To not understand what they expect me to do?

[bloodypublicservice]

I was called up for jury service starting in less than two weeks from now. I work Saturdays only as I otherwise do all of the childcare whilst my partner works full time. Originally I stated I was available as my MIL was going to have our daughter, however MIL has experienced a significant and unexpected health issue resulting in being hospitalised for the foreseeable. I've contacted the relevant department to have received a response stating that my request to be excused from this call for service has been refused and that I must still attend at the stated day/time. It mentions appealing but that a hearing is likely to be called, and given the start date is so soon, it's realistically not going to be resolved before starting.

WIBU to show up on my start date with my child and ask what else they expected me to do? We have no other local family and no provision for external childcare.

£65 for loss of earnings. That isn’t going to be much help for most families!

Ask the court to sort out child care and if they don’t advise them that you will not be able to attend. You may need to provide them with a list of child care providers you have contacted and with what result. They cannot force you to attend court if it would mean neglecting your child.

Also be aware that people can become ineligible for jury service for lots of reasons - you may discover on the that one of those reasons applies to you . . .

I lost money doing jury service thanks to a combination of child care, transport claim rules that entirely ignores those who live in a rural area, and the way they pay you vs your salary.

Absolutely it's a civic duty. But it's a shite one that can often have significant financial ramifications, as well as childcare issues that disproportionately affect women. The whole thing needs reviewing.

I think you'd need to provide a letter from the GP stating they believe you need to be assessed for ADHD and the give their reasons why you couldn't stand.

I don't think "I have undiagnosed ADHD and would be useless" would excuse you. As true as it might be, it would simply be impossible for the courts to manage.

You'd be excused obviously. OP doesn't need an operation. I was excused when I was a carer for my mum.

fine, then start to create creches within courts buildings. Otherwise, you really want a toddler at a trial?

You must have been given plenty of notice and should have taken steps to get hubby to apply for parental.leave instead of just waiting and presuming you would not have to attend. Perhaps he should ask for leave or holiday now!
I don't understand why people are suggesting you get a sick note or claim you are breast feeding, that's just ridiculous. No wonder the country is in the state it's in ... people looking for excuses not to do things instead of just gritting their teeth and getting on with life's demands.

Just turn up with your child, chances are there'll be many more there who will be excused on the day for some reason or other and so will you.
It's not like you are purposefully refusing, you're in a bind and at such short notice have no other choice.

Op I just said I no childcare cover as parents elderly. Was grand. ! Not everyone has backup cover for kids

I'm another one who'd not be remotely willing to arrange random childcare. If my usual childcare wasn't available, I'd have had to take my baby with me if they were being so determined not to excuse or defer me.

Also, on the other hand, if a member of my team asked me for last minute time off for their Partners jury duty, I might have to say no if I couldn't support it from a business perspective.

I would appeal it.

If you don’t have childcare, you don’t have childcare.
There is literally nothing you can do about it.

I would email some childcare places and ask for spaces for proof if they need it.
I can’t see any childcare place being able to do it at such short notice though, especially just for 2 weeks.

OP says MIL was going to be her childcare but is now in hospital unwell.

Did you even read the post? She did put plans in place. Her MIL was going to do the childcare but she unexpectedly ended up in hospital. Not every employer will give leave at the drop of the hat because their spouse has been called for jury duty. OP has made it clear that she would like to fulfil her civic duty one day but in this particular instance, it's proving impossible. I rather think people like you, seemingly devoid of empathy, are what's wrong with the country.

Her DH wouldn’t have needed parental leave because the MIL was planning to do it.
Its only last minute that the MIL can’t do it anymore.

The DH should still apply for leave but not all employers can do it at such short notice.

Some of these replies are insane. Why on earth should he use his precious annual leave for this? Do people not realise that some trials last a lot longer than 2 weeks too? OP was willing to do it until her childcare fell through at the last minute. It is completely reasonable for OP to defer or ask to be excused under the circumstances.

Wtf am I reading here? Leave a 1 year old with a stranger for 2 weeks wtf? Of course YANBU! If childcare is so cheap and easy, why doesn't the court run a creche? This would infuriate me. I'd challenge it again and if it doesn't get sorted, yes, turn up with my kid.

Don't be so bloody ridiculous! 🙄

Me too. I’m 53 and have never been called but I’d willingly do it and I’m available at short notice.

It looks like deferral is your best option. Like a lot of things these days it comes down to using ‘the magic words’ to get what you need. Good luck.

Move to Scotland! It's such a small population that we get called all the time (at least where I live)!

it is time jury service was revamped so that nobody loses out from doing it.
OP I'd be tempted to turn up with your child, after having lodged an urgent appeal.

My dd just had hers deferred until she has finished university as she doesn't live here (although she does sometimes) but didn't change where she lived on the electrolnroll. So it's deferred for eighteen months.

Of course, that's not going to be an ideal time either because she should be getting her first proper job but everyone has something.

As above.

There are some really ridiculous suggestion on this thread.

Clearly some people have been living under a rock if they think that getting child care at the drop of a hat and time of work at a moments notice is that easy.

I would be the same OP. DH could not take time off now if he wanted a job to come back. My mum had a stroke recently. FIL is blind, MIL is on another continent. Friends,neighbors and siblings all have jobs. If by some miracle I could source temporary paid childcare, the allowance doesn't even cover my toddler, let alone the preschooler and wrap around for eldest. It seems very unfair, a deferral until kids at school would hardly be impossible.
If they want a truly impartial, not pissed off jury, compensation should not be capped.

I would call the Jury Central Summoning Bureau and explain that your request to be excused (did you ask for a deferral?) was refused and that you would like to appeal. You understand that there is likely to be an appeal hearing but as court date is so soon you don't think it will be resolved in time (did they tell you this, or is it what you assume?).

Your attitude is exactly why this country is in the state it's in.

Instead of gritting your teeth and putting up with any stupid nonsense, do something about it. At the very least, the absolute minimum, be vocal about how wrong it is.