Jury Duty, does my employer get reimbursed my wages?

tonydude · 14-12-2020 10:15pm #1

I'm been called up to do jury duty and I've no problem doing it but I'm worried about my employer. It's just the two of us and I know he won't be able to afford the expense of me doing jury duty . But he says it's fine and that they reimburse him the cost of my wages. Is this true? As I don't want him to be caught out.

Thanks

cml387 · 15-12-2020 8:45am

Not true.

Stihl waters · 15-12-2020 8:47am

Just tell them you can't do it, make up some excuse

GBX · 15-12-2020 10:15am

Get him to write you a letter and send a copy to court services asking to be excused because you are needed to keep the business going.

skooterblue2 · 17-01-2021 12:10am

If you ABSOLUTELY dont want to do jury duty, it is fairly easy to get out of.
Read all the paper work provided, one or more of those conditions apply to you.
I have been called three times every time I got out of it for a different reason.

The only people who sit on juries are people who want to sit on juries.

whomitconcerns · 17-01-2021 7:08am

It's a civic duty which you should do if you can, as a representative of the general public, so I don't think the last comment is fair about the "only people who sit on juries"

However, op, sounds like it really doesn't suit you, so as told above, send them as letter citing as said in the earlier posts.

skooterblue2 · 17-01-2021 1:50pm

Do you think it is fair to the judge, plaintiff, defendant and other officers in the the court to have either a disgruntled, disinterested or not a fully committed jourer? I would imagine it would take massive levels of concentration and observance. The last person I would want on a jury is a frank Gallagher type who would want to find the fastest answer. If you are not fit for jury service, you should not serve.

skooterblue2 · 17-01-2021 1:53pm

Stihl waters wrote: »

Just tell them you can't do it, make up some excuse

Loads of reasons why you can't do it!
Member of the defence forces, psychiatric nurse, pharmacist, autism, mental health, know any party involved. Read the fine print.

Foweva Awone · 17-01-2021 1:58pm

First time I was asked, I sent a letter from my manager saying they'd appreciate if I could be excused as I was needed at work. No problem.

Second time, I replied saying my mental health wasn't great, got excused that time too (they didn't ask for a medical letter, but I could easily have gotten one). Haven't been asked since, I don't know if mental illness precludes you permanently. Pity if so, I'd actually quite like to do it some day (now that my mental health issues are under control.)

Basically if you don't want to do it, they're not going to force you, as long as you've got a decent reason.

Never heard of employers being reimbursed your wages.

DJIMI TRARORE · 17-01-2021 2:30pm

Foweva Awone wrote:

Never heard of employers being reimbursed your wages.

Do u not get expenses, and good ones at that,

wench · 17-01-2021 2:38pm

DJIMI TRARORE wrote: »

Do u not get expenses, and good ones at that,

No, you just get lunch provided, that's it.

Stihl waters · 17-01-2021 3:11pm

Foweva Awone wrote: »

First time I was asked, I sent a letter from my manager saying they'd appreciate if I could be excused as I was needed at work. No problem.

Second time, I replied saying my mental health wasn't great, got excused that time too (they didn't ask for a medical letter, but I could easily have gotten one). Haven't been asked since, I don't know if mental illness precludes you permanently. Pity if so, I'd actually quite like to do it some day (now that my mental health issues are under control.)

Basically if you don't want to do it, they're not going to force you, as long as you've got a decent reason.

Never heard of employers being reimbursed your wages.

Same here, I've been asked 3 times, the second time I wrote a long winded letter about being afraid of meeting new people and social interactions and having borderline agoraphobia, the 3ed time I got the summons I put it in my drawer and completely forgot about it until I came across it a year later, I never heard anything back

iamwhoiam · 17-01-2021 3:13pm

For anyone who didn’t know your House Insurance often covers you for jury duty at a daily rate

endofrainbow · 17-01-2021 3:46pm

wench wrote: »

No, you just get lunch provided, that's it.

that's only if you actually sit on a jury

skooterblue2 · 17-01-2021 8:16pm

endofrainbow wrote: »

that's only if you actually sit on a jury

So you could be sitting in the jury pool for a week reading Tom Clancy novels, waiting for a jury selection that may never come?

endofrainbow · 17-01-2021 8:19pm

quite possibly !

veetwin · 17-01-2021 9:20pm

Heard from someone in the know the only people who do jury duty are public servants (who get paid anyway), students and retired people. Makes sense as it's remarkably easy to get out of.

Wishbone Ash · 17-01-2021 9:58pm

GBX wrote: »

Get him to write you a letter and send a copy to court services asking to be excused because you are needed to keep the business going.

I used to write letters for our employees requesting that they be exempted but, about 10 years ago, we were contacted by the Courts Service and informed that I was to discontinue doing so. In fairness, it was always at the request of employees that I wrote the letters rather than for the employer. Some of our staff have been out for many weeks on jury service.

(I'd like to be called myself but, unfortunately, I'm automatically exempted.)

Evd-Burner · 17-01-2021 11:02pm

I had the same issue a number of years ago. Just me and the owner in a startup, if I was out for dury duty the company would have stopped in its tracks.

I wrote a letter in explaining the situation and I was excused.

I was also called as a student, I did want to do it, only issue was that it fell on the week of summer exams, so again I had to send a letter and I was excused.

the_pen_turner · 17-01-2021 11:18pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I used to write letters for our employees requesting that they be exempted but, about 10 years ago, we were contacted by the Courts Service and informed that I was to discontinue doing so. In fairness, it was always at the request of employees that I wrote the letters rather than for the employer. Some of our staff have been out for many weeks on jury service.

(I'd like to be called myself but, unfortunately, I'm automatically exempted.)

what would make someone auto exempt. not you specifically

Peregrinus · 18-01-2021 3:07am

the_pen_turner wrote: »

what would make someone auto exempt. not you specifically

A number of people are ineligible for jury service:
• Uachtarán na hÉireann (I'm guessing that one's no help to you)
• Most people who work in or are involved with the justice system (judges, guards, lawyers, prison officers, etc)
• Members of the defence forces
• People who can't read
• People with an impairment/disabilty that would prevent them from performing a juror's duties
• People who have been sentenced to a term of 5 years or more, ever
• People who have served a term of 3 months or more, within the past 10 years.

Ineligible people cannot serve on a jury even if they want to.

Then you have people who are elibigible to serve, but entitled to be exempted if they want to be:
• Anyone over 65
• School/college principals
• Full-time students
• Teaching staff, if the principal certifies that they can't be spared
• Practising medical practitioners, dentists, nurses, midwifes, vets, pharmacists
• Ministers or religion; members of religious orders
• TDs and Senators; senior Oireachtas staff; other Oireachtas staff if the Clerk of the Dáil/Seanad certifies that they can't be spared
• The head of a Government Department; other departmental staff if the Head of Department certifies that they can't be spared
• The head of a local authority, health board, harbour board, etc; other staff if the head certifies that they can't be spared
• Ships' masters; licensed pilots
• Anyone who previously served on a jury, and was excused from further service by the judge on that occasion. (This sometimes happens if you serve on a jury for a particularly demanding trial.)

Yyhhuuu · 18-01-2021 3:57am

It's called Jury Service. This is the term in the Law.

JURY DUTY is an American term. I have never heard it used in the Courts I frequent, just saying.

skooterblue2 · 18-01-2021 4:25pm

Peregrinus wrote: »

A number of people are ineligible for jury service:
• Uachtarán na hÉireann (I'm guessing that one's no help to you)
• Most people who work in or are involved with the justice system (judges, guards, lawyers, prison officers, etc)
• Members of the defence forces
• People who can't read
• People with an impairment/disabilty that would prevent them from performing a juror's duties
• People who have been sentenced to a term of 5 years or more, ever
• People who have served a term of 3 months or more, within the past 10 years.

Ineligible people cannot serve on a jury even if they want to.

Then you have people who are elibigible to serve, but entitled to be exempted if they want to be:
• Anyone over 65
• School/college principals
• Full-time students
• Teaching staff, if the principal certifies that they can't be spared
• Practising medical practitioners, dentists, nurses, midwifes, vets, pharmacists
• Ministers or religion; members of religious orders
• TDs and Senators; senior Oireachtas staff; other Oireachtas staff if the Clerk of the Dáil/Seanad certifies that they can't be spared
• The head of a Government Department; other departmental staff if the Head of Department certifies that they can't be spared
• The head of a local authority, health board, harbour board, etc; other staff if the head certifies that they can't be spared
• Ships' masters; licensed pilots
• Anyone who previously served on a jury, and was excused from further service by the judge on that occasion. (This sometimes happens if you serve on a jury for a particularly demanding trial.)

That covers a load of areas. If you cant get out of it that way there are still more. If you know anyone on either side involved in the case. You can always get a medical cert.

Mimon · 18-01-2021 4:28pm

Yyhhuuu wrote: »

It's called Jury Service. This is the term in the Law.

JURY DUTY is an American term. I have never heard it used in the Courts I frequent, just saying.

Who cares? Certainly no need to SHOUT.

Yyhhuuu · 18-01-2021 11:40pm

Mimon wrote: »

Who cares? Certainly no need to SHOUT.

I wasnt shouting. It's called Jury Service just saying. I suppose I should call nappies diapers.

Squiggle · 19-01-2021 10:18am

Was called a few years ago but got exempted because of a Hospital appointment for the day after I was due to attend.

I thought it was strange that registered post wasn't used and would lend itself to no shows. Maybe they factor that in when calling up potential jurors?

Claw Hammer · 19-01-2021 5:12pm

If you go to the call for jury service wearing a suit you will be challenged by the defence and won't have to sit as a juror.
The following excuses work:-

I, I ,I have, have , have a, a, a spp sppe each imm immpp edd imm ent.

I am hard of hearing

I think I recognise the name and address of one or more of the witnesses.

I have a holiday booked for next week.

the_pen_turner · 19-01-2021 5:35pm

Claw Hammer wrote: »

If you go to the call for jury service wearing a suit you will be challenged by the defence and won't have to sit as a juror.
The following excuses work:-

I, I ,I have, have , have a, a, a spp sppe each imm immpp edd imm ent.

I am hard of hearing

I think I recognise the name and address of one or more of the witnesses.

I have a holiday booked for next week.

Why would the suite get you challenged over other clothing

wench · 19-01-2021 5:50pm

Claw Hammer wrote: »

I have a holiday booked for next week.

That would probably get you arrested these days!

Also, some cases are only a day or two, so it may not actually get you out of it anyway.

Claw Hammer · 19-01-2021 6:18pm

the_pen_turner wrote: »

Why would the suite get you challenged over other clothing

Defence counsel and solicitors don't want respectable people on juries. They are more inclined to convict.

skooterblue2 · 19-01-2021 11:13pm

Squiggle wrote: »

Was called a few years ago but got exempted because of a Hospital appointment for the day after I was due to attend.

I thought it was strange that registered post wasn't used and would lend itself to no shows. Maybe they factor that in when calling up potential jurors?

They probably call up 500 people, hope they get about 80 to draw a pool of 3 set of 12 jurors for the weeks trials. My wife has been called three times and spent the weeks reading various novels.

Jury Duty, does my employer get reimbursed my wages?

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