I have been asked recently to be a scribe for recurring meetings in my work center and tried to tell my boss that I was already working overtime before starting this new requirement.

Anonymous

July 7,2022 at 9:15AM UTC

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I have been asked recently to be a scribe for recurring meetings in my work center and tried to tell my boss that I was already working overtime before starting this new requirement. I don’t think it is possible to stay on top of my duties and do this while my supervisor has basically ignored or not acknowledged the extra hours I have already been putting in the job; she thinks my duties ebb and flow which allow for this and cannot authorize overtime. I will try to capture the actual hours I am working so that I can have the data to show her that as a minimum this should be a rotational duty and not one for only me, as two other team members are in a similar position and don’t have a lot to contribute to the actual discussion in the meetings. Thoughts? I am spending an extra 10 hours each week and not getting paid or acknowledged for the extra time and effort this scribe duty involves.

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Kristie WhiteJuly 7,2022 at 12:23PM UTC
This should be the duty of someone who already attends those meetings or the meetings could be recorded. For example, Zoom meetings can be recorded. The problem with an outsider doing it is the interference with your regular duties and that you have no "context" for the information that is shared. Without context, you have to literally write down everything. And you are right - it is the responsibility of the team members involved in the meeting to take on this duty. Your supervisor is just too chicken to ask them or doesn't have the authority to enforce it - which means they may be eavesdropping through you.
Yvonne LoorijJuly 7,2022 at 12:31PM UTC
Hi! The fact that you are already doing 10 extra unpaid hours/week and your supervisor still thinks you can handle additional work means there is something fundamentally wrong in this relationship.
Do your team members work extra hours as well? Was this part of the job from the start?
In general, if this is a recent situation, you could ask your supervisor what duties they want you to drop in order to fulfill the scribe duty. As they seem to think it's an ebb&flow situation, it may help them to give more clarity about your duties and how much time they take.
If the extra hours is a structural thing that happened from the start and it doesn't lead to increase salary or promotion, you might want to reconsider if you'd like to stay there in the long run.
Crystal HowellJuly 7,2022 at 12:49PM UTC
That needs to be addressed, with Hr are you hourly or salary?
Contact recruiter to look for a job that has higher wages.
Emily WoodJuly 7,2022 at 1:42PM UTC
Is there a way to have technology solution to this like otter.ai? Something that can transcribe everything? Or there are other ones that take highlights- which city councils use for their meetings.
Either way, I agree you shouldn't be taking this on in addition to your current job duties.
AnonymousJuly 7,2022 at 2:44PM UTC
I would suggest recording the meetings for future reference.
Since your boss is not aware of the time required for your role, I would also suggest a presentation of the allocation of your time and a detailed outline of specifics.
AnonymousJuly 8,2022 at 12:44PM UTC
My bet is that the manager prefers notes so as not to deter frank discussion.
But if that’s not the case, recording might be appropriate.
If there is software that captures highlights, as suggested by Emily Wood (great idea, Emily!), that is the best of both worlds, provided that there is budget.
AnonymousJuly 8,2022 at 12:37PM UTC
My first instinct (which might not be accurate — see a 2nd possibility below) is that this duty should definitely be rotational or otherwise shared across the team, unless other team members have been assigned to similar “housekeeping” chores with similar time requirements.
*But one more question: is your boss assigning this job to you as a mark of respect, or as a way to groom you for advancement?* If yes, this is a good responsibility to take on and doing well at it might be another way to demonstrate your value-add. If nothing else, filling this role demonstrates that you are an accurate listener and writer who can distill information succinctly. Plus, it might give you a better perspective on management needs for your group.
AnonymousJuly 8,2022 at 6:42PM UTC
I think you are on the right track by logging in the actual data that substantiates your work load and how much time it takes to do this additional role. Another questions is was this scribe responsibility outline or called out in your official job duties you agreed to for the job? Regardless, no one should have to work for free. Have the initial conversation with her. After the meeting ends, regardless of whether it is positive or negative, send an email ...always check off the read receipt. In the email state based on our discussion, the following is what I understood from your feedback based on my concerns working beyond the xxhrs per work week without pay. If it ended positive, the email is to protect you so if she does not uphold a positive change, you can revert back to the written email and follow up with HR and the next hire up. In other words, keep a papertrail confirmation for every discussion.
AnonymousJuly 10,2022 at 12:12AM UTC
Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated!