How Do I Handle Jury Service Leave?

Jury service is not annual holidays, sick leave, bereavement leave, family violence leave, or an alternative holiday. Do not deduct it from the Statutory leave balances.

1. If the employer is not paying the employee for jury service, record the absence as unpaid leave or reduce ordinary paid hours according to the pay setup.
2. If the employer tops up the Ministry of Justice attendance fee or pays normal wages, enter the payment as ordinary earnings or an agreed custom pay item, not as statutory leave taken.
3. Keep the jury summons, dates away, and any employer top-up agreement in the employee record.

Do not ask the employee to use annual holidays for jury service. Escalate if a public holiday, final pay, or long absence overlaps the jury-service period.