Anyone on the electoral register aged between 18 and 70 can be called up for jury service at any time. Jurors are generally asked to serve for 10 working days, although this period can be longer. Here are some things that employers should know about jury service:
- Employers cannot refuse to allow an employee time off work to attend jury service. If, however, the employee’s absence will seriously damage the business then you can work with the employee to make an application for deferral in the employee’s reply form. It is the employee who needs to make this application – which should include alternative dates where they would be available in the next 12 months – but the employer can provide the employee with information regarding business need which they can then send in.
- There is no legal entitlement for employees to be paid their normal wages during jury service.
- Employers should check their policies and contracts of employment to see if they have set out any entitlement to pay during jury service.
- Employers should also review any informal agreements previously reached to pay wages during jury service – if the practice has become certain and notorious within the business then it may have become a contractual entitlement by custom and practice.
- You are not able to claim additional expenses from the court linked to the need to cover the employee’s work whilst they are on jury service.
Find out how we can help. Our partner, Jon Dunkley, heads the Wollens specialist Employment Department. Contact him today for an informal chat, without obligation on 01271 342268 or via email at [email protected].
