Jury duty pay works in three separate pieces that often get confused with each other: a daily stipend from the court, reimbursement for what you spent getting there, and whatever your employer chooses or is required to pay you for the time off. Federal courts pay $50 per day. State courts set their own rates, and those range from a few dollars a day to something close to the federal figure. None of it is meant to replace your paycheck.
What the Court Pays You
Federal juror compensation is fixed by statute at $50 per day of attendance, covering each day you physically appear plus travel days at the beginning and end of service.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees
Long trials pay a little more. A petit juror who has to attend more than ten days on a single case can receive up to $60 per day for every day past the tenth, if the trial judge signs off. Grand jurors can get the same $60 rate after 45 days of actual service, again at the judge’s discretion.2United States Courts. Juror Pay
Federal employees are the exception to all of this. If you work for the federal government, you keep drawing your regular salary during federal jury service and don’t collect the $50 daily fee.2United States Courts. Juror Pay
State court pay is another matter entirely. There is no national standard. Some states pay $5 or $10 for the first few days; others pay closer to the federal rate. Several bump the daily figure up after a trial runs past a set number of days. Because each state legislature sets its own rate, the only reliable place to check yours is the material that came with your summons or your local court’s website.
Travel and Expenses
On top of the daily fee, courts typically reimburse out-of-pocket travel costs. In federal court that includes mileage at a rate set by the General Services Administration, along with bus fare, ferry tickets, tolls, and parking.2United States Courts. Juror Pay Jurors who live far enough from the courthouse to need an overnight stay can also qualify for a subsistence allowance covering meals and lodging.3United States District Court. Payment and Reimbursement
These reimbursements are not taxable income. They cover costs you wouldn’t have incurred if you weren’t reporting for service.
What Your Employer Owes You
This is where most people are surprised. Federal law does not require your employer to pay you during jury service.4U.S. Department of Labor. Jury Duty What federal law does require is that your job be protected. Under 28 U.S.C. ยง 1875, no employer can fire, threaten, or intimidate a permanent employee because of federal jury service or scheduled attendance for it.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment
The penalties for violating that protection have teeth. An employer who retaliates faces liability for lost wages and benefits, a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation per employee, and possible court-ordered community service. The court can also order reinstatement and award attorney’s fees. The statute treats jury service like a leave of absence, so a reinstated employee keeps seniority and remains eligible for insurance and other benefits as if on furlough.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment
Whether you actually get paid is a state-by-state and employer-by-employer question. Several states require private employers to provide some form of paid jury leave. The specifics vary. Some mandate full pay for a set number of days. Others require the employer to make up the difference between the court stipend and your regular wages. In some jurisdictions, employers can’t force you to burn vacation or sick days for jury service. Even where no law requires it, many employers offer jury duty pay as a benefit, so the employee handbook is worth a look before you assume the worst.
Getting Proof of Service
Most employers want documentation before processing jury leave or pay. Federal courts issue a Certificate of Attendance, which you can request each day in the jury assembly room or pick up on your last day covering all days served.6Southern District of Florida | United States District Court. What if My Employer Wants Proof That I Was Serving on Jury Duty Ask before you leave the courthouse. Chasing it down afterward is harder.
When Your Employer Wants the Stipend
Some employers who pay your full salary during service require you to hand over the court’s check. That’s legal, and there’s a tax mechanism to keep you from being taxed twice on the same money. It’s covered in the next section.
When and How the Money Arrives
Courts pay jurors after service ends, not before. The two common methods are a mailed check and a prepaid debit card. With the card, you may receive it when you first report and the court loads funds onto it once your service concludes. For trials running multiple weeks, some courts pay weekly rather than making you wait to the end.
Expect payment within a few days to about a week after your last day. If a check gets lost or you move before cashing it, contact the court clerk’s office quickly. Uncashed checks eventually roll into your state’s unclaimed property program. You can still recover the money there, but it takes considerably more effort.
Taxes on Jury Pay
The IRS treats jury duty compensation as taxable income. You report it on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8h.7Internal Revenue Service. Publication 525 – Taxable and Nontaxable Income You owe tax on the amount even if no 1099 shows up in your mail. Courts only issue a 1099-MISC when a juror’s attendance fees reach $600 or more in a calendar year, which is uncommon.8United States District Court. Are Juror Attendance Fees Considered Reportable Income Expense reimbursements for mileage, parking, and meals are not taxable.
If your employer paid your full salary during service and required you to hand over the court stipend, you still report the full jury pay as income on Schedule 1, line 8h. You then deduct the exact amount you turned over to your employer on Schedule 1, line 24a, as an adjustment to income.7Internal Revenue Service. Publication 525 – Taxable and Nontaxable Income The result is a wash. This is an above-the-line deduction, so it’s available whether you itemize or take the standard deduction.
Skipping or Rescheduling
Ignoring a federal summons carries real penalties. Anyone who fails to appear can be ordered to show up and explain the absence. If the judge finds no good cause, the penalties include a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or any combination.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels Courts rarely jump straight to fines or jail for a first miss, but continued non-compliance can lead to an order to show cause, contempt charges, and bench warrants.
If the timing is genuinely bad, ask for a postponement rather than no-showing. Federal courts generally allow deferral to a more convenient date, often up to six months out, through instructions on your summons or an online eJuror system.10United States District Court. Requesting a Postponement or Permanent Excuse A permanent excusal is harder to get. Federal law allows it for “undue hardship or extreme inconvenience,” and saying you can’t afford to miss work generally isn’t enough on its own.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1863 – Plan for Random Jury Selection If money is the concern, a postponement to a slower stretch at work is a far more realistic ask than an outright excusal.