don't already, you better start saving all gas receipts and keeping track of all business miles so you can take advantage of the IRS's 2012 Standard Mileage Rate of 55.5 cents come tax time.

IRS Announces 2012 Standard Mileage Rates, Most Rates Are the Same as in July


I'll complain about QA later

Originally Posted by Roadie

Hello fellow Mueller Field reps,

[...] effective July 16th 2012, Mueller will be reducing the mileage rate from .51 cents per mile to .40 which effectively raises your taxable income by $11 for every 100 miles traveled.

Any idea why they did this? The only thing I can think of is that in raising our income on the books, they are more likely to meet minimum wage standards. Or are they actually directly reimbursing some employees, and we get the shaft because they are giving everyone the same rate across the board?

I've been here several years, and have been nickel-and-dimed the entire time. This might be the last straw.


(On the QA front, though, I have to put in my $.02 on their side. Usually they're right, and when they aren't, it isn't because they're lazy/dumb. I just send notes to them in the comments field if I need them to understand something.)

That's all I can think of - in doing so, they are raising our gross income, so there's the appearance that we're earning more. This would make their "minimum wage" levels easier to meet, and give all reps the feeling they are making more since it will be reflected in our calculated hourly wage. Maybe there's more to it, I don't know - perhaps there's a tax break they can take somehow.

I don't understand why we'd need to save gas receipts or keep separate track of our miles. Come tax time, won't we just claim the difference between the federal standard and the $0.40? Our miles are already recorded on the payroll page.

"I've been here several years, and have been nickel-and-dimed the entire time. This might be the last straw."

Why does this make a difference? As long as we claim it on our taxes, we're getting no more or less than we ever were, right? The $0.15 difference is still non-taxable income.

Of the last 11 errors I've had, I consider 5 contain at least partial errors on the part of QA. "Partial" errors include things like asking FR to note how dog's breed was determined. As far as I can tell, this is not something we were ever required to do, and shouldn't be considered an error for that reason. But in the end I don't really care. Let them nitpick, make up rules, whatever - the only result is that I no longer care whether my error rate is 5% or 15%, and neither does my manager.