Jury Service Out of Pocket

peanut99

Currently on Jury Service, serving on a trial that seems to be never ending. 

We were told it was an 8 day trial, but be prepared for it to run into a 3rd week. At the end of week 2, we've now been told it could go into a 4th week by the judge. 

My issue is not doing the Jury Service itself,  but more the fact that my employer have said they'll not pay me. The amount the court give as compensation for loss of earnings is significantly less (less than half) than what I would usually earn on a daily basis. 

I work shifts 4 on 4 off, days and nights, 12hrs a shift as a Security Officer for a huge well known Security Company, who's name I won't mention. I've had to miss several shifts due to Jury Service. I've been able to work the weekends, some of which were nights because of Bank Holiday. Court is closed on Bank Holiday. 

The court suggest that you if you're a night worker, then you shouldn't work the night before attending court. However, should the trial enter a 4th week and beyond, I'll have no choice but to work. For example, I'm scheduled to work a day shift this Friday which I've had to drop so I won't get paid. I'm also working a day shift Saturday. Scheduled to work a night shift Sunday and Monday nights. Can't afford to loose both night shifts so I'll be working Sunday night through until 4am (shorter shift) Monday morning and then have to attend court that day. 

Is the loss of earnings compensation the court pay per day you're in court, or only paid for the days you're in court and should've worked?

I'm literally hemorrhaging money trying to do this Jury Service. The cost of fuel and loss of earnings is just too much. They pay around 34p a mile for travel. Plus I have to factor in childcare on top of that! I'm really worrying about how I'm going to pay the bills next month. 

I don't think Jury Service should be compulsory for people who are employed that arent going to get paid by their employer. I also think that company's should be forced to pay their employees full pay if they're forced to do Jury Service, or at least top up their loss of earnings. I'm not deliberately choosing not to go to work! 

Takeaway_Addict

peanut99 said:

Currently on Jury Service, serving on a trial that seems to be never ending. 

We were told it was an 8 day trial, but be prepared for it to run into a 3rd week. At the end of week 2, we've now been told it could go into a 4th week by the judge. 

My issue is not doing the Jury Service itself,  but more the fact that my employer have said they'll not pay me. The amount the court give as compensation for loss of earnings is significantly less (less than half) than what I would usually earn on a daily basis. 

I work shifts 4 on 4 off, days and nights, 12hrs a shift as a Security Officer for a huge well known Security Company, who's name I won't mention. I've had to miss several shifts due to Jury Service. I've been able to work the weekends, some of which were nights because of Bank Holiday. Court is closed on Bank Holiday. 

The court suggest that you if you're a night worker, then you shouldn't work the night before attending court. However, should the trial enter a 4th week and beyond, I'll have no choice but to work. For example, I'm scheduled to work a day shift this Friday which I've had to drop so I won't get paid. I'm also working a day shift Saturday. Scheduled to work a night shift Sunday and Monday nights. Can't afford to loose both night shifts so I'll be working Sunday night through until 4am (shorter shift) Monday morning and then have to attend court that day. 

Is the loss of earnings compensation the court pay per day you're in court, or only paid for the days you're in court and should've worked?

I'm literally hemorrhaging money trying to do this Jury Service. The cost of fuel and loss of earnings is just too much. They pay around 34p a mile for travel. Plus I have to factor in childcare on top of that! I'm really worrying about how I'm going to pay the bills next month. 

I don't think Jury Service should be compulsory for people who are employed that arent going to get paid by their employer. I also think that company's should be forced to pay their employees full pay if they're forced to do Jury Service, or at least top up their loss of earnings. I'm not deliberately choosing not to go to work! 

Why should an employer top your pay up for no work?

theoretica

And similarly, why should different people on the jury be paid different amounts for doing the same thing, just because of what they normally earn? 

I believe that the loss of earnings you may claim doubles after 10 days.

lisyloo

Why isn’t 34p per mile enough? What are you driving?

peanut99

theoretica said:

And similarly, why should different people on the jury be paid different amounts for doing the same thing, just because of what they normally earn? 

I believe that the loss of earnings you may claim doubles after 10 days.

The point is that I'm being forced to not work thus putting me in financial hardship. The court pay £30ish for up to 4hrs sitting and around £60 for sitting over 4hrs in a day. I would've worked 12hrs! Some days we've sat for less than 4hrs. That's a loss of upto £90 a day in wages on the days I should've worked. Times that by 4 shifts so far that I've lost and that's a loss of over £300 in earnings. You might not see that as a problem but I have a house to run and bills to pay! 
Jurors should get full pay regardless! We're not choosing not to work and that's my point. Plenty of people in the country sat on benefits that refuse to work, make them do it instead. 

You've clearly never done Jury Service and had to suffer the financial consequences as a result judging by your comment, which didn't even answer my question 🙄 

peanut99

lisyloo said:

Why isn’t 34p per mile enough? What are you driving?

A car but that's not the point. It's extra journeys that I wouldn't usually make. I use my car to pootle around town  get to work and do the school run. A tank of fuel usually lasts a month. I've already filled it twice. 

elsien

peanut99 said:

theoretica said:

And similarly, why should different people on the jury be paid different amounts for doing the same thing, just because of what they normally earn? 

I believe that the loss of earnings you may claim doubles after 10 days.

The point is that I'm being forced to not work thus putting me in financial hardship. The court pay £30ish for up to 4hrs sitting and around £60 for sitting over 4hrs in a day. I would've worked 12hrs! Some days we've sat for less than 4hrs. That's a loss of upto £90 a day in wages on the days I should've worked. Times that by 4 shifts so far that I've lost and that's a loss of over £300 in earnings. You might not see that as a problem but I have a house to run and bills to pay! 
Jurors should get full pay regardless! We're not choosing not to work and that's my point. Plenty of people in the country sat on benefits that refuse to work, make them do it instead. 

You've clearly never done Jury Service and had to suffer the financial consequences as a result judging by your comment, which didn't even answer my question 🙄 

Sorry to be dense but what was your question? Is it whether you would be compensated if you don’t work the Sunday pm shift? 

Have you read this about the increase after 10 days mentioned by theoretica above?
https://www.gov.uk/jury-service/what-you-can-claim-if-youre-an-employee

I would also expect the 31 p a mile to cover the cost of the extra petrol. The average car uses less than that for both urban and motorway driving. Do you know how long it takes for the expenses claim to be paid?

If you don’t have the money to pay it upfront, you can talk to the court about paying expenses during the trial instead of afterwards, if you will suffer financial hardship otherwise. 

theoretica

I think you are too busy being angry to actually read the useful thing I pointed out at the end of my message.

lisyloo

peanut99 said:

lisyloo said:

Why isn’t 34p per mile enough? What are you driving?

A car but that's not the point. It's extra journeys that I wouldn't usually make. I use my car to pootle around town  get to work and do the school run. A tank of fuel usually lasts a month. I've already filled it twice. 

Sure it’s extra journeys, but 34p per mile should cover those particular costs for the fuel for a car.

Undervalued

peanut99 said:

theoretica said:

And similarly, why should different people on the jury be paid different amounts for doing the same thing, just because of what they normally earn? 

I believe that the loss of earnings you may claim doubles after 10 days.

The point is that I'm being forced to not work thus putting me in financial hardship. The court pay £30ish for up to 4hrs sitting and around £60 for sitting over 4hrs in a day. I would've worked 12hrs! Some days we've sat for less than 4hrs. That's a loss of upto £90 a day in wages on the days I should've worked. Times that by 4 shifts so far that I've lost and that's a loss of over £300 in earnings. You might not see that as a problem but I have a house to run and bills to pay! 
Jurors should get full pay regardless! We're not choosing not to work and that's my point. Plenty of people in the country sat on benefits that refuse to work, make them do it instead. 

You've clearly never done Jury Service and had to suffer the financial consequences as a result judging by your comment, which didn't even answer my question 🙄 

Well I struggle to find a specific question in your opening post!

You express your point of view, to which you are obviously entitled, but that is not how the system works.

Conversely, somebody earning an enormous salary will be even more out of pocket than you are. Should the tax payer pick up the tab for them too? Ultimately the money has to come from somewhere.

You also say "Plenty of people in the country sat on benefits that refuse to work, make them do it instead." The whole point of a jury it that it is 12 people, picked at random, and not one particular part of society.

MorningcoffeeIV

peanut99 said:

lisyloo said:

Why isn’t 34p per mile enough? What are you driving?

A car but that's not the point. It's extra journeys that I wouldn't usually make.

That's why you're recieving extra money you wouldn't normally receive.