When Minute-Taking Is Treated as Simple
Some tasks sound simple until you look at what they actually require.
I’ve noticed how often Deaf employees are asked to take the minutes as though it is just another straightforward admin task.
But minute-taking is not a neutral task when a Deaf employee is also expected to access the meeting through an interpreter.
While the interpreter is signing, the Deaf employee needs to watch the interpretation, process the meaning through BSL, hold the information in mind, and write notes at the same time.
That is already a layered task.
And for many Deaf people, English is not their first language.
So this is not just about listening and typing.
It can also mean mentally translating between BSL and written English while trying to keep up with a meeting that is still moving forward.
The structure of BSL does not always match the structure of written English.
That means extra processing is happening in real time, under pressure, while other people are simply expected to listen.
If the meeting continues without pause, the Deaf employee is the one left behind.
That is not a personal failing.
It is an access issue.
What looks simple to an employer can actually be exhausting, unfair, and unsustainable for a Deaf employee.
This is why minute-taking should never be assumed to be the right task just because someone is Deaf, or because they are already working through an interpreter.
Access should not come with extra invisible labour.
Deaf employees should be valued for their skills, insight, and contribution, not quietly reduced to note-takers while also carrying the weight of access.
