1. Time Off For Jury Service/Court Appearances

1.1 Jury Service

Members of staff who are called for jury service during normal working hours shall be granted the necessary time off work with full pay in order that they can fulfill their public duty.  It is expected, however, that staff will claim for loss of earnings in order that the University can be reimbursed for this.  Members of staff should follow the process detailed below when called for jury service: 

  • Advise their line manager as soon as possible that they have been called for jury service, and provide them with a copy of the jury citation letter;
  • A formal request for leave should then made through Employee Self Service, and a copy of the citation letter and the loss of earnings form should be forwarded to Payroll as soon as possible;
  • Payroll will complete, stamp and return the loss of earnings form once you confirm to Pay & Pensions via the self service helpdesk that you have been selected for jury service. You will also be given a form titled ‘Jury/witness citation form’ from the courts, which should be returned to Pay & Pensions once the member of staff has had their earnings reimbursed through the court system;
  • Following the completion of the jury service, the loss of earnings form should be submitted to court for payment. (Payment, in the form of a cheque, will be made out to the member of staff and will be sent directly to their home address within 7 to 10 working days); 
  • On receiving the payment in lieu of loss of earnings, the member of staff should complete Payroll’s Jury/witness citation form and attach a photocopy of the cheque received.  The completed form should be returned to Payroll within one week of having received the monies from court;
  • As staff will continue to receive normal salary for the duration of the jury service, the payment made to them by the court in lieu of loss of earnings will be deducted from their next salary payment.  (Please note, only payment for loss of earnings will be reclaimed by the University.  Any expenses paid in relation to travel, subsistence etc will not be deducted from earnings as the court is simply refunding money already expended).

1.2 Other Court Appearances

  • Witness: Members of staff who have been officially called as a witness (i.e. by court citation) to give evidence for a crime they have witnessed will be released from work in order that they can fulfil their public duty.  As per jury service detailed above, claims for loss of earnings should be made through the court system.  For further information on how claims should be made, please contact Payroll.  
  • Character Witness: Staff members will, at the discretion of their Head of School/RI/University Service, be given reasonable time off in order that they can act as a character witness during a court hearing.  This time off will be unpaid.  Members of staff wishing to claim for loss of earnings should do so via the relevant solicitor.
  • Court appearance on own behalf: A staff member appearing in court on their own behalf will be required to use either annual leave or unpaid leave to cover the period absent. 

1.3 General information

  • Approval of time off: Any member of staff requiring time off for a court appearance/jury service must seek approval from their line manager prior to the date of leave, providing them with the necessary court citation letter/paperwork. 
  • Manager Responsibilities: The manager should ensure that the dates which the member of staff is absent from work as a result of a court appearance/jury service are recorded within the HR/Payroll system.  
  • Travel & expenses: Any expense claims in relation to travel/subsistence that the member of staff has in relation to the court attendance should be made via the court system or relevant solicitor, not the University.
  • Attendance at court not required: If, on any day during the court hearing, the member of staff’s services are not required they shall return to work that day.
  • Jury service/court appearance cancelled: Where a member of staff is no longer required to attend court, they should ensure that the leave request is cancelled through Employee Self Service.

1.4 Useful/related links