Your employment rights during jury service

If you are self-employed

If you are self-employed and can show that jury service would cause serious harm to your business, you can apply to be excused.

The Juries Act 1976 does not provide compensation to self-employed people for time spent on jury service.

If you are employed

You can ask to be excused from jury service in exceptional circumstances (opens in new tab) . Your employer cannot apply for you.

Telling your employer

• Tell your employer as soon as you receive your jury summons.
• You will not know at this stage how long you will be absent.
• The length of jury service depends on whether you are selected for a trial and how long that trial lasts.
• The judge will tell you how long the trial is likely to last.

Pay while on jury service

• By law, your employer must pay you while you are on jury service.
• You are considered employed or apprenticed while absent for jury service.
• Your employer cannot dismiss you or treat you unfairly for attending jury service.

Certificate of attendance

• After your jury service ends, ask court staff for a certificate of attendance.
• If you replied to your jury summons online, you can download your certificate for six months.
• Give the certificate to your employer as proof of attendance.