Petition Oblige Employers to Grant Paid Leave for Jurors

Jury Service is a state obligation placed upon all eligible adults of the U.K.

Refusal/failure to attend is punishable by hefty fines.

Scant regard is taken of the circumstances of a juror, who can risk financial ruin if a case runs for many months.

In contrast a juror's employer is only obliged to give them unpaid time off work.

Should the employer choose to dismiss an employee while carrying out their jury duties, the maximum risk to them is to be taken before an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal. A tribunal that has to be requested by the employee, not the court nor the Justice Department.

I propose that the Jury Service rules be amended to raise the level of obligation placed on a juror's employer.

Dismissal of an employee/juror should be made a contempt of court offence attracting eye watering fines. Wages should be paid as normal to a juror, with the employer having the right to claim a percentage back from the Justice Department.l