Jury service

Employer's obligation to employees who are called up for jury duty.

Employees may occasionally be required to attend jury duty. Jury duty is usually for one week and jurors are required to be available for the duration of this period.

Jury duty can extend beyond one week depending on the specific circumstances of a trial. Alternatively, the employee may not be chosen for duty and in which case they will normally be discharged by 11am.

This obligation applies to all employees, whether they are employed under federal or state employment law.

Employers are required to continue to pay their employees who attend for jury duty. Employees are provided with relevant information and claim forms upon completion of jury duty and employers may then apply to be reimbursed the wages paid to their employees. The claim will normally be processed within two to three days.

A failure by an employer to continue to pay wages can result in a fine of up to $2,000.00. Self employed jurors may also apply to be reimbursed income lost as a result of their jury duty.

Unemployed jurors are paid set attendance fees and all jurors are paid return public transport fares.
If the absence of the employee will cause undue hardship to an employer’s business then the employee may lodge an application to remove themselves from jury duty. This application needs to be accompanied by a supporting statement from the employer detailing the reason for the hardship.

For further information call Wageline on 1300 655 266, or contact:

The Sheriff's Office
Central Law Courts, 30 St Georges Terrace,
PERTH WA 6000
Phone: 9425 2481
www.dotag.wa.gov.au