Witness In Court - Claiming Lost Earnings
Discussion
geeks said:
Why not book a days leave? or just ask your boss if there is some sort of agreement you could come to and do a couple of extra hours somewhere so he doesn't feel out of pocket paying you your shift rate?
TheBear said:
If you are only there for 4 hours can you not make up the extra time and go to work for 4.5 hours after, thus bringing you up to 12?
A days leave is looking the simplest option, where I would lose the least amount of money. Just annoying I will have to use up some of my holiday entitlement. The extra hours idea is not an option where I work unfortunately.Tribal Chestnut said:
Breadvan72 said:
Derr. I get paid to go to court because it's my job, apart from when I act pro bono. If I was going to court as a witness or juror I wouldn't get paid.
You're stupidly rich though. So the loss of a days, or even a few weeks earnings, would be a drop in the ocean to you.Breadvan72 said:
mel said:
That's easy for the Barista to say, do you apply the same principles for your appearances? 
Derr. I get paid to go to court because it's my job, apart from when I act pro bono. If I was going to court as a witness or juror I wouldn't get paid.I work similar shifts.
I'd expect my employer to pay me for the full 12 hrs. If you can't get that, claim what you can from the court.
Hopefully it'll be done quickly (unlikely!) and you can have the rest of the day off (and still get your 7.5hrs pay)
Alternatively, once you're done, if there scope to go back to work for the 2nd part of your shift?
I'd expect my employer to pay me for the full 12 hrs. If you can't get that, claim what you can from the court.
Hopefully it'll be done quickly (unlikely!) and you can have the rest of the day off (and still get your 7.5hrs pay)
Alternatively, once you're done, if there scope to go back to work for the 2nd part of your shift?
Tribal Chestnut said:
Breadvan72 said:
Derr. I get paid to go to court because it's my job, apart from when I act pro bono. If I was going to court as a witness or juror I wouldn't get paid.
You're stupidly rich though. So the loss of a days, or even a few weeks earnings, would be a drop in the ocean to you.Is it the court that is keeping the OP from earning, or the rigidity of his employer? If we are going to pay everyone who attends court at their full rate, are people OK with the tax increase to pay for that?
Breadvan72 said:
Alas, I'm not even sensibly rich. I have a good income, but have no accumulated wealth. I would very much notice not earning for several weeks, and do every time I am off sick or have a holiday.
Is it the court that is keeping the OP from earning, or the rigidity of his employer? If we are going to pay everyone who attends court at their full rate, are people OK with the tax increase to pay for that?
In my view it is the court that is keeping me from earning. My employer doesn't have to pay me at all. The gov.uk website states: 'Your employer does not have to pay you for time off work when you appear as a witness' They are effectively paying me the same as jury service as a goodwill gesture. If they had decided not to so, I would be even more out of pocket.Is it the court that is keeping the OP from earning, or the rigidity of his employer? If we are going to pay everyone who attends court at their full rate, are people OK with the tax increase to pay for that?
And yes, I do believe the courts should pay people their full rate (indeed before I started looking into all this I thought it was the case). I suspect there is enough wasted revenue within the system to cover the costs of doing this.
As much as the system is a problem, so is your job. I doubt there are many people out there that have such rigid T&C’s that can’t take ½ day for a pretty good cause! Clearly there is nothing you can do about work now but to put the 100% of the blame at the courts / police door for you losing money is a little unfair.
Breadvan72 said:
The criminal courts are run on a shoestring so the money would have to come from elsewhere. Your employer is choosing to be inflexible about swapping shifts, for reasons that aren't clear.
The courts rescheduled for reasons that are not clear.How is the courts funding his problem?
Breadvan72 said:
The courts' lack of funding is a problem for all of us, and doesn't just impact on witness expenses. If we want to witnesses to be paid in full for attending court, we will have to pay some more tax. That's not a very popular idea.
I assume if you were prevented from earning your fee you would expect recompense?Breadvan72 said:
No, I wouldn't, and have already said so. Life isn't always fair. Burdens aren't always spread evenly.
Exactly. OP needs to suck it up its just one of those things. Courts won't give a s
t basically. I was on duty duty for 2 weeks. Thankfully my company still paid me but if they didn't it would have been something stupidly low per day. I would have just had to deal with it.Lifes not fair.
WinstonWolf said:
Which sounds like it will have a significant impact on his earnings...
No. It will have the impact of 4.5 hours pay less tax on a normal weekly wage of 60 hours, assuming 5 days at 12 hours per day. So it will be 7.5% gross less this week. Over a year it isn't sifgnificiant, over a moth it isnt, over a week, possibly, over a day yes.Breadvan72 said:
The courts' lack of funding is a problem for all of us, and doesn't just impact on witness expenses. If we want to witnesses to be paid in full for attending court, we will have to pay some more tax. That's not a very popular idea.
Maybe the courts should have a look at how they operate then, because it is clear to anyone who has experience of them, and half a brain, that they aren't.I have rarely seen a less effective or productive operation than I have witnessed in various courts.
Maybe courts could do a proper working day. Start at 8pm, 10 minutes at 10pm for a cuppa and digestive biscuit. Half hour lunch, cheese sandwich. 3pm tea and cake, stop at 5pm. And stop paying the elite +£500/hr!!!We've a millionaires square mile near us. Full of solicitors houses !!!!!
LoonR1 said:
WinstonWolf said:
Which sounds like it will have a significant impact on his earnings...
No. It will have the impact of 4.5 hours pay less tax on a normal weekly wage of 60 hours, assuming 5 days at 12 hours per day. So it will be 7.5% gross less this week. Over a year it isn't sifgnificiant, over a moth it isnt, over a week, possibly, over a day yes.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff