Dear HR:
Do I have to pay my employee when they are off work serving jury duty?
HR Answer:
The answer is generally no, but also depends upon your policy. Current laws allow an employee time away from work to serve jury duty without retaliation from the employer, but the laws do not require the time be paid. Many employers choose to compensate employees as a thank you for their service to the community. Since jury duty is a common occurrence, having a clearly written company policy is important. Solid policies typically differentiate between exempt and non-exempt status, stipulate whether time off for jury duty service is paid or unpaid, address whether employees get to keep the jury and/or witness paid by the courts, and who the employee should maintain in communication with regarding their worksite schedule during jury duty. Need a handbook for your company? We have basic business handbooks and we can customize one to fit your business! Just give us a call.