Jury Duty Pay and Employer Rules by State (2026)
Whether employers must let you serve on a jury, whether they must pay you, and juror pay in each state.
This table covers 37 of 51 jurisdictions (50 states and DC). A state that is not listed has no rule here that we could verify against an official source yet.
| State | Jury duty pay and your job |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Arizona employers may not refuse to let an employee serve, and may not fire or in any way penalize an employee for serving on a grand or trial jury. Employers also may not require or ask employees to use vacation, annual or sick leave for jury service, and the employee keeps seniority and must be restored to their position on return; employers are not required to pay wages during jury service. Violating these rules is a class 3 misdemeanor. If a small employer (five or fewer full-time employees) already has another employee on a jury, the court must postpone the summoned employee's service. Jurors are paid $12 a day by the county plus round-trip mileage at the state-employee rate; a juror excused on the first day gets mileage only. Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 21-221, 21-236 |
| Arkansas | An Arkansas employer may not fire an employee, take away sick or vacation leave, or impose any other penalty because the employee is absent from work for jury duty, as long as the employee gives the employer reasonable notice of the summons. Violating this law is a Class A misdemeanor. The statute does not require employers to pay wages during jury service. Ark. Code Ann. § 16-31-106 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
| California | California employers must allow employees time off for jury service, and employees are protected from being fired or harassed for serving; the court's jury page points to Government Code section 12945.8 for this protection, and to Education Code provisions for teachers and school employees. Jurors are paid $15 per day starting on the second day of service, plus at least 34 cents per mile each way from the second day, or up to $12 for public transit starting on the first day. Government employees receive their full pay and benefits from their employers instead of juror pay. Judicial Branch of California, Jury Service |
| Colorado | Colorado employers must pay regularly employed jurors (including part-time or temporary workers on a set schedule for the three months before service) their regular wages, up to $50 per day unless they agree to more, for the first three days of jury service; after the third day, the state pays every juror $50 per day. A court excuses an employer (or a self-employed juror) from paying upon a finding of financial hardship, and the state then pays up to $50 per day for those first days. Employers may not fire, harass, threaten or coerce an employee or take away benefits because of a summons or jury service; a juror may sue an employer who fails to pay or retaliates, with treble damages and attorney's fees possible for willful misconduct, and willful harassment of a juror by an employer is a class 2 misdemeanor. Colorado Judicial Branch, Information for Employers (citing C.R.S. §§ 13-71-126, 13-71-127, 13-71-133, 13-71-134, 18-8-614) |
| Connecticut | An employer may not fire, threaten or coerce an employee for receiving a jury summons, responding to it or serving; an employer who does is guilty of criminal contempt, punishable by a fine of not more than $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both. A fired employee may sue within 90 days for lost wages (up to ten weeks) and reinstatement, plus attorney's fees. Employers must pay a full-time employee's regular wages for the first five days of jury service (unless a court excuses the employer for extreme financial hardship), and eight hours of jury duty counts as a full workday. From the sixth day on, the state pays jurors $50 per day; during the first five days, part-time and unemployed jurors are reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses including 20 cents a mile, at $20 to $50 per day. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 51-247, 51-247a, 51-247c |
| Delaware | An employer may not fire, threaten or coerce an employee because the employee receives a jury summons, responds to it, serves, or attends court for prospective jury service. An employer who does is guilty of criminal contempt, punishable by a fine of not more than $500, up to 6 months in jail, or both, and a fired employee may sue in Superior Court within 90 days for lost wages and reinstatement plus attorney's fees. The statute does not require employers to pay wages during service. Jurors receive $20 a day as an allowance for travel, parking and other expenses (not counted as pay by the employer); jurors who serve only one day or one trial get no reimbursement for the first day. 10 Del. C. §§ 4514, 4515 |
| District of Columbia | An employer may not fire, threaten or coerce an employee because the employee receives a jury summons, responds to it, serves, or attends court for prospective jury service. A violation is criminal contempt: up to a $300 fine, 30 days in jail, or both for a first offense, and up to $5,000, 180 days, or both for later offenses. A fired employee may sue within 9 months for lost wages, reinstatement and damages, and a winning employee is awarded reasonable attorney's fees. The statute does not require employers to keep paying wages; jurors receive fees and expenses at rates set by the Superior Court's Board of Judges (not more than federal juror rates), and government employees who keep their regular pay get no jury fee. D.C. Code §§ 11-1912, 11-1913 |
| Florida | Florida employers may not fire an employee because of the nature or length of jury service, and threatening to fire someone for being summoned may be treated as contempt of court. A fired employee can sue for compensatory and punitive damages plus reasonable attorney fees. Jurors who keep getting their regular wages are not paid by the court for the first 3 days; jurors who are not regularly employed or not paid by their employer get $15 a day for the first 3 days, and every juror gets $30 a day from the fourth day on. There is no extra pay for travel or other expenses. Fla. Stat. §§ 40.271, 40.24(3)-(5) |
| Georgia | Georgia employers may not fire, discipline or otherwise penalize an employee, or threaten to, for missing work to answer a jury summons or other court order. An employer who violates this is liable for the employee's actual damages and reasonable attorney's fees; the employer may still require reasonable advance notice of the absence. The law does not say employers must pay wages during jury service. Juror pay is set county by county at not less than $5 and not more than $50 per day. O.C.G.A. §§ 34-1-3, 15-12-7(a)(2) (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
| Hawaii | The Hawai'i Judiciary says HRS § 612-25 bars employers from firing employees because of jury duty, and a fired employee may sue to recover lost wages and be reinstated. The Judiciary also says no Hawai'i law requires employers to pay employees during jury duty. Jurors are paid $50 for each day of service plus round-trip mileage at 33 cents per mile; a juror who is excused at his or her own request may get only mileage. Hawai'i State Judiciary, Jury Service FAQ (describing HRS § 612-25) |
| Iowa | Iowa employers may not fire, threaten or pressure an employee because the employee gets a jury notice, responds to it, serves or attends court for jury selection; an employer who does commits contempt. A fired employee may sue within 60 days for lost wages and reinstatement, but damages are capped at 6 weeks of lost wages, plus reasonable attorney fees if the employee wins. Jurors are paid $30 per day plus mileage and parking costs. Iowa Code §§ 607A.45, 607A.8 (Iowa Code 2026) |
| Kansas | Kansas employers may not fire or threaten to fire a permanent employee because of jury service. An employer who does is liable for lost wages, actual damages and benefits, must reinstate the employee without loss of seniority, and can be ordered to stop; a winning employee may get attorney fees. The lawsuit must be filed within 1 year after the firing or threat. Jurors are paid by the county $10 to $50 per day (set by the county commission) plus mileage. K.S.A. 43-173, 43-171, 60-514(d) |
| Kentucky | Kentucky employers may not fire, threaten or pressure an employee because the employee gets a jury summons, responds to it, serves or attends court for jury selection. A fired employee may sue within 90 days for lost wages and reinstatement with full seniority and benefits, plus attorney's fees if successful, and an employer who violates the law commits a Class B misdemeanor (up to 90 days in jail and a $250 fine). Jurors are paid $5 per day plus $7.50 per day for expenses. KRS 29A.160; 29A.990(1); 29A.170; 532.090; 534.040 |
| Louisiana | An employer may not fire or take any other adverse action, without cause, against an employee who is called to or is serving on jury duty, as long as the employee tells the employer about the summons within a reasonable time and before appearing. An employer that fires an employee for this must reinstate the employee with the same wages, benefits and conditions and is fined $100 to $1,000 for each employee fired. A regularly employed person called to a state petit or grand jury or central jury pool must be given up to one day of leave without loss of wages or sick, emergency or personal leave; an employer that violates this must pay the employee's full wages for that day and is fined $100 to $500 for each offense. La. R.S. 23:965 |
| Maine | An employer may not fire an employee, cut off the employee's health insurance, or threaten or coerce the employee because the employee is summoned for, responds to, attends or serves on jury duty; a violation is a Class E crime. A fired employee may sue within 90 days for lost wages (up to 6 weeks) or lost health benefits and reinstatement, plus reasonable attorney's fees. The statute does not require the employer to pay wages during service. Jurors are paid $15 per day of required attendance plus mileage at the state rate. 14 M.R.S. §§1218, 1215 |
| Maryland | An employer may not fire, coerce, intimidate or threaten to fire an employee for losing work time to answer a jury summons or serve. An employee who appears for 4 or more hours (including travel) cannot be required to work a shift starting at or after 5 p.m. that day or before 3 a.m. the next day. An employer also may not require the employee to use annual, sick or vacation leave for jury service. Each violation is subject to a fine up to $1,000. The statutes read do not require the employer to pay wages during service. Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. §§8-501, 8-502 |
| Massachusetts | Employers must pay full-time, part-time, temporary and casual employees their regular wages for work missed during the first 3 days of jury service; after that the state pays jurors $50 per day, and an employer that keeps paying may require the juror to turn over the state payment. A court may excuse an employer from paying if it would cause extreme financial hardship, and self-employed or out-of-state-employed jurors can ask a judge for up to $50 per day for the first 3 days. An employer may not fire an employee for jury service, give mandatory assignments that interfere with it, force the employee to reschedule or use vacation or personal days, or harass or deny benefits because of it. M.G.L. c. 234A, §49; Office of Jury Commissioner juror pay and employment pages |
| Minnesota | An employer may not fire, threaten or coerce an employee because of a jury summons or jury service, must release the employee from the regular work schedule (including shift work) to attend, and may not require an alternative shift on any day the juror must report (the employee may volunteer to). An employer who violates this is guilty of criminal contempt, punishable by up to $700 and/or six months. A fired employee may sue within 30 days for lost wages (up to six weeks) and reinstatement, plus attorney's fees. Juror pay and mileage are set by the Minnesota Supreme Court, not by statute. Minn. Stat. §§593.50, 593.48 |
| Mississippi | It is unlawful for an employer to pressure, intimidate or threaten a juror to avoid service, or to fire or take adverse action against an employee for jury service, if the employee told the employer about the summons within a reasonable time. Employers may not require or ask employees to use annual, vacation or sick leave for jury service, but need not give leave the employee is not otherwise entitled to. A violation is treated as interference with the administration of justice and contempt of court. Employers with five or fewer full-time employees get an automatic postponement if another employee is already summoned for the same period. The statute does not address paying wages during service. Miss. Code Ann. §13-5-35 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
| Missouri | An employer may not fire, discipline, threaten or take adverse action against an employee for receiving or responding to a jury summons, and a fired employee may sue within 90 days for lost wages, other damages, reinstatement and attorney's fees. An employer may not require or ask the employee to use annual, vacation, personal or sick leave for jury service; the statute does not require the employer to pay wages. Small employers (five or fewer full-time employees) get an automatic postponement if another employee is already summoned for the same period. Jurors receive at least $6 per day plus state mileage, more if the county opts in (at least $18 per day, or $50 per day from the third day under an alternative county system). RSMo §§494.460, 494.455 |
| Montana | Juror pay: a grand or trial jury panel member receives $12 per day plus mileage under § 2-18-503, and jurors selected for a case receive an additional $13 a day while serving (§ 3-15-201(1)). For state employees, juror fees are applied against the pay the employee is owed, unless the employee uses annual leave, and the employee keeps expense and mileage allowances (§ 2-18-619). Government employers may ask the court to excuse employees needed for the proper operation of a unit of state or local government (§ 2-18-619(3)). MCA §§ 3-15-201, 2-18-619 |
| New Mexico | An employer may not fire, threaten, or coerce an employee because the employee receives or answers a jury summons, serves as a juror, or attends court for jury selection, and may not require or ask the employee to use annual, vacation, or sick leave for that time (§ 38-5-18). An employer who violates this is guilty of a petty misdemeanor (§ 38-5-19). The statute does not require employers to pay wages. Jurors are paid for their time at the highest prevailing state minimum wage rate, plus mileage for travel over forty miles round trip (§ 38-5-15). NMSA 1978, §§ 38-5-15, 38-5-18, 38-5-19 |
| New York | An employee summoned for jury duty who notifies the employer before service starts may not be fired or penalized for the absence. Employers may withhold wages during jury service, but an employer with more than ten employees may not withhold the first seventy-two dollars of the juror's daily wages for the first three days. A violation is criminal contempt of court (Judiciary Law § 519). Jurors are paid seventy-two dollars per day of attendance, except employed jurors whose employer must pay those wages and who earn at least $72 a day (§ 521). N.Y. Judiciary Law §§ 519, 521 |
| North Dakota | An employer may not fire, lay off, penalize, threaten, or coerce an employee because the employee receives a jury summons, responds to it, serves as a juror, or attends court for jury service. An employer who violates this is guilty of a class B misdemeanor; a fired employee may sue within 90 days for lost wages (up to six weeks) and reinstatement, plus a reasonable attorney's fee if the employee wins. The statute does not require employers to pay wages during jury service. Jurors in district court are paid $100 per day ($50 for a first day of four hours or less) plus mileage at the state-employee rate, paid by the state. N.D.C.C. §§ 27-09.1-17, 27-09.1-14 |
| Oklahoma | An employee who notifies the employer of a jury summons within a reasonable time may not be fired, removed, or subjected to other adverse employment action because of jury service, and may not be required or asked to use annual, vacation or sick leave for responding to the summons, jury selection, or serving. An employer who violates this is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, and is also liable to the employee for actual and exemplary damages (including lost earnings, lost leave and mental anguish). Employers do not have to pay wages for jury duty unless the employee chooses to use paid leave; a court must automatically postpone a juror whose employer has five or fewer full-time employees if another employee was already summoned for the same period. Jurors are paid $50 for each day's attendance before a court of record plus daily round-trip mileage under the State Travel Reimbursement Act. 38 O.S. §§ 34, 35; 28 O.S. § 86(A) |
| Oregon | Per the Oregon Judicial Department, an employer may not fire, threaten or intimidate an employee for jury service or force the employee not to serve, and may not force the employee to use leave (unpaid leave must be allowed if the employee chooses it); the employee may sue or file a complaint with the Bureau of Labor and Industries. No Oregon law requires employers to pay wages during jury service. Employers with 10 or more employees may not stop health, disability or life coverage the employee elected to continue, and a juror whose employer pays wages for jury days must waive jury pay unless the employment agreement allows keeping it. Jurors are paid $10 a day for the first two days and $25 a day from the third day, plus 20 cents per mile when driving or the cost of public transit tickets. Oregon Judicial Department, Jury Service page |
| Pennsylvania | An employer may not take away an employee's job, seniority or benefits, or threaten or coerce the employee, because the employee receives a jury summons, responds to it, serves as a juror, or attends court for prospective jury service. A violation is a summary offense, and the employee may sue for lost wages and benefits (not more than actually lost) and reinstatement, plus a reasonable attorney's fee if successful. Employers need not pay wages for time lost to jury service, and the protection does not cover retail or service employers with fewer than 15 people or manufacturers with fewer than 40 (such employees may ask the court to be excused). Jurors are paid $9 a day for the first three days in a calendar year and $25 a day after that, plus 17 cents per mile round trip (no travel allowance in the First Judicial District). 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 4563, 4561(a) |
| South Carolina | An employer who dismisses or demotes an employee for serving on a jury (or for complying with a valid subpoena to testify) can be sued in circuit court for damages. Damages for a dismissal are limited to one year's salary or 52 weeks of wages (based on a 40-hour week at the employee's pay when the summons was received); damages for a demotion are limited to one year of the pay difference. The statute does not require employers to pay wages during jury service. Juror pay is set county by county (for example $10 a day in Abbeville County and $7 a day in Charleston County), plus mileage of five cents per mile each way unless the county's entry says otherwise. S.C. Code §§ 41-1-70, 14-7-1370 |
| South Dakota | No one may discharge or suspend an employee for serving as a juror in any South Dakota court; a violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor (up to 30 days in county jail, a $500 fine, or both). The employee keeps the same job status, pay and seniority as before jury duty, but the leave may be with or without pay at the employer's discretion. Jurors receive $50 for each day's attendance in circuit or magistrate court plus mileage at the state rate, paid by the county; a juror called but not impaneled receives a $10 appearance fee plus mileage. SDCL §§ 16-13-41.1, 16-13-41.2, 16-13-46, 22-6-2 |
| Tennessee | An employee who receives a jury summons must show it to their immediate supervisor on the next day they work; the employer must then excuse the employee for each day of jury service that lasts more than three hours, and may not discharge or discriminate against the employee for serving. The employee keeps their usual pay (the employer may deduct the juror fee), but employers with fewer than five regular employees, and temporary employees employed less than six months, are not covered by the pay requirement. Night-shift workers are also excused from the shift before their first day of service and the next shift within 24 hours of a service day over three hours. A violation, or willfully refusing to rehire or restore an employee, is a Class A misdemeanor, and an employee who is discharged, demoted or suspended is entitled to reinstatement and lost wages and benefits. Tenn. Code Ann. § 22-4-106 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
| Texas | A Texas employer may not fire, threaten to fire, intimidate or coerce a permanent employee because the employee serves as a juror or grand juror, and the employee may return to the same job by giving notice as soon as practical after service. A violating employer can owe reinstatement plus damages of one to five years' pay and attorney's fees (suit within two years), commits a Class B misdemeanor, and can be held in contempt. Jurors receive county-set expense reimbursement of at least $20 for the first day and at least $58 for each later day. The statutes reviewed do not require private employers to pay wages during jury service. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 122.001, 122.002, 122.0021, 122.0022; Tex. Gov't Code § 61.001(a) |
| Utah | A Utah employer may not fire, threaten, take adverse action against or coerce an employee because the employee is summoned for, responds to or serves on a jury or grand jury, and may not require or ask the employee to use vacation, annual or sick leave for that time. A violating employer is guilty of criminal contempt, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both; a fired employee may sue within 30 days for reinstatement and up to six weeks of lost wages plus attorney fees. Jurors are paid $18.50 for the first day and $49 for each later day, plus $1 for every four miles traveled beyond 50 miles (one way). Utah Code §§ 78B-1-116, 78B-1-119 |
| Vermont | A Vermont employer may not fire an employee because of jury service, or penalize the employee or take away rights or benefits in a way that treats jurors differently from other employees. Employees serving as jurors are treated as still in the employer's service for seniority, fringe benefits, vacation credit and other employment rights. An employer who violates the law may be fined up to $200. The statute reviewed does not require the employer to pay wages during jury service. 21 V.S.A. § 499 |
| Virginia | A Virginia employee summoned for jury duty who gives the employer reasonable notice may not be fired, have any adverse personnel action taken, or be required to use sick leave or vacation time because of the absence. An employee who serves four or more hours (including travel) in a day cannot be required to start a shift beginning at or after 5:00 p.m. that day or before 3:00 a.m. the next day. An employer who violates this law is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Jurors receive $50 per day of attendance for travel and other expenses. Va. Code §§ 18.2-465.1, 17.1-618 |
| Washington | Washington employers must give an employee enough leave of absence to serve on a jury, and may not fire, threaten, coerce or harass an employee, or deny promotions, because the employee was summoned, responded or served. An employer who intentionally violates this is guilty of a misdemeanor, and an employee penalized can sue for damages and reinstatement plus attorney's fees. Jurors receive a county-set expense payment of $10 to $25 for each day of attendance plus mileage. The statute requires leave, but the sections reviewed do not require the employer to pay wages during service. RCW 2.36.165, 2.36.150 |
| West Virginia | A West Virginia employee who gets a jury summons must show it to the immediate supervisor on the next workday, and must then be excused from work for the days needed to serve. An employer may not fire, threaten to fire, or cut the regular pay of an employee for time not actually spent away because of jury service; the employee may sue for reinstatement, back pay and attorney's fees, and an employer who discriminates is guilty of civil contempt with a fine of $100 to $500. Employers are not required to pay wages for the time actually spent away on jury service. Jurors receive mileage plus $15 to $40 per day, as set by the circuit court. W. Va. Code §§ 52-1-21, 52-3-1, 52-1-17(a) |
| Wyoming | A Wyoming employer may not fire, threaten to fire, intimidate or coerce an employee because of jury service or scheduled attendance for jury service. A violating employer can be ordered to reinstate the employee (without loss of seniority or benefits), must pay the employee's costs and attorney's fees, and can owe exemplary damages of up to $1,000 per violation per employee; the employee must sue within six months. Jurors receive $30 for each full or part day of attendance (the court may add $20 a day after five consecutive days) plus mileage when the one-way trip exceeds five miles. The statutes reviewed do not require employers to pay wages during jury service. W.S. 1-11-401, 1-11-302, 1-11-303 |
Download this table (CSV) · free to reuse with a link to this page.
Last verified against official sources: October 23, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.