Jury duty reimbursement is available for state and federal courts in the US, with varying compensation rates and formulas. Employers may be required to compensate jurors for the first few days, and jurors are reimbursed for expenses. Other common law countries also provide some form of reimbursement.
Reimbursement of jury duty is money paid to a citizen for the performance of a civic duty of jury service. Reimbursement is available for jury service in both state and federal courts, and each state has its own formula for reimbursing jurors. In the United States, the right to a jury trial in both civil and criminal cases is guaranteed by the Constitution. Unlike the vote, the task of the jury is not discretionary. Unless a juror is exonerated, jury service is expected of all summoned citizens.
Depending on the nature of the trial, jury service can last from one day to several months. The daily reimbursement amount for jury service varies from state to state. It is intended to compensate the juror for lost wages and expenses associated with jury duty. Generally, the amount of court service compensation increases with the length of the trial. The jury duty reimbursement amount periodically increases to reflect the cost of living.
In some jurisdictions, a juror’s employer is required to compensate the juror in regular pay for the first three to five days of jury service. Thereafter, the state compensates the juror for each day of service. This is usually between $12 United States Dollars (USD) and $50 USD. Most states prohibit employers from firing or harassing employees for fulfilling their duty of jury service. In some jurisdictions it is a criminal offence.
In states that require an employer to pay wages for a portion of jury service, unemployed and self-employed jurors are compensated for their time by the state. Jury duty reimbursement includes expenses such as child care, travel, and parking. For court service on lengthy trials, many states have extended service funds to compensate jurors for lost earnings. After a certain number of days, the daily compensation rate can go up to $300 USD.
Federal jury duty reimbursement is $40 USD per day. Compensation increases to $50 USD for each day after the 10th trial day. Federal employees receive their regular wages instead of a daily paycheck. The jurors are also reimbursed for transport, board and lodging if the jury is “kidnapped” and made to stay overnight.
Federal law does not require employers to compensate employees for jury service. However, the Jury Act prohibits firing, intimidating, or coercing a permanent employee from responding to a juror summons. The compensation rate is the same for jurors deciding a trial as for those selected for a grand jury, which decides whether criminal indictments should be issued.
Most common law countries provide some form of reimbursement of jury duties. The arrangements in the UK are similar to those in the US. Ireland does not reimburse jurors for their court service, however, the Irish Jury Act requires all employers to pay their employees while serving on a jury. Prospective jurors who are self-employed may be exempted if juror duty would affect their livelihood.
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