Called up for jury service, but for the first 3 days I haven't been required, is this normal?

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Mr-Incy@reddit

If they are telling you that you aren't required a day in advance you go to work instead, your company are aware that you might get called in, so when the court tells you that you are needed just let your company know and they can claim back the days you actually were on jury service.

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pisigma2019@reddit

This, I'm a bit confused as OP sounds like they are sitting at home each day waiting for jury service. You know the day before whether you need to go in or not. So you go to work as normal if not required for jury service.

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peanutthecacti@reddit

You don’t always know. Most of the time I was on jury duty I was told to not attend court unless I got a phone call between 9am-2pm, but if I’d not heard to call after 5pm to listen to the recorded message.

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rg06rg@reddit

Are you based in England or Scotland?

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peanutthecacti@reddit

Scotland

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Automatic_Egg_8303@reddit (OP)

Yes this is basically what I am doing. I had to inform my employer that I had been summonsed for jury duty and the dates, and they have put me off on the rota as on jury duty. Working shifts, they've already covered for me on the rota for not being there. Might be best to call them tomorrow and ask

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No-Canary-9845@reddit

Hope your service went well, how did you get paid for this?

Reading through the paperwork looks like I’m allowed £63 per day if my employer isn’t paying me out of my holiday allowance 😵‍💫

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Automatic_Egg_8303@reddit (OP)

My employer sent me a form with my daily earnings I get paid if I was working. I then forwarded that on to the court, who reimbursed me. From what I can remember I received the money within a day.

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172116@reddit

Yeah, it depends a lot on your job. When I was in your shoes I was able to work (it was actually great - I was marked as jury service in the calendar, so nobody knew I was working, and I got loads done!), but a bit different when it's coverage based shift work.

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Salt-Addendum-3702@reddit

Hiya, this is about you other post but I can't send a chat request. Could you try sending me one since I'm very interested?

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Pleasant_Event_7692@reddit

You’re required to attend court whether or not they give you anything to do. Legally you have to show up every day that they require you to, and stay the whole day if they require you to be there. Your employer cannot get you into trouble for it because it’s up to the judge, the prosecutor and the defence.

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QueefInMyKisser@reddit

Can I take my laptop and just work from the jury room, until I’m selected for a case and given actual juror duties?

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Pleasant_Event_7692@reddit

Ask if you can use in the courtroom for privacy purposes.

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damapplespider@reddit

It is normal. My first jury service I wasn’t called up until the Tuesday of the second week and back then, you had to go to the courthouse and sit around all day without mobiles.

Last time, I was called on day 2 but the trial wasn’t on every day. The court guidance was to go to work but my employers were a bit surprised that I’d gone in.

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Automatic_Egg_8303@reddit (OP)

This is what the email says when they have told me that I am not needed. To go about my daily routine including going to work. My employer is paying me whilst I am on jury service, and I think they then can claim back the expense, but not sure if they will get the costs as I haven't actually been called up

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spatz_uk@reddit

Typically, you claim the statutory allowance and many employers will make up the difference.

Whether you can claim the days you are not called, I’m not sure, but I would argue that there are many jobs where you can’t simply turn up and do a shift and an employer might get a replacement in for the whole two weeks, therefore you can’t actually work on days you are not needed.

I’ve only done jury service once around 15 years ago, and we were expected to go to Crown Court each day. It was only I think the last day of the second week they told us to not attend because they wouldn’t put us on a trial that would then run into the third week.

In reference to your comment about not being selected, I got called down as one of 16 jurors 4 times in the first two days and not selected for any. At the time I actually worked for the county police force that the court was located in. I don’t know if either prosecuting or defending barrister know the occupation/employer of the panel of jurors and were able to ask for a juror to not be selected where they thought there might be a conflict of interest. In any case I was then selected for two trials each lasting around 3 days, and if it dispels any myth about “bent” police, we unanimously acquitted in each.

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ubiquitous_uk@reddit

They can't claim anything back.

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TooLittleGravitas@reddit

So you have been called twice? Do you (or anyone else) have any idea how common this is? I'm over 60 and never been called.

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gbeo21@reddit

I’m 41, never got called until 2020. Just been called again for April, this will be my 4th time being called.. so pretty much had yearly citations since covid.. never been needed though..

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172116@reddit

I was called 3 times in 3 years. First time they didn't need me, second time was too close to the first, so they exempted me, third time I had a horrific cough, and when the clerk heard it over the phone, they deferred me, but I've heard nothing since.

My parents are in their 70s and neither of them have ever been called.

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Enchanting_puddles@reddit

None of my family have ever been called, yet both my husband’s parents and 5 out of 8 siblings have been called at least once, a few of them twice and one 3 times. We all live in the same area so I really don’t understand how it works!

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Daveddozey@reddit

I’ve never been called. My wife has been called 3 times in 20+ years living together.

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Flossandneedle@reddit

I got called for the first time at 24. My dad had been called twice and mum once yet my grandparents went their whole lives without being called (we all live in the same area)

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Dimac99@reddit

I was called 3 times before I was 30. First time aged 18 as a student and I was forced to miss my first week of the second semester. They made it clear that that was not grounds for excusal. Missed a whole bunch of mandatory lectures, tutorials and labs, plus all the associated bumff that comes with 1st classes in new subjects. When I became ill later in the semester I had to turn up to sign in then go to sleep at the back of a lab for four hours or I would get an automatic fail after missing the first one.

Second time was a different area and I managed to get out of it because I was moving away on the Saturday and the date was the Monday two days later. Fortunately they seemed to think that was a reasonable excuse.

Third time was the original area but I was staying with my brother several hundred miles away and would not be returning for another few months. The lady on the phone seemed to think that was also a reasonable excuse, thank goodness. I imagine she didn't fancy me submitting a travel expense claim for a train ticket from south England to central Scotland.

I am hoping and praying I won't be called a fourth time because frankly the first case was bullshit and I know better than to trust a jury after that experience. I still cannot believe the prosecution submitted blood evidence with no actual evidentiary value. They didn't even prove whose it was, never mind how long it had been there. Gil Grissom would have been furious.

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YourMaWarnedUAboutMe@reddit

I’m in Scotland and in the last thirteen years have been called for Jury Service three times: twice by the Sheriff Court (I think that’s the Scottish equivalent of the County Court in England & Wales) and once by the High Court. Both Sheriff Court calls resulted in not being needed at all, but the High Court call did require my attendance.

There’s a higher chance of being called in Scotland because there’s a smaller pool to call on.

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damapplespider@reddit

Yes. Both times in London for Southwark Crown Court but 15 years or so apart. First time I’d just said to someone that no one I knew had been called and within a week, I was called.

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peanutthecacti@reddit

It seems to depend a lot on where you are. I lived in England for the first 26 years of my life and only came across two people who had ever been called for jury duty. Moved to Glasgow and within three years I’d been summoned twice (I think the second time was a glitch in the system as a whole batch of us seemed to get summoned again), and known another 5 people to get summoned. Some people were on their third summons.

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BigDsLittleD@reddit

The first two days of mine I sat in the smoking room reading a book from start time to finish time, didn't even get called.

Got a 3 days case, at the end of which they said "thanks for your time, we don't need you next week"

I conveniently forgot to tell work about that second week thing and had a nice week off instead

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Sir_Dixie@reddit

I've just finished jury duty. I was sent home early on Monday as I was part of the shortlist for a longer trial. Wasn't needed on the first Tuesday and was then in every day until the case finished.

Some of the others who started on the same day did nothing for almost two weeks until they got assigned to a longer case part way through week two. There was another jury whose trial had been adjourned for a week.

Someone else I know turned up on day one, they got three days of emails and the fourth email was telling them their jury duty had finished.

You might get one longer trial, or several shorter ones, or nothing at all.

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Ojy@reddit

I've done jury service twice now in my life. Never got called up either time.

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scarty16@reddit

Yes, I was sat around for a few days, until I got my trial.

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Swimming_Possible_68@reddit

If you aren't required, you should check with work what they want you to do.

I did jury service last year, on the days I wasn't required I worked as normal.

You can't claim Jury expenses for the days you are not needed to attend.

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PixieBaronicsi@reddit

This happened to me twice in the last five years.

Both times they told me after the 3rd day that I wasn’t needed and was released

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FlummoxedFlumage@reddit

Can I ask if you work in the public sector? Bit of a theory amongst my colleagues that we get called more frequently because MOJ don’t have to cover lost earnings.

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NotAlwaysPolite@reddit

Lucky as our local court seems to make you physically go in regardless. Would love to chill out at home and wait it out instead.

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ProfessorYaffle1@reddit

It's quite common. Trials can 'crack' at the last minute, for instance if a defendent changes their plea . I think also they call more.jurors then they expect to need, to allow for jurors not showing up or having conflicts of interest, as it would be more expensive to have to delay a trial, than pay for a juror to show up and not be needed

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domsp79@reddit

I did jury service about 20 years ago. Was put on a jury for a 3 day trial within an hour. Then nothing for the rest of the week, or the first two days of the next week.

Then a trial came in which we were told was going to last 3 months. There was only 14 of us left in the room, so the odds of being picked were quite good.

The guy changed his plea right at the last minute and we were all sent home and didn't need to return for the final two days.

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trofficus@reddit

I’ve just been called myself. On the loss of earnings form there is an option for your employer if they expect you back to work if not needed for a full or half day. Probably a bit late but I would ask your employer

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Sugarlips_80@reddit

I did jury service last year and on the says i was stood down i had to return to work, and so as I was stood down in the morning was ineligible to claim the expenses back as I was free to return to work.

I believe you can only claim for the days you are in court/on a case. I had days i sat in the jury room all day - i could claim those and days I was stood down at mid day and I could claim those. The days I was stood down from home I could not claim.

Maybe ask the court? They should be able to advise as they deal with this all the time.

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Virtual-Mobile-7878@reddit

Yeah. It's a fucking ball ache.

Walk around with a Daily Mail protruding out your back pocket. I you do get called, any brief worth his sandwiches will get you binned

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deucebumps25@reddit

Your employer cannot claim the expense back, you have to do this through the loss of earnings form which should have been in the juror information pack sent in the post. Your employer fills it out with your net pay details, and whether you can go to work (if not required in court) for a full or half day, or before the end of the two weeks, which presumably is the case for you if they cannot add you back into the rota at short notice. I think that if you tick the box to say you cannot go to work then the court pays you for all the days, regardless of if you were physically in court or ‘on standby’. You have to submit the form at the end of your service and the court pays you directly.

Your employer has three options:

Pay you 100% of your usual pay (in which case you do not claim for loss of earnings)
you claim the loss of earnings and then your work tops up the difference so between the two you get 100%
they do not pay you at all and all you get is the reimbursement from the court

I suggest you speak to your manager/payroll team to find out how they want to handle it.

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Automatic_Egg_8303@reddit (OP)

Thank you for your reply, according to my employer they are paying me 100% of my usual pay. I will need to contact my manager and see what the procedure is, as I am not needed tomorrow (only found out at 16.40 today) by which time my manager had finished

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AHKieran@reddit

I was called in for 3 days out of the 2 weeks I was on Jury Duty at age 21. On all 3 days, the defendant pleaded guilty and I never actually set foot in the courtroom, just the waiting area. I was on a summer internship at the time (between 3rd and 4th years of my master's degree) and went to work on the days i was not called in.

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Proud-Biscotti-6194@reddit

I’ve been called up twice now and the last time we all sat for a week and every case pleaded guilty so we just sat around then they dismissed us all.

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Time-Invite3655@reddit

It sounds better than it used to be if you don't actually have to sit around anymore...

I was called up a few years ago. I spent the first three days sitting in a room reading and clock watching. I was then offered the chance to change courts (multiple crown courts in my area), so went to a different one the following day where I finally got a case but the jury was rejected after 1 day (an older jury member told the judge they'd not been able to hear the evidence and asked for it to be repeated- the judge threw out the entire jury and started the trial over). Luckily, I was picked for a case on the Friday- it ran until the Tuesday. When it was concluded, we were all told that was us done and tatty bye. So, I was back at work on the Wednesday (as work wouldn't pay and I had to claim from the court so there was zero chance of me ending up financially worse off).

So, 7 working days there... 3 of which involved diddy squat.

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earlycustard123@reddit

I did 2 weeks and wasn’t called for a single case.

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DOPEYDORA_85@reddit

Yes, yes and use X even more now

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viprus@reddit

Man, I wish they had emailed me... I had to show up every day for selection, sit in a room for a few hours with like 100 other people, then finally be told we weren't needed and to go home.

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MrMoonUK@reddit

If you’re not required you should tell your employer and work that day, HMCTS won’t pay you the pathetic £64per day that you give to your employer if you are not called

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Nedonomicon@reddit

I only went in on my first day and never got called back

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BulkyAccident@reddit

Very normal. You might go that entire two weeks without being used for anything properly.

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Automatic_Egg_8303@reddit (OP)

So it is not a problem for my employer to be able to claim back the expense in terms of paying me whilst I am in this jury service?

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SomeHSomeE@reddit

No it's not an issue at all. You just have to be available and it's up to the court if they use your or not. It still counts.

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BulkyAccident@reddit

No, it's irrelevant if you're not actually being used in a jury that day or not - you're there to be on call if you need to be. Employers are used to this sort of thing happening, thousands of people every week are part of it.

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SmellyPubes69@reddit

Yes because they are paying your employer for your time not your input.

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VardaElentari86@reddit

Normal. I rang each evening to see if I was needed and wasn't, only had to do it for 3 days and then the automated number said I didn't need to ring any more.

But I just warned work ahead of time and worked since I wasn't needed and knew the night before, not sure how it'll work for you if you are neither going to the potential jury duty or work...

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Automatic_Egg_8303@reddit (OP)

This is the bit I am confused with also. In my job its not easy to turn up, due to it being shift work, and me not being allocated shifts for this fortnight, due to jury service

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Glass-Web-4450@reddit

I got that email everyday for 2 weeks. Sucked as I was really looking forward to being able to put my feet up in the run up to Christmas working in retail.

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paul114114@reddit

Normal - called up, the nearest I got in 4 days was standing outside the court, sent home after that.

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Atoz_Bumble@reddit

Yep. I wasn't called up until 5th day. Then was dismissed from that case as I was a substitute juror. Then next week called up for a one day case. Then at the end of the second week, called up to a two week case. So I was serving for about a month in total.

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Fred_Derf_Jnr@reddit

Was there for a week. Didn’t get put on a case and then released.

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