Jury Duty Leave Laws by State and Municipality

Author: Brightmine Editorial Team

An employer should always be prepared to respond to an employee's request for time off to respond to a jury service summons or subpoena, to attend court for prospective jury service or to serve as a juror. While federal law neither requires employers to provide leave for service on a state or local jury nor provides for a specified period of leave, compensation or benefits, many states do. The following chart summarizes jury duty leave requirements for private employers in each state and in key municipalities, including:

• Whether an employee must provide advance notice or documentation requesting time off;
• Whether an employee is entitled to receive compensation during leave;
• The effect of jury duty leave on employee benefits (e.g., insurance, paid time off);
• Any restrictions on the length of leave or when employees must report back to work; and
• Employment- or business-related provisions regarding postponement of or excusal from jury service.

States that have no requirements regarding jury duty leave are marked N/A. In the absence of state requirements, federal rules may apply.