How Can I Refuse To Take Minutes At Work

[Treacle71]

I am an ongoing temp in a secretarial job and get paid weekly (if I'm lucky). I say this because management 'forgets' to 'put my hours through' at times and sometimes I don't get paid on time which infuriates me.
Every two months we have to take minutes which is something I hate. Well, it's that time again to take them and I don't want to be asked to do them. I'm angry I've had to wait a week for my money, once again, so do I have a right to refuse seeing as I didn't get paid last week? Can I use my non-payment as an excuse not to take minutes?

[chelle7272]

If it is part of the job description for the role then you will have to either so it, or speak to your manager about it and see if someone else can do it instead. However if you have been taken on for the job with the expectation you will do them that might not be a positive thing to do.
The pay issue is separate and should be raised through the appropriate channels. You can;t use it as a reason not to do your job tasks.

[RandyMarsh]

Not really, the are not linked x

[EdmundD]

No. It's a separate issue. All you can do is ask if there is someone else who can do it. But you should give a better reason than "I hate". Many people have aspects of their job that they are not keen on.

[Peter Pedant]

No

very important - having been the victim of crap minutes myself

not linked to work - if they arent paying you because they er forget
then look for another job

[Zacs-Master]

Take the minutes but when it comes to 'Any Other Business', bring up your non payment.

[bednobs]

there's a few bits of my job i hate too. However i have the understanding that those bits are what i've been employed to do so i can't refuse to do them. If you don't want to take minutes, then dont be a secretary.
It's like a professional footballer saying "i don't really like playing in the matches so i'm not going to"

[pat2604]

Reminds me of when I used to take notes verbatim in shorthand at all day meetings. I can't believe I could once do that! But as others have said, it is probably expected that a secretary will take minutes as part of the job, so if you don't want to hard luck. I would find another job, especially if they forget to pay you.

As as secretary in younger years current found myself having to do things I hated, like filing all the paperwork before computers came onto the scheme. I just knew it was part of my job as lots of other things. That's life!! I have also been willing to do things that were not secretarial like making sandwiches all day at a trade show, etc. Ev

[youngmafbog]

You are a secretary, do your job.

And mines a tea with two sugars.

[Hopkirk]

Make your own tea YMB. It's not a secretarial job.

[gingejbee]

Tell them that taking minutes takes hours and you haven't got the time....(geddit?)

[Maydup]

Two different issues here. The non payment of wages needs sorting but you can't refuse to do elements of your job because of it.

Why do yu hate taking minutes? Is it because you find the content of the meeting difficult to understand? Do people talking too quickly? Are you allowed to type notes on a laptop at the meeting rather than shorthand? Maybe ask for some assistance with this rather than declare how much you hate it or refuse to do it.

Worse comes to the worse, you just have to do your best but if you make it difficult you're putting your job at risk.

[Paul22118]

Take the minutes accurately BUT make the first paragraph read

'These minutes will only be approved, verified and published once the author's pay has been regulated and increased.'

[Prudie]

The lack of correct pay and refusing to do minutes aren't connected. Was it mentioned in your job description that minute taking is one of your roles.

I have to get on my high horse now. As someone who has been PA to directors and currently regularly has to take minutes at high level meetings it really *** me off that lots of people consider this a low level admin task along with providing the coffee. Writing good minutes requires some skill. I know when I'm doing it half the people in the meeting I'm noting don't even have the grammar level nor understanding of the subject matter to begin to make a decent job of providing good minutes. However it remains a task often given to the low grade and usually female staff.

[lankeela]

I started taking minutes at our Youth Club committee meetings when I was about fourteen, and doing shorthand and typing at school. Then went to secretarial college and had a variety of jobs over the years until I chucked office work in and ran boarding/show kennels. Now at retirement age I find myself secretary of four different dog clubs and taking minutes at committee meetings! My advice, get out now while you can!

[Hopkirk]

Applause to Prudie. An efficient and competent person in that job is worth their weight in gold, and is usually under appreciated.