I am a hospital consultant in the UK summoned to mandatory jury duty.
An accompanying booklet states that my employer (the National Health
Service) is obligated to give me _unpaid_ leave during my jury
service. Reimbursement by the court is set at £28 per day. My earnings
including private practice are £750 per day. How can this be so? Under
these circumstances how can a juror be impartial? Can you supply me
with Internet references to help me decide whether I have understood
the situation correctly?

<Jury Service reimbursement in the UK.

You have understood the situation correctly.

The allowances are given on Her Majesty?s Court Service website.
Scroll down the page to the question ?Will I get paid for being on
Jury Service?? and click on allowances sheet. For up to 4 hours the
allowance for loss of earnings in £28.48 per day.
http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/jury_service/faqs.htm

The Criminal Justice System website also outlines the expenses that may be claimed.
http://www.cjsonline.gov.uk/juror/expenses/index.html

The comment below about doctors being able to exclude themselves from
jury service is misleading. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 removed the
right for doctors to exclude themselves from Jury service.
http://www.sixthform.info/law/01_modules/mod2/11_6_lay_people/juries/01_jury_selection.htm

Criminal Justice Act 2003, Schedule 33 ? Jury service.
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/30044-cc.htm#sch33>


<Search strategy:>

<"her majesty's court service">
<://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-17,GGLD:en&q=%22her+majesty%27s+court+service%22>

<"jury service" uk>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&rls=GGLD%2CGGLD%3A2005-17%2CGGLD%3Aen&q=%22jury+service%22+uk>


<Hope this helps.>

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Request for Answer Clarification by doxeyman-ga on 08 May 2005 11:58 PDT

Thanks for the answer Belindalevez-ga. Can you tell me whether my
employer (the National Health Service) is obligated to give me full
NHS pay during my Jury Service?

---

Clarification of Answer by belindalevez-ga on 08 May 2005 16:27 PDT

<NHS policy appears to be to grant paid leave for jury service and to
deduct the amount received from the court from the employees salary.

According to the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust Special Leave
Policy, jury service is paid leave with a deduction made for the daily
allowance.
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:_QulDJmug5MJ:www.newcastle-hospitals.org.uk/v2/boardpapers/board_papers/2003/200301/pdf/Agenda%2520Item%252018.pdf+nhs+%22jury+service%22&hl=en

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust also has the same policy.
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:jCRKUiglrSoJ:www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/12_Special_Leave.pdf+nhs+%22jury+service%22&hl=en

Northern Lincolnshire & Goole Hospitals NHS Trust also gives paid
leave for jury service.
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:gCjnmeS9PQMJ:www.nlg.nhs.uk/FOI/08/8.11h.pdf+nhs+%22jury+service%22&hl=en
>

<Hope this helps.>

Your identification of NHS policy to grant paid leave for jury service
has helped me resolve matters with my employer. Many thanks.

I've always understood that applications by doctors, especially
hospital doctors, to be excused are usually granted. This article from
the BMJ careers site may prove useful.

http://careerfocus.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/325/7377/S204