Jury Duty Leave Laws by State: A Detailed Guide for 2024

Should you provide paid leave to employees on jury duty? Can you force your employees to use their PTO when on jury duty? These are some of the questions on jury duty leave laws every employer wants to know the answers to.

If you’re an employer, understanding jury duty laws helps you stay compliant with your state’s laws while ensuring you support your employees in fulfilling their jury duty obligations.

At the same time, employees can balance their civic and workplace responsibilities by staying informed of the jury duty leave laws in their state.

For that reason, in this detailed guide, we will cover:

What jury duty leave laws mean,
Jury duty leave laws by state, and
FAQs on jury duty leave laws.

*Note: The information regarding jury duty laws and regulations in the US has been checked and updated for 2024.

Table of Contents

What are jury duty leave laws?

Jury duty leave laws specify employer and employee obligations regarding time off from work for performing jury duty. These laws vary by state, but generally address issues such as:

Job protection,
Jury duty pay, and
The process for requesting and providing proof of jury duty service.

The goal of jury duty leave laws is to ensure an employee performs their jury duty obligations without the fear of negative consequences at the workplace, such as loss of pay, job termination, or harassment.

All states require employers to provide time off (paid or unpaid) for their employees to serve jury duty. Furthermore, state regulations prohibit employers from penalizing employees in any way for attending jury duty.

However, the details regarding jury duty leave laws differ between states. In the following section, we will look at state-specific jury duty leave laws.

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Discover the state-specific PTO laws to stay compliant. Read it here:

PTO payout laws by state — Guide for 2023

Jury duty leave laws by state for 2024

While federal law doesn’t mandate payment for jury duty, some states have specific laws that require employers to pay either the regular salary or a minimum pay for their juror employees.

Moreover, some states have specific laws prohibiting employers from forcing employees to use their PTO for jury duty.

State	Mandatory jury duty leave	Paid jury duty leave	Is it illegal for employers to force employees to use PTO for jury duty?	Penalties for jury duty law violations*	Note**
Alabama	✅	✅	✅	– Being required to compensate for actual loss in wages and pay punitive damage – Being required to reinstate employees	Employers have to pay their full-time employees on jury duty their regular salary
Alaska	✅	❌	❌	– Being required to reinstate the employee – Employees can file a civil lawsuit to recover lost wages or other damages they suffer as a result of their employers’ violation of jury duty law	While not mandatory, many employers choose to pay regular wages to employees on jury duty
Arizona	✅	❌	✅	Being charged with Class 3 misdemeanor that attracts a 30-day jail term	Employers cannot deny a promotion if the employee met all the conditions for receiving it before attending jury duty
Arkansas	✅	❌	✅	Being charged with Class A misdemeanor charge that can attract a sentence of up to 1 year and a $2,500 fine	Employers cannot force employees to use PTO for jury duty
California	✅	❌	❌	– Being charged with misdemeanor and criminal charges – Employees who are fired or harassed for attending jury duty can file a claim with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to recover lost wages	The state strongly encourages employers to pay regular wages to employees on jury duty
Colorado	✅	✅	✅	– The possibility of facing civil lawsuit filed by employees against their employer if the latter fires, harasses, or prevents the employee from serving as a juror – Paying up to 3 times the damages an employee suffered as a result of employer’s violation of jury duty – Wilfully harassing a juror attracts a charge of Class 2 misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months prison sentence, a $750 fine, or both – Retaliating against a juror attracts a class 3 felony punishable by a jail term of between 4 and 12 years and a fine between $3,000 and $750,000	– Employers cannot deny benefits, such as PTO, to employees on jury duty – Employers have to pay $50 per day for the first 3 days of jury duty. However, the employer can pay less than $50 (if the employee regularly earns less than that amount per day) or more as mutually agreed to full-time, part-time, and temporary employees serving jury duty
Connecticut	✅	✅	❌	– Guilty of criminal contempt and may have to pay a fine of $500, a 30-day jail term, or both – Being required to reinstate the employee – Being required to compensate for any damages or lost wages an employee suffers as a consequence of jury duty violation – The possibility of facing a civil lawsuit filed by employees within 90 days of being fired for serving as a juror – The court may award treble damages if it finds the employer willfully violated jury duty law	– Employers have to pay regular salaries to their full-time employees only (full-time translates to 30 hours of work per week or more) serving as jurors for the first 5 days – Part-time employees are paid by the state – Employers cannot ask employees to work extra hours in lieu of jury duty
Delaware	✅	❌	❌	– Being required to compensate for any loss in pay or benefits an employee suffers – Being charged penalty of $500, a jail term of up to 6 months, or both	The court reimburses the travel, meal, and other costs of jurors (employers cannot consider this as juror pay)
District of Columbia	✅	✅	❌	– The possibility of being charged with criminal contempt of court – A $300 fine and a jail term of 30 days or both in case of first time violation – A $5,000 fine and a sentence of 180 days or both in case of subsequent jury duty law violations – The possibility of a civil lawsuit filed by employees to recover lost wages if their employers fail to pay for jury duty or fire them	– Employers with more than 10 employees have to pay regular wages to permanent employees serving jury duty that lasts for 5 days or less – Independent contractors or employees on hourly pay do not receive jury duty pay – Employers with less than 10 employees are not required to pay an employee on jury duty
Florida	✅	❌ (exceptions: Miami-Dade and Broward counties)	❌	– A contempt of court charge – Being required to compensate for any damages or lost wages and benefits an employee suffers – Being required to reinstate the employee	– Miami-Dade county and Broward county) require employers to pay their full-time employees serving as jurors – Employers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties who pay their employees on jury duty can deduct the juror fee from their wages
Georgia	✅	❌	❌	– Liability for loss of pay, benefits, or damages an employee suffers – Being required to reinstate any employee fired for attending jury duty	Employers who decide to pay regular salary to employees on jury duty can deduct any fee the employee receives from the state for jury service
Hawaii	✅	❌	❌	– Employees who are fired for attending jury duty can file a civil lawsuit against their employers to get reinstated and to recover lost wages – Employers can be found guilty of petty misdemeanor (punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000)	Individuals who are part of labor unions may be eligible for work pay during jury duty through their union contracts
Idaho	✅	❌	❌	– Being required to reinstate the fired employee – Having to pay fine of $300 per violation per employee – The possibility of a civil lawsuit filed by employees to recover 3 times the amount they lost as a result of employer’s violation of jury duty law	The state encourages employers to pay their employees serving jury duty to support the legal system
Illinois	✅	❌	❌	– The possibility of civil and criminal contempt of court charges – Being required to compensate for any lost wages or damages an employee suffers – Being required to reinstate the employee	– Employers cannot assign night shift to employees on jury duty who regularly work day shifts – Employers also cannot ask an employee who regularly works night shifts to work if they are serving jury duty during day time – While no existing law mandates employers to provide PTO for jury duty, the new Paid Leave for All Workers Act can change that. From March 31st, 2024 onwards, employees can use their earned leaves for any reason without providing any documentation
Indiana	✅	❌	✅	Being charged with Class B misdemeanor that carries a sentence of 180 days and a $1,000 fine	Employers cannot force employees to use annual, sick, or vacation leave for jury duty
Iowa	✅	❌	❌	– The possibility of being held in contempt of court that can attract monetary fines, jail-term, or both – The possibility of a lawsuit filed by employees against employers for jury duty violation	It is not mandatory for employers to provide paid time off in Iowa currently
Kansas	✅	❌	❌	– Being required to compensate any loss in wages, benefits, and damages an employee suffers due to the violation – Reinstate the employee	Employers do not have to offer paid sick or vacation leave to employees
Kentucky	✅	❌	❌	– The possibility of being charged with Class B misdemeanor that carries a 6-month jail term and a $1,000 fine – Being required to compensate for any lost wages – Being required to reinstate the fired employee with full benefits according to the eligibility (any other violation is a Class A misdemeanor)	Employers are not required to provide paid vacation leave to employees
Louisiana	✅	✅	✅	– Liability for loss of wages an employee suffers – Being required to reinstate the employee – Being required to pay a penalty between $100 and $1,000 per employee discharged	– Employers have to pay their employees serving jury duty only for 1 day – Employers also have to provide paid leave to employees without loss of PTO for 1 day. If the jury duty is more than 1 day, the leave can be without pay
Maine	✅	❌	❌	– The possibility of facing a Class E misdemeanor charge that can carry a fine of $1,000 and six months of jail term – A lawsuit filed by employees against the employer if the latter terminates the worker’s health insurance or terminates their employment	Maine has a specific law that prohibits employers from terminating the employees’ health insurance cover for serving jury duty
Maryland	✅	❌	✅	A fine of $1,000	– Employers cannot force an employee to work on the days when the employee is on jury service – If the employee is on jury duty for 4 hours or more, the employer cannot ask the employee to work on a shift that starts after 5 p.m. on the day the employee serves jury duty or before 3 a.m. the day after the employee serves jury duty
Massachusetts	✅	✅	✅	The possibility of being held in contempt of court and prosecuted	– Employers have to pay for jury duty only for the first 3 days of jury service – Companies do not have to pay their independent contractors or employees who work unpredictable schedules, such as part-time workers
Michigan	✅	❌	✅	Guilty of misdemeanor and contempt of court	Employers cannot require employees serving jury duty to work beyond their normal work hours
Minnesota	✅	❌	✅	– The possibility of facing a criminal contempt charge that carries a $700 fine, a 6-month jail term, or both – The possibility of facing a lawsuit filed by the employee fired for attending jury duty	If an employee on jury duty is on night or evening shift, the employer is required to reassign them to day shift during jury service
Mississippi	✅	❌	✅	– The possibility of a contempt of court charge that attracts a jail term of 30 days, a $100 fine, or both – Being required to compensate for any lost wages an employee suffers due to the violation- Being required to reinstate the employee – Having to pay punitive damages up to $50,000	Employers cannot ask employees to use PTO for the jury selection process and for the trial
Missouri	✅	❌	✅	Employee may bring civil action for loss of wages and other damages incurred along with a request for reinstation	Employees get leave to participate in the trial and the jury selection process, without losing their PTO
Montana	✅	❌	✅	Montana does not have a specific law related to penalties employers face for violating jury duty. However, employers who wrongfully discharge employees for serving public duty have to pay lost wages, fringe benefits, in addition to the interest on these wages and benefits	If an employee chooses to use PTO to attend jury duty, they need not submit the jury duty fee they received from the state to their employer
Nebraska	✅	✅	✅	The possibility of facing a Class IV misdemeanor charge punishable with a fine of $500	– Employers have 2 options when it comes to paying employee jurors: 1. They can pay the regular wages without deducting the juror’s fee from the wages, and 2. Employers can deduct the juror fee from the employee’s salary – Employees have the options of waiving their juror fee or signing it over to their employers
Nevada	✅	❌	✅	– The possibility of facing a lawsuit initiated by employees fired from their job against their employer to recover lost wages and to get reinstated – The damages the employees can recover can go up to $50,000	Employers cannot: – Ask an employee on jury duty to work within 8 hours of the scheduled jury duty – Request employees who served for 4 or more hours on jury duty to return to work after 5 p.m. on the day of their jury duty or before 3 a.m. the next day
New Hampshire	✅	❌	❌	– Attracting a contempt of court charge – The possibility of facing civil action initiated by employees to recover lost wages and to get reinstated	There are no state laws that mandate employers to provide paid sick or vacation leave benefits
New Jersey	✅	❌	❌	– Attracting a disorderly persons offense or a criminal charge that carries a $1,000 fine, a 6-month jail term, or both – The possibility of facing a civil lawsuit filed by employees discharged from their employment to recover lost wages and get reinstated	Employers are not required by state law to provide benefits, such as sick pay, jury duty pay, or vacation pay
New Mexico	✅	❌	✅	Attracting a petty misdemeanor charge that carries a $500 fine, a jail term of 6 months, or both	According to the court, most employers, according make up the difference between the employee’s regular pay and juror fees
New York	✅	✅	✅	– The possibility of facing a contempt of court charge punishable by a $1,000 fine, a jail term of 30 days, or both – Employers who force employees to use PTO for jury duty can face criminal penalties and prosection by the Office of the Attorney General	– Employers who have more than 10 employees must pay $40 per day or the regular wage to their employees who serve jury duty for the first 3 days – The state will make up the difference in pay if any employee earns less than $40 per day – Employers with 10 employees or less, can withhold the pay of employees on jury duty
North Carolina	✅	❌	❌	Employees can file a civil lawsuit to recover lost wages and to get reinstated	According to the state labor laws, employers are not required to provide sick leave, vacation pay, or jury duty pay
North Dakota	✅	❌	❌	– The possibility of facing a class B misdemeanor charge that carries a jail term of 30 days, a fine of $1,500, or both – The possibility of facing a lawsuit filed by employees to recover lost wages and to get reinstated	Employers are not required to provide PTO to employees
Ohio	✅	❌	✅	The possibility of attracting a contempt of court charge punishable by a $250 fine, jail term of 30 days, or both	Employers cannot terminate permanent employees who serve jury duty. However, the law does not define what permanent employment means
Oklahoma	✅	❌	✅	– Liability for loss in pay and benefits an employee suffers due to the violation – Being required to reinstate the employee – Being required to pay a $5,000 penalty per violation	Up to the employee to decide if they want to use PTO for jury duty or leave without pay
Oregon	✅	❌	✅	Employees can file a lawsuit against their employers or register a complaint with commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries to recover lost wages and to get reinstated	Employers must continue to provide insurance cover, such as health, life, or disability for their juror employees
Pennsylvania	✅	❌	✅	Employees can file a lawsuit to recover lost wages and to get reinstated (doesn’t apply to employers in the service or retail industry with less than 15 employees and to employers in the manufacturing sector with fewer than 40 employees)	Employers can deduct the jury fee that employees receive from the court while on jury duty
Rhode Island	✅	❌	❌	Being charged with Class B misdemeanor charge punishable by a jail term of 1 year, a fine of $1,000, or both	While employers do not have to provide vacation leave, they are required to provide sick leave if they employ more than 18 workers
South Carolina	✅	❌	❌	The possibility of facing a lawsuit filed by employees can recover lost wages (up to one year’s pay) and the possibility to get reinstated	Employers can decide if the employee on jury duty should use their PTO or not
South Dakota	✅	❌	❌	Being charged with Class 2 misdemeanor charge punishable by a jail term of 30 days, a $500 fine, or both	Employers cannot demote employees for attending jury duty
Tennessee	✅	✅	❌	– Being charged with Class A misdemeanor charge that carries a jail term of 11 months and 29 days, a $2,500 fine, or both – Having to reinstate the employee – Having to reimburse lost wages	– Employers can deduct the fee the juror receives from the state from the wages – Employers need not pay regular wages to jurors who are employed as temporary workers for less than 6 months – Employers with less than 5 employees are also not required to pay regular wages to employees serving jury duty
Texas	✅	❌	❌	– Class B misdemeanor punishable by a $2,000 fine, a jail term of 180 days, or both – Contempt of court charges – Having to reinstate the employee they fired for serving jury duty – Having to pay an amount ranging from 1 to 5 years’ pay	To avoid penalties for violation, employers have to prove that they fired an employee for reasons other than the jury duty
Utah	✅	❌	✅	– Facing a criminal contempt charge – Having to pay a fine of $500, serve a jail term of 6 months, or both – The possibility of facing a lawsuit filed by employees to recover damages and to get reinstated	Employers who pay regular wages to employees on jury duty can ask the latter to return the juror fee they receive from the court
Vermont	✅	❌	✅	Having to pay a fine of $200 per violation per employee	Employers have to continue to provide all the benefits to their employees on jury duty, including credits towards vacations, seniority, and other fringe benefits
Virginia	✅	❌	✅	The possibility of being charged with Class 3 misdemeanor that carries a fine of $500	If employees serve jury duty for 4 hours or more, their employer cannot ask them to work after 5 p.m. on the same day or before 3 a.m. the following day
Washington	✅	❌	❌	The possibility of facing a civil lawsuit filed by employees against their employer to recover lost wages and to get reinstated	Employers cannot deny promotion to an employee for serving as a juror
West Virginia	✅	❌	❌	– Having to face a civil contempt charge – Having to pay a fine between $100 and $500, serve a jail term of 60 days, or both	Employers have to reinstate employees to the same position and seniority level that they had prior to serving as jurors
Wisconsin	✅	❌	❌	– Having to pay a fine of $200 – Being required to reinstate the employee – Being required to compensate for lost wages	If employers choose to pay their employees for jury service, they can ask the employees to remit the juror fee they received from the court
Wyoming	✅	❌	❌	– Being required to reinstate the fired employee – Having to pay a fine of $1,000 per employee per violation	The state does not mandate employers to provide paid sick leave or vacation leaves

*Violations of jury duty laws can include firing or threatening to fire an employee, harassing, or preventing an employee from attending jury duty. In states where it is mandatory to provide paid time off for jury duty, forcing employees to use their PTO or denying payment are violations.

**The information given in some sections of the table has been verified by Ryan Byers, attorney at Rammelkamp Bradney, P.C., and Ben Michael, attorney, Michael & Associates.

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Wondering how to create a PTO policy that is effective? Check out this detailed guide:

Your ultimate PTO accrual guide: Definition, benefits, and tips

What are the federal jury duty laws?

Here is a compilation of the most important federal jury duty laws that employers should note:

Employers are not required to pay employees serving jury duty according to The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Employers cannot deduct the salary from employees who are absent from work for jury duty.
The federal courts pay $50 a day to jurors and $60 upon the order of the judge if the juror serves for 10 days.
Employers who violate jury duty laws have to pay a fine of $5000 per violation, in addition to reinstating the employee, compensating for lost wages, and performing community service.
If the employee does not perform any work for a week as a result of their jury duty, the employer need not pay them the regular wages for this period.

FAQs about jury duty leave laws by state

Have more questions on jury duty leave laws in the US? Here are some of the frequently asked questions and the corresponding answers.

Is jury duty mandatory in the states?

Yes. Federal laws make jury duty mandatory across all states in the US. Besides, the states have their own laws that make jury duty mandatory.

Which states do NOT require employers to pay employees for jury duty?

Here are the 42 states where employers do not have to pay employees for jury duty:

Alaska,
Arizona,
Arkansas,
California,
Delaware,
Florida (with the exception of two counties),
Georgia,
Hawaii,
Idaho,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Iowa,
Kansas,
Kentucky,
Maine,
Maryland,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Mississippi,
Missouri,
Montana,
Nevada,
New Hampshire,
New Jersey,
New Mexico,
North Carolina,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
Oklahoma,
Oregon,
Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island,
South Carolina,
South Dakota,
Texas,
Utah,
Vermont,
Virginia,
Washington,
West Virginia,
Wisconsin, and
Wyoming.

Only 8 states (and the District of Columbia) have specific laws that mandate employers to pay employees for jury duty.

🎓 Clockify Pro Tip

Concerned about staying compliant with labor laws in your state? Here’s your go-to resource for navigating wages, leaves, hiring, firing, and more:

State Labor Laws Guides

What is a permanent excuse from jury duty in California?

People who have a disability, are injured, or have a serious mental or physical health condition can obtain a permanent excuse from jury duty in California. However, not everyone with a disability or health condition will be permanently excused from jury duty.

According to California Rules of Court, a person can obtain a permanent medical excuse from serving as a juror when their disability or health condition is not likely to resolve in the ‘foreseeable future.’

To obtain the medical excuse, the individual has to submit a doctor’s note and a written request to the jury commissioner.

Courts may also permanently excuse a person who cannot communicate in or understand the English language.

People who do not meet the eligibility requirements in California to serve as jurors can also be excused from jury duty. In other words, individuals can be excused from jury duty if they are:

No longer a US citizen,
No longer a resident of the county where they received the jury summons,
Serving a jail sentence,
On parole, felony probation, or mandated supervision for a crime,
Registered as a sex offender, or
Convicted of fraud or wrongdoing when holding a public office.

What is the definition of jury duty?

Jury duty is the civic responsibility of US citizens to serve as jury members in a legal proceeding. According to the US Courts, the “jury decides the facts of a case in accordance with principles of the law as explained by a judge.”

Individuals are randomly selected for jury duty and must:

Attend court sessions,
Listen to evidence, and
Determine the trial’s outcome.

How long is jury duty in the US?

The length of jury duty in the US varies based on:

The state,
The counties within the state, and
The complexity of the trial.

For instance, in California, those summoned for jury duty typically need to attend court for one day.

Jurors in California can fulfill their jury duty obligations in one of these 4 ways to avoid appearing as a juror again in 12 months:

Serving as a standby or on-call for 1 day without appearing in person,
Appearing in person but not assigned for jury duty to a courtroom or selected for a trial,
Assigned to a courtroom but not selected for a trial, or
Serving as a juror in a trial until the judicial officer dismisses them.

In the Western District of New York, jurors are required to be on-call for jury duty for a 90-day term. If the individual is chosen as a juror, they must continue to serve as a juror till the trial is over, even if the trial takes longer than 90 days.

Remember that all those summoned for jury duty may or may not be chosen to serve as jurors. If you are not selected on the jury selection day, your jury duty ends that day.

In which states is it illegal for employers to force employees to use PTO for jury duty?

Here are the states that currently have specific laws that make it illegal for employers to force employees to use PTO for jury duty:

Alabama,
Arizona,
Arkansas,
Colorado,
Indiana,
Louisiana,
Maryland,
Massachusetts,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Mississippi,
Missouri,
Montana,
Nebraska,
Nevada,
New Mexico,
New York,
Ohio,
Oklahoma,
Oregon,
Pennsylvania,
Utah,
Vermont, and
Virginia.

Is it illegal to skip jury duty in California?

Yes! According to California laws, every individual selected for jury duty who is not excused from serving as a juror must perform jury service. The penalty for skipping jury duty can include a jail term, a $1,500 fine, or both.

How often can you be called for jury duty in the US?

The frequency of jury duty depends on the state or county where you are summoned as a juror. In most cases, those who served as jurors are not required to serve again for 1 to 2 years.

For example, in Arizona, those who performed jury service are excused from serving for the next 2 years. In Ohio, individuals can be called to serve as jurors once every year.

Do you get paid for jury duty?

As you can see in the table above, 9 states make it mandatory for employers to pay their employees on jury duty. While most of these states are required to pay the regular wages the employee receives on a work day, some states mandate a minimum amount.

For instance, in New York, employers with at least 10 employees must pay their employees a minimum of $40 per day for the first 3 days of jury service.

In other states where employers are not required to pay employees for jury duty, the state typically pays jurors. While the amount varies by state or county, it can range from $12 to $50 per day.

Does jury duty excuse you from work all day?

Yes, typically, you are excused from work for the entire day if you are selected to serve as a juror. However, if you are not selected, your jury duty will end after the jury selection process, which can take half a day. In this case, you may be required to report to work after the selection process.

Do you get paid for jury duty if you are not selected?

No. Only the selected jurors who attend the trial are paid. If you are summoned for jury service, but not selected as a jury member — you will not receive any compensation.

What happens if you leave jury duty early?

Leaving jury duty early without prior authorization from the court can have consequences in the form of penalties, such as a monetary fine and jail term.

For example, in Massachusetts, those who leave the courthouse without permission can receive a Delinquency notice or a Failure to Appear notice. This may mean that the individual does not get credit for jury service and will have to appear another day within a few days to serve as a juror.

Jury duty leave laws by state — Conclusion and disclaimer

As you know by now, understanding and following the jury duty laws are vital for both employers and employees. Staying updated on these laws will help you fulfill your responsibilities towards the justice system and avoid harsh penalties, such as lawsuits, fines, and jail time.

However, please note that this article was written in Q1 of 2024 and may not include changes introduced after it was published. And, as these laws are subject to change, we strongly advise you to consult the appropriate institutions and/or certified representatives before acting on any legal matters.

Clockify is not responsible for any losses or risks incurred should this guide be used without legal guidance.

When your employees serve jury duty, you’ll need a simple way of tracking their time. Clockify offers a one-stop solution for effortless time tracking and attendance monitoring.

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Sources for the table

Alabama Code 1975 ‘ 12-16-8.1

Alaska Code of Civil Procedure

Arizona Revised Statutes

Arizona State Legislature

Arkansas Department of Labor

Arkansas Misdemeanor

California Courts Employer Information

California State Department of Industrial Relations

Colorado Department of Labor

Colorado Legal Resources: C.R.S. 18-8-706.5