Jury Duty is an entitlement included with Community Service Leave as part of the National Employment Standards. However, unlike any other type of Community Service Leave, Employers are responsible to pay their Employees for either a part or the entire duration of their service, this depends on the State and the classified Award or Enterprise Agreements.

More information on paying employees whilst on Jury Duty Pay is available on the blog published on our website. Or refer to our other User Guide to learn how to process the Jury Duty Leave and deduct the court daily allowance. 

Create the Jury Duty Paid Leave Pay Item

This pay item is used when the Employee is away on Jury Duty and Employers are still required to pay them a makeup pay.

1. From the Organisation Menu go to Settings > Payroll Settings
2. Click on the [Pay Items] > [Leave] Tab
3. Click on [Add] > Paid Leave
4. Select/Enter the following details:
   • Leave Name > Type: Jury Duty (Paid)
   • Type of Units > Type: Hours
   • Leave Loading Rate > Leave blank
   • Normal entitlement > Leave blank
   • Show Balance on Payslip > Do Not select this option 
5. Click on [Add]
   
   è  The Pay Item screen
   
   

Create the Jury Duty Daily Allowance Pay Pay Item

This Pay Item is used together with the Jury Duty Paid Leave Pay Item to deduct the amount of the Jury Duty allowance paid by the Court.

1. From the Payroll Settings, select the [Pay Items] >[Earnings] Tab
2. Click on [Add] > Ordinary Time Earnings
   
   

   è  The OTE Pay Item screen opens
   
   
   
   

3. Select/Enter the following details:
   • Earnings Name         > Type: Jury Duty Court Daily Allowance
   • Display Name           > Type: Jury Duty Court Daily Allowance
   • Rate Type                > Select: Rate per unit
   • Type of Units           > Type Days
   • Rate per Unit           > Leave Blank
   • Expense Account      > Select: Employees - Wages & Salaries
   • Exempt from PAYG   > Do Not select this option
   • Exempt from Super   > Select this option
   • Reportable as W1     > Select this option
4. Click on [Add]

Create the Community Service Unpaid Leave Pay Item

It is used when an Employer is no longer required to make payments to a Full-Time or Part-Time Employee whilst on Jury Duty but is still mandated to keep them on their Payroll. This is already a default Pay Item in Xero, so make sure you check the Payroll Settings and check the Pay Item is not already there. 

1. From the Payroll Settings, click on the [Pay Items] > [Leave] Tab
2. Click on [Add] > Unpaid Leave
3. Select/Enter the following details:
   • Leave Name > Type: Community Service Leave (Unpaid)
   • Type of Units > Type: Hours
   • Leave Loading Rate > Leave blank
   • Normal entitlement > Leave blank
   • Show Balance on Payslip > Do Not select this option 
4. Click on [Add]
   
   è  The Pay Item screen