I'm not an expert but I don't think it's considered a hardship. Most people working take a big cut.. People laugh at the "pay". It hopefully will cover your parking charges!

Is there a chance you could take vacation days (and then still get your regular pay)? Just to be sure, you could call and ask the jury people. Possibly at some point they do consider it a hardship but I don't think having to dip into savings or not being able to help your daughter at college is what they would consider an excusable hardship. Maybe more like when your electricity is going to be turned off or something like that.

Thanks Carla, I was kind of afraid of that. No, I don't have any vaca time.

It's a shame your employer doesn't still pay you. One of mine did. We would have to turn the jury money into them though! I would still call and ask the jury people; you never what they will tell you. I'm no expert.

I once called right after I had a baby and I was breast feeding and they excused me no questions asked or Dr.'s notes needed. I thought I would have to go in for sure so you never know...

If you were merely called for jury duty it doesn't mean you will be chosen to sit on one. Depending on where you live the odds are actually slim.

If you have already been chosen to sit then you are stuck. There is no way to excuse yourself once you are on the jury.

No, it's not a "sound reason or hardship" to get out of jury duty. For one thing, you have no legal obligation to help your daughter with college expenses; and you have admitted that most months you are able to put money into a savings account.

And look at it from another perspective -- if YOU were on trial and your fate is handed over to 12 people to make the decision as to what happens to you, do you want those 12 folks to be people who (a) don't care if they're there or not because their employer is paying their full salary, or (b) are happy to be there because $12.50 a day is more than they're making now?

Another problem is that almost everyone thinks they are too important/critical to miss work or their daily life to sit on a jury, whether they are doctors or nurses or SAHM or caregivers or work in a small office, etc etc.

Another percentage will claim financial hardship because a lot of employers won't cover jury duty past the first day.

My point is, the sob stories will be flying all over the place as most people try to get out of jury duty so I think you are probably out of luck. But they only take a small percentage of people who show up so you have a good chance of not being called.

Thanks everyone. I actually do work in a small office too. I really am not trying to get out of it. I have never done it before so it sounds interesting, and like some of you mentioned, I may not even be selected. So will wait and see.
My former employer did pay employees for any time missed from work to be on a jury. I don't guess that matters now. Oh well, I will just make the most of it.
Another life experience.

CurleySue, wait and see if you make it through voir dire. Of course you are free to say you depend on your wage alone to support you if called up front to be interviewed, but that isn't reason to automatically be excused. If there are several other good candidates for jury selection there, the lawyers may excuse you, it's hard to know...

I was seated with a large group of prospective jurors once when the judge sent someone to pick up a potential juror who had not appeared although summoned...it was the woman who owned the only good restaurant in that small town, it was December and they also catered....they had yanked her out of the kitchen getting ready for a busy lunch crowd. I kid you not, she showed up red faced, flustered, flour down her front, visibly upset. Ultimately, she wasn't chosen :)

The last couple of times DH has been summoned by mail, I've filled out the form explaining that as owners of a small consulting firm, when he isn't working we have no income and neither does our technician who assists him, so two households are without money those days. We went through a period where he was called every two years just like clockwork (as was I), would go and waste a day because he knows so many people, there would always be a lawyer, defendant or their family, witness...someone. Even the judge is frequently one he went all through school with :) I don't know if the notes I've sent have helped or not, but he hasn't been called to come for a trial for 6 years now.

I thought employers were required to pay you if you have jury duty. Maybe it's different depending on circumstances. Mine always paid me. Some employers require that you turn over anything you are paid for jury duty. MIne did not since I think it was a bigger accounting headache than it was worth.

I know one time a young woman who was a nanny to two doctors got off because her employers would not be able to go to work if she was not there. Just tell them you can't afford to miss work!

I believe that doctors, nurses, SAHMs and caregivers DO have a good excuse for seeking not to serve. I would imagine that any upstanding citizen who have those jobs would investigate any options to have their job covered by someone else, but I do believe the majority in that group have a valid excuse.

When I recently filled out a jury duty form -- the kind they send to your home to find out if you have any reasonable excuse for not serving -- being a caregiver WAS one of the reasonable excuses, as was being in law enforcement/emergency services full-time and being a farmer and the jury call coming during harvest times. (This is Virginia.)

I'm not saying it's not a valid reason. The problem is that most people can argue that their profession/duties are too important to miss for jury duty. More people are educated now with more advanced careers, more families have two working parents, older people are living longer and needing care, the economy has forced people to be overworked without the flexibility of taking time, people are worried about losing their jobs if they inconvenience their employer even a little bit, etc.

And when a lot of people are excused, you're left with people who are not a fair sample of the general population. The whole basis of the jury system is to be a "jury of your peers" not a "jury of people who weren't able to get excused," which is what it's become. I've sat through the jury selection process and the variety of excuses is amazing. The multitude of backgrounds and professions are what strengthens the jury system and if all the "important" people are able to opt out, then we're missing a good chunk of the demographic profile of an area.

My employer offered paid time off for serving on a jury, but your's don't. You may have a hardship case. The way to find out is to ask. You won't know until you do. You are obligated to respond to the call and you should do that. But when you register for jury duty, you could make a personal appearance and plead you hardship condition. The registration office may agree. You won't find out if you do not ask.

Just because you were called does not insure that you'll actually serve on a jury. First, you will become part of the jury pool from which the trial lawyers make selections. The problem is that you must be available during the day. In some cases where the court is processing only a few cases, after the morning selections have been made, the jury pool has nothing to do for the remainder of the day.

chances are slim you'll be seated...sorry to say my couple of time going were aweful..the first time the waiting space had the worst chairs and thought my back woud never recover..the second and 3rd time thanks be they'd refit the waiting room..but it was so boring...we sat for hours, released for lunch and back again..finally were sent home around 2...this was the "big" court..never have been called for local...

Yes, that is a hardship. If employers do not pay for jury duty here, it is common to be excused.

Like several said, it can't hurt to ask. So I will. thanks for all the input.

The system is terrible. Everyone who complains about people who try to get out of jury duty should think about how the system should be changed because the way it is (or was the last time I served on a jury) is of course going to make anyone with anything better to do not want to be on jury duty. That is sad but you can't offer people under $15/day and take them away from their jobs to do something that once they are committed to, they have no idea how long it will last.

I served in Philly years ago. My employer paid me so it wasn't a financial hardship but it certainly would have been if I didn't have that benefit. I sat on a jury for over a week. Very little of that time was I listening to testimony or deliberating. Most of it I was sitting in City Hall, forced to listen to the City Council, since they put us in that room while they tried to round up witnesses and whatever else. Hours just sitting and waiting. I actually spent very little time waiting to be considered for a jury - I barely sat down and the process started but it still took over a week to get the jury seated and hear a couple of witnesses for a non-fatal inner city shooting.

Frankly I'd want a jury filled with people who are happy to be on jury duty rather than people who just want to get back to work.

curlysue, I didn't really consider that you could be on a jury for weeks or months. I was just thinking a few days. I'm not sure if that (the fact that you aren't getting paid) is something you would mention during jury seletion itself or beforehand. I don't know where you live, but generally very few people get picked to be on trials of significant length. Granted, I would think you should be able to take off a few days for jury duty, but a few weeks could be considered a hardship for you.

I'd call and just ask.

Financial reasons aside, I doubt most people want to be on jury duty and I would be worried about people deciding my case that are happy to be there, or those who are happy about receiving $12 a day for their pay. Even if it's a little exciting or different, it's a chore and having to make decisions about the fate of criminals or grievances is generally not anything I'd ever be happy about.

I've served on several juries. I thoroughly enjoyed it-the judge would tell us come in at 11, we got a full hour for lunch, he'd dismiss everyone around 2 or 3. My employer did pay me for the time I was out. And I enjoyed the cases-one civil, one criminal.I was sequestered one full day-they gave us a menu and gave us free meals. Now I've got kidney failure and can't serve because I'm high up on the list for a transplant, plus I'm not available the three days I get dialysis, plus I'm the sole caregiver for my husband with MS and Alzheimers. I recently filled out a questionnaire and if they call me, I'll go down there with a doctors note. The times I did serve, they first seated us in a big room, then asked "Whover wants to be excused, line up over here." I was shocked how many people tried to get out of it. It is a civic duty.

Good luck. I was on jury duty for 6 weeks and this was for a civil case, I was supposed to go to another stte to care for my elderly father so that my brother could go on a much needed vacation and I was unable to do that. One of the jurors lost her job because she was out of the office for so long, One lady went awol because they would not excuse her to take her seriously ill husband for treatment.We did receive a letter from the judge excusing us from being called for 5 years My employer paid me my regular salary so I was not financially hurt. The process was very intereting and in spite of everything I would serve again. Satine

Good Luck CurlySue, I hope that you don't have to suffer too much loss. Good for you for going.

I agree, Paula. I was excused for 25 years until this year when I was called, I went. I am not paid to go, I am self employed and am a one man show so if I am not present I am not paid. I got there and sat...and sat...and sat....along with 125 other people, many of whom were also not paid by their employers. (One gal was breastfeeding a 2 week old baby, she was chosen to serve.)

We sat there from 8am until 130pm. We were then told that the cases were settled. That is beyond ridiculous, 100 people are either unpaid for the day, and if they are paid their employers are paying them for nothing. I think there should be a irrevocable deadline for settling out of court, BEFORE the jury pool is hit. The county has paid for 125 lunches, 125 per diems (meager but they paid it), 125 mileage fees, and in my case to transport 125 people from the parking facility 10 miles away. That isn't fair to any of the taxpayers. There's much more that is wrong, this is just the beginning.

lynn, You aren't allowed to bring kids (or babies) to jury duty in our area. (In fact, I think it is against the law) I'm surprised they let her bring the baby. Or maybe you just meant she was breastfeeding... which I assumed probably stopped when she had to serve. Sad.

I thought mothers are given 6 weeks or so recovery after delivery. I'm surprised the courts would even allow her to serve - not really a good risk to take to put her on a jury at that point. (For pete's sake, she would still be bleeding). Unless there's a big part of the story missing or she was lying and you didn't know it, the judge who decided a mother 2 weeks postpartum could sit on a jury, should be disrobed (IMHO).

And, not just with just giving birth and breastfeeding, but I think most SAHM of kids at home (not in school yet) can be excused from jury duty in most areas. Not everyone has access to daytime babysitters if they don't use them regularly.

It appears that there's a good possibility in many areas that folks who are called may sit around twiddling their thumbs for some time before they get down to business, which seems a real shame regarding people for whom it is a hardship to be doing that.

As some have said, though there are a large number called initially, after the winowing, a much smaller number is chosen to be empanelled.

Some increased efficiencies would seem to be in order, in many areas.

Though I was asked to register recently, I've never been called and never sat on a jury. I consideer it our civic duty to fulfill such a request, when possible.

I'm fortunate, in that, as another benefit of being retired, my pensions come, whether I'm at home, in Vancouver, China, Phoenix, Germany or Timbuktu ... so I don't have to worry about interruption of income should I be tied up for a time.

Now ... if I could only remember what I said at the beginning of this message.

ole joyful

I was excused a few years ago for being a SAHM. My kids were all younger than school age . I had no babysitters. It would have caused a major hardship financially and otherwise at that time. I'd be able to do it now. Chances are that I wouldn't be wanted on the jury once I got there.

I have no reason to think she was lying, Carla and the judge told her to bring the baby to the courthouse and they would make arrangements. I have no idea what those were to be.

Oh I would have thought maybe that she was making up the 2 week old baby to try to get out of serving and that the judge called her on it... but it does sound like the judge (or your court) is just very "different".

I'm in a big city and that would never happen here and they would never make arrangements to watch your baby or kids. Are you in a very, very small town or something? I just can't imagine making a women 2 weeks postpartum serve. If nothing else, when would she get her and her baby's well check-ups? And, I wouldn't trust 'strangers' in a court house to watch my 2 week old newborn -- plus the baby could pick up something. Wow, I'm very surprised they did that and would take on that liability.

I'm still waiting to hear from the court about my excuse I sent in. If I don't hear something I will be going on January 10th.

curlysue-
I have served on a jury three times. While hardship policy may vary from area-to-area, I can tell you that, where I live, someone in your situation would definitely be considered to have a hardship and would have no problem being legitimately excused. They don't want someone on a jury who is increasingly worried about making ends meet every day that they serve, or are resentful. or who might be tempted to rush to judgment to get it over with. I consider people who try to get out of jury duty for bogus reasons to be poor citizens, but you have a valid reason for wanting to be excused. At the least, you should be able to get it postponed into the future when you may have some leave time. Most trials aren't lengthy. The longest jury service I have had was 4 days. Don't be passive about this. Call the jury selection office, explain your circumstances, and see what your options are. Serving on a jury is an important and educational experience, and you should try to do it sometime, but maybe not right now.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

I really appreciate all of the responses. I really didn't know what to do. I filled out my form and attached a statement telling them why I felt like this would be a hardship for me. So we will see what happens. If I don't hear back from them, I am to report on January 6th at 9am. At this point it is a Jury selection, so like most have mentioned, I may not even get selected to sit on a trial, if it comes to that. Thanks for the (much needed) help

It might vary from state to state, but at least in MANY states, employers seem to be required to pay wages for full time employees for the first 5 days of jury duty.

Go on Google and search on: Jury Duty Employers pay - plus your state name, and see what you find.

curlysue,
I hope you hear back from them. I don't know how it works and I think it varies state to state. But if you do have to go in, your lack of being paid by your employee may not be a hardship for you to come to general jury duty (which may only last a couple days)...but it may end up being a hardship for a particular trial and you may want to mention during 'jury selection' for that trial if you are pulled and questioned (say it is a criminal trial that may go on for weeks, etc). That's where a hardship may come in if you are not excused from the beginning.

Let us know how it turns out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Article on Jury Duty

No wages requirement in this state (Washington). You can't be fired for not being there to work, but your boss doesn't have to pay you.

"Washington law says employers, "shall provide an employee with sufficient leave of absence from employment when that employee is summoned" for jury duty. It also says employers, "shall not deprive an employee of employment or threaten, coerce, or harass an employee or deny an employee promotional opportunities" for serving as a juror. It does not say your employer has to pay you while you serve."

curlysue-
As I mentioned above, don't be passive. Yes, it's good you filled out your form and sent it back. But it's not going to harm anything to call and talk with them. You may find out some helpful info about their policies. If it were me, I'd rather try to get some info and be prepared than do nothing and be concerned for the next three weeks about what might or might not happen.

You would get nowhere w/ that excuse where I live. East Texas. They hear that excuse ALL the time and no one gets off b/c of it. The odds are probably better that you won't be chosen, but if you are, there will be other chances to get off when they begin the questioning part. My sister always go off b/c her SIL was a cop. Maybe you'll have something like that happen, but have you looked at a jury pool? I wouldn't want those people deciding my fate.

I did go on line and found out that Kentucky is one of the states that does not require your employer to pay you while you are away from your job for jury duty. I live in a small city, the nearest big city is Louisville and they had an interesting aritcle in their local paper about jury duty and the fact that around half of the people who get the letter for jury selection don't show up and nothing is done about it, because according to officials, it cost more money to find these people and bring them to court for something that is considered paltry. I won't do that of course, I will show, and I will tell them why I shouldn't be selected for jury duty. I work in a small office with one other lady and she said when she got the letter, they excused her because she had to work and didn't get paid to go to jury duty. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I get called for jury duty every two years, like clockwork. I've never actually sat on a jury. Here, they give you a number to call the night before you are supposed to appear and a recorded message tells you whether or not you have to show up. 90% of the time, I don't. A couple of times I've had to sit through the video describing the duties/responsibilities of a juror, but haven't been chosen and got sent home (back to work) after a couple of hours.
Idaho employers don't pay for time off for jury duty either.