Staff meeting recording by employee.

I assume that you are either the employee or the employer. If not, post back because the answer may change.

If you are asking whether you'll get thrown in jail for doing so, no, you won't. MN law only requires that one party to the conversation be aware and consent to the taping.

However, on the assumption that you are the employee, know that just because the law won't take action against you doesn't mean your employer can't. If you do not have permission for the taping, you CAN be fired for doing so without permission and the firing will the quite legal, EVEN THOUGH you will not have violated any laws by doing so.

 

Well,here's your problem, OP.

CBG, gave you very good advice.

I'll add, because you can do something, it doesn't mean you should.

I usually tell my clients, to take notes. That's a good way to remember and memorialize what was said.

In your post, you ask about recording employees and employer. That implies more than one employee will be present. Now, you need to be even more careful. I suggest not to record conversations. That's a sign of a broken down relationship. Maybe you'd be better off seeking new employment? Just a thought.

See an excerpt from a well written article on your query.

Sent from my iPad3 using Tapatalk HD

 

The fact remains that while recording the staff meeting, unknown to anyone else and without permission, does not violate any MN or Federal laws, you are not protected from termination if your manager or the employer decides to take offense at your doing so. Your heritage, your father's history, and the fact that you have not been questioned or terminated (yet) does not change this. You CAN be fired and it WOULD be legal.

I don't know that they WOULD; I am explaining that they CAN.

 

Nothing you've said above changes the answer. You CAN be fired for recording the meeting without permission, and I am not talking solely about permission of the participants in the meeting. It doesn't matter if it was done in the open or not; if your boss or his boss or the CEO decide to be offended by your use of a recording, then you CAN be fired for recording it, EVEN IF you had the permission of the participants in the meeting, EVEN IF you are entirely legal and EVEN IF you did so with the knowledge of everyone involved. Again, I am not saying you WILL be fired; I am saying you CAN be fired.

But it appears that you only want to hear that you are right, so fine, you are right.

 

OP, your initial question was “Can I legally record a staff meeting between employees and employer in the state of Minnesota.” However, your last post implies that you want to know whether you have “a right” to unilaterally record staff meetings. The answer to that question is probably no. As a general matter, your supervisor (on behalf of your employer) can forbid you from recording a staff meeting, and you would not have any recourse or means to challenge his or her decision.

As a municipal employee, you may have rights under the civil service protection system and/or a collective bargaining agreement. While I doubt either civil service protection or a union contract would authorize you to record staff meetings, I have read seemingly crazier “worker protections.” It may be worth it for you to examine whether you have any such rights.

Again, though, if you are not specifically granted such rights, then you likely do not have a basis to insist upon recording a staff meeting.