You can take time off for public duties, for example as a magistrate, school governor or trade union member.
You are legally entitled to paid time off work for certain public duties as well as your normal holiday entitlement.
All employees are allowed to take time off for jury service.
Who qualifies for time off
You can get a ‘reasonable’ amount of time off for roles including:
- magistrates
- Local Authority elected members (not Essex County Council)
- members of a police authority
- school governors or other members of managing or governing bodies of educational institutions
- trade union members (for trade union duties)
- lay observers (criminal justice) and visiting committee members (immigration and detention)
Read a full list of public duty roles that you can receive paid time off for on GOV.UK.
How much time off you can take
You can take 20 days' leave per year for your public duties. For some roles, where you have a greater number of duties, for example as a chairman of a governing body, you can take up to 26 days' leave.
Trade union officials
Trade union officials will be given reasonable paid time off to represent branch members and attend appropriate training for their trade union role.
Branch members may be given reasonable paid time off for traveling to and attending branch annual general meetings.
Booking time off
Tell your line manager as soon as you can if you need to take time off for public duties.
Once agreed, you should book your time off in My Oracle under ‘other paid leave’. Then choose the ‘public body service’ option.