Is it completely inappropriate to ask your assistant to help with any personal tasks?

[Anonymous]

I've been an EA for 10 years and have never been asked to do something like this. I would find it highly inappropriate to move personal doctor appointments or personal flights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s a TA? You would probably be considered difficult and may have trouble retaining an assistant unless the person you hire knew the tasks were personal in nature. But is that ethical?

TA = The A$$hole

[Anonymous]

A major issue, too, is that you will be putting your assistant in a difficult position. She shouldn’t have to do anything unethical or against company policy. She also shouldn’t have to tell you — or tell your boss or HR that you put her in a position to do something against company policy. And doing this whether it’s in the guise of pretending it’s a job responsibility or asking a personal favor is highly problematic, and could negatively impact your professional relationship.
As others have said, if this is openly done at your particular place of work, or if this is your company and that was originally understood to be part of the responsibilities of her role, then that’s different.

[Anonymous]

the issue with doctor appointments and such is that technically the doctor's office should have authorization to speak with third parties. why would you add this person to your medical file as an authorized recipient? That is definitely an overreach for both parties.

[Anonymous]

That would have definitely been a no go when I had an admin assistant. She was unionized and her role was very defined as it pertained to her job responsiblities. It would have been considered completely inappropriate to ask her to do personal tasks. She used to offer to do all kinds of things for me as she had I will go above and beyond approach to her job but I always declined

[Anonymous]

You really need to ask other folks at your level at your company; in my experience, this comes down to the custom at your particular employer. For example, I have worked at law firms where the firm's philosophy was that assistants were there to take care of whatever tasks would enable their attorneys to bill more hours. I have also worked at law firms where the firm's philosophy was that assistants were there to assist only with billing, calendaring, and word processing. Unless you are the owner, the assistant works for your employer, not for you, so you need to know what your employers thinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the issue with doctor appointments and such is that technically the doctor's office should have authorization to speak with third parties. why would you add this person to your medical file as an authorized recipient? That is definitely an overreach for both parties.

This. And do you really want her to know about all the doctor's appointments you're having with what type of doctors?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Do not do it.

[Anonymous]

I think in companies it’s a major no-go as others have indicated.

But, I get the sense that assistants to senior law firm partners have a broader remit or senior guys in boutique finance shops. No?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think in companies it’s a major no-go as others have indicated.

But, I get the sense that assistants to senior law firm partners have a broader remit or senior guys in boutique finance shops. No?

Those senior partners make sure that their bonus is huge (cash, from them not the firm). They also make about $160-180,000 these days. Is OP prepared to do that?

[Anonymous]

I know people with very big careers who have "Personal Assistants" who do exactly these kinds of things. I know people where the assistants are paid by the organization that employs their boss so that the boss's work is uninterrupted, and people who hire their own.

But these are people who are hired to do that job. Their job description says "personal assistant". I guess someone could also have a job description that combines personal and administrative assistant.

It doesn't sound like that's OP's situation.

[Anonymous]

Hire a virtual assistant. Find one on LinkedIn.

[Anonymous]

It must be common in the private sector. We always have new fed managers coming in and trying to get their fed administrative assistants to run errands, get them coffee, get them lunch and personal shopping.

I would ask your manager for advice.

[Anonymous]

You need permission from your employer, not the assistant. As PPs have said, this varies by workplace. Many places it would be a fireable offense… but not all.

[Anonymous]

Totally inappropriate.