Constant Call Pressure, 70+ Emails, and No Real Time Off - Medical Interpreter Kelly Services Employee Review

1. Zero recovery time between calls. Calls connect literally within one second of ending the previous one. For a role that requires sustained concentration, this is physically and mentally exhausting. 2. Excessive emails asking for extra shifts. It is normal to receive around 70 emails per week from the company, and almost every single one is a request to “cover an additional shift” due to staffing shortages. Emails that are not about shift coverage are extremely rare. 3. Understaffing is constant, yet hiring does not happen. Despite the ongoing shortage, management consistently avoids hiring new interpreters, even though the workload has increased for months. It creates a system where interpreters are pressured to compensate for structural understaffing. 4. Time-off is nearly impossible. Even when an unpaid leave request is submitted 2–3 weeks in advance, it is often denied with the explanation that “staffing is low.” As a result, employees can realistically take only about 5 days off per year, despite the leave being unpaid. 5. Profit-first culture. Instead of addressing the root problem (lack of staff), the company puts all the burden on interpreters while focusing on maximizing the margin taken between clients and contractors. Client complaints about long wait times are passed directly to interpreters, even though the delays are caused by staffing decisions. 6. Burnout is inevitable. Handling nonstop calls for 7+ hours a day with no breaks, plus constant email pressure, leads to severe stress, fatigue, and anxiety related to phone work.