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View full libraryUse this Jury Service Policy to explain how your organisation manages employee jury service, including notification, time off, pay arrangements and return to work. It helps UK employers support employees fulfilling their civic duties while planning operational cover and maintaining accurate HR records.
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If you are reviewing your absence arrangements, these absence and attendance policy templates give you a practical set of policies to establish clear, consistent expectations for employees and managers.
1 Overview
1.1 [Company Name] recognises the importance of jury service and will support employees who are summoned to attend court as jurors. The Company will provide the necessary time off, handle absence and pay arrangements consistently, and ensure that employees are not treated unfairly because they undertake jury service.
1.2 This policy explains how employees should notify the Company, how jury service will be recorded, what pay arrangements apply and how managers should plan for the employee's absence and return to work.
2 Scope
2.1 This policy applies to employees of [Company Name] who receive a summons requiring them to attend jury service. It should be read alongside the employee's contract of employment, the Company's pay and absence procedures and any applicable local legal requirements.
2.2 Where different rules apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland, the Company will apply the relevant jurisdiction's requirements.
3 General principles
3.1 Employee notification
3.1.1 Employees must notify their line manager or HR as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving a jury summons.
3.1.2 Employees should provide a copy of the summons and confirm the expected dates, court location and any other relevant information needed to plan the absence. Employees should respond to the summons and comply with the court's instructions within the required timescales.
Employees should notify their manager or HR promptly if the court changes the expected duration of jury service or confirms a different return date,
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Employees may be summoned for jury service at short notice, creating practical challenges for employers who need to maintain staffing levels while supporting employees in fulfilling their legal obligations. A clear policy helps managers respond consistently and ensures employees understand what they need to do before, during and after jury service.
This Jury Service Policy provides a framework for managing notifications, time off, pay arrangements, operational cover and return-to-work procedures. It is designed for UK employers and should be adapted to the organisation's contractual arrangements and the legal requirements applicable in the relevant jurisdiction.
The policy explains how employees should notify their manager or HR after receiving a summons, provide relevant documentation and communicate changes to the expected duration of their service. It also clarifies that employees must follow the court's instructions and that employers cannot independently cancel a summons.
Employers should establish whether normal salary will continue, whether jury service will be unpaid or whether a salary top-up arrangement applies. The policy should explain how any court loss-of-earnings claim will be supported and how payroll will record the absence and process payments or adjustments. Select the appropriate pay option before publishing the policy.
Managers can arrange handovers, redistribute work and organise temporary cover to minimise disruption. Where an absence would seriously harm the business, the employer may discuss whether the employee should seek a deferral through the court. The court decides whether a deferral is granted, and employees must comply with the court's instructions.
Jury service should be recorded separately from sickness absence and annual leave. Employees should not be disadvantaged because they have been summoned or attended court. The policy also establishes responsibilities for keeping HR records, communicating return dates and reviewing outstanding work when the employee returns.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Jury Service policy, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
A deferral of jury service request letter for employees who need to ask the court to postpone their jury service because their absence would create significant difficulties for the organisation, helping provide a clear explanation of the business impact and the dates or arrangements requested.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Jury Service policy should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
No. Employers must allow employees time off to attend jury service. If the absence would seriously harm the business, the employer may ask the employee to seek a deferral through the court, providing supporting reasons. The court decides whether a deferral is granted.
Not generally, unless the employment contract or employer policy provides for payment. Employers should explain their arrangements clearly before the absence begins. An employee who is unpaid or whose earnings are affected may be able to claim a loss-of-earnings allowance from the court, subject to the applicable rules and limits.
Jury service should be recorded separately from annual leave. An employee should not be required to use annual leave to cover a period when they are attending court as a juror. If the employee wishes to take annual leave before or after jury service, the normal annual leave process can apply.
The employee should update their manager or HR when they receive information from the court about the likely duration, where permitted. The employer should extend the absence record, maintain appropriate cover and review any payroll arrangements. The employee must follow the court's instructions about attendance.
HRDocBox provides practical HR policies and templates for UK employers. This policy helps managers and HR handle jury service consistently, record absences correctly, explain pay arrangements and plan operational cover while respecting employees' legal rights.
AI can help draft workplace policies, but it may overlook the distinction between statutory time off, employer pay arrangements and court-controlled deferral decisions. This template provides a structured starting point for your own policy, which should still be checked against current legislation, the employment contract and the relevant UK jurisdiction.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Jury Service policy template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing absence and attendance HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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