While most states have laws that prohibit employers from discharging or penalizing employees for responding to a jury summons, there are 8 states that require an employee to pay employees while serving jury duty:
Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York and Tennessee.
Jury Duty
What does Jury Duty mean for employers and employees?
As a citizen, one of the most important civic duties is attending jury duty. Each district court summons eligible citizens within the local area to serve in courts on a jury.
When one receives a summons, there’s a possibility for dismissal. However, if dismissal is early enough in the day, employers may expect the employee to return to the office for the remainder of the workday.
On the other hand, there’s potential to receive a summons to serve on a jury that goes on for months.
Employers need a jury duty policy to speak on all possible scenarios. Many companies provide paid time off for employees to report for jury duty, as it is federally mandated; however, some employers provide unpaid time off instead.
Jury Duty Leave Laws by State:
Fifteen states prohibit employers from requiring to take PTO, sick, personal, or other types of leave:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.
Can employers keep their employees from serving jury duty?
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require employers to pay employees for jury duty service, but does require employers to provide unpaid leave for those serve.
Related Terms: PTO, FMLA, Time Off