Looks like I am up for FOUR weeks of jury service.
Mixed emotions - it'll be a great life experience, my civic duty, probably pretty interesting as lucky enough to have been pulled up by Coroner's Court for a Death inquest, will be able to commute by bicycle (hopefully) and will have a proper break from the work stress unlike any other in the last 11 years.
On the other hand, work will suffer my absence quite badly and it looks like I'll be out of pocket as the claims cap for loss of earnings is well below average wage and I can't claim until after the event. Still, it is unavoidable and I am not wanting to defer with the risk of getting an even longer duty. Looks like the new wheels will not be happening after all.
Anyone else been a juror? Did you take a big financial hit? Did your employer continue to pay your wages? Interested in other people's experiences.
I am tempted to take myself off the electoral role after this in the hope it may prevent me getting picked again. I'm not even sure they only pick off the electoral role but I'd not be surprised if it was the main selection process. I value my vote, but I value my home more. It must be terrible for people called up on big murder trials lasting months. Or those with families struggling to make ends meet. I have a little saved up for new wheels which will cover me for those weeks. I see self employed people can get insurance cover for this very thing, which is strongly indicative of how damaging the system is.
I know it needs to be done and I don't take issue with that, but I think people should be fairly and adequately compensated for the loss of earnings, as should businesses, from the state. Even if this meant an increase in tax to cover it. At the moment the system is allowing individuals to take a financial hit as part of their civic duty rather than the state sharing the cost of jury service equally through the population which benefits from it