How to Get Time Off Work for Jury Duty

One of the problems people have when they are selected for jury duty is trying to get time off work. By law, in most states, employers are not to prevent employees from taking time off for jury duty. There are several things one can do to make the process easier.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Contact your human resources department. Get information about the company's policy in regards to time off for jury duty. Depending on your state of residence, your company may be required to let you take time off to serve on a jury.
2. Find out whether the company will pay you your regular wages or salary while you are serving and for how long. Some companies will give you your regular pay, or the difference between what you earn and what the court will pay, for a certain amount of time. Other employers, usually at smaller companies, will not pay and may ask you to use your accrued personal or sick time.
3. Inform your supervisor immediately of your call to jury service. You may be asked to show proof that you have been summoned. Your letter of summons will be adequate.
4. Discuss the possibility of assigning some of the work that you cannot finish before you leave to co-workers. If your position is such that your absence will cause a problem, also discuss the possibility of hiring a temporary person to fill in for you.
5. Ask to use your accrued paid sick or personal days for jury duty if it is not part of the company's policy to pay employees for days used for jury duty.
6. Complete time-sensitive projects before you leave. You may be gone for a day, several days, or even months, so you will want to get as much done as possible. The amount of time you will spend serving as a juror will depend on the nature of the case to which you are assigned.
7. Select a reliable co-worker who can do the type of work you do. Have a meeting with this co-worker and discuss the possibility of him taking on projects that you may not be able to complete before you leave.

Tips & Warnings

• If a co-worker agrees to take on some of your work while you are away, discuss a method of compensation for her help. For instance, you may be able to return the favor in her absence in future.
• If, during active jury duty, there are days when you don't have to appear in court you may be required to show up for work.