Saying “that's not my job” at work
Why it can fall flat
“that's not my job”
Colleagues hear “that's not my job” as a refusal, even when your boundary is fair, because it doesn't say who should handle the task or why. A clearer option is to explain that the work falls outside your role or current capacity.
Say this instead
- 01
That sits outside my role, and my time this week is committed to the Q3 report. Can we agree who is best placed to own it?
Boss · Chat
Reach for this when your manager hands you something unrelated to your role, since it states the boundary and hands the decision to the right owner.
- 02
Hi Ishita, before I take this on I want to check priorities. It falls outside my role, and doing it would delay the client proposal. Which should come first? Thanks, Amit
Boss · Email
Choose this when you can't simply refuse, because it shows the trade-off and leaves the final call with your boss.
- 03
This isn't something my role covers. Facilities handles it, so I'd send the request straight to them.
Coworker · Chat
Send this as a quick, friendly redirect when a colleague asks for something that belongs to another team.
- 04
Hi Marco, that request is outside the scope we agreed, so it isn't included in the current work. If you'd like it added, I can send a separate quote. Best regards, Lena
Client · Email
Use it when a client keeps adding extras, because it points back to the agreed scope and offers a way forward.
- 05
That task belongs to the support team, not ours, so please pass it to them instead of picking it up. If anyone pushes back, send them to me.
Someone you manage · Chat
This helps when someone you manage is being pulled into work that isn't theirs, and it tells them you'll back them.
- 06
Hi Mehwish, that's handled by our billing team rather than me, so they're the right people to ask. I can share their contact details if useful.
Customer · SMS
Customers asking for something another department owns get a redirect here instead of a flat refusal.
- 07
Thanks for sending the details. The role includes responsibilities outside the kind of work I'm looking for, so I'll pass on this one. Kind regards, Skyler
Recruiter / HR · Email
Pick this when a job description includes duties you don't want, since it is clear and leaves room for better-fitting roles.
Examples
Hi Mehwish, Thanks for thinking of me for the vendor invoice checks. That work sits outside my role, and my time this month is committed to the website migration. Finance would be the best team to own it, so I'd suggest raising it with them. Best, Rahul
Hi Ashok, I'm not the right person for the printer setup, as it's an IT task and not part of my role. The IT help desk can sort it quickly if you send them a ticket.
What to avoid
- Don't say it with a sigh or sarcasm, and keep the tone level and the sentence short.
- Pointing at your job description like a weapon backfires, so say what the task is and who should own it.
- A refusal with no next step is harder to accept, while naming the right person or team makes the boundary easier.
- Vague excuses like “I'm too busy” hide the real reason when the task simply isn't yours.
- Over-explaining weakens your point, and one clear reason is enough.