Jury Duty

[sasa]

I''ve been summon for jury duty. The problem is my employee doesn''t pay for jury duty. My sister''s wedding is this Oct. and I need all my vacation for the wedding becuase it''s oversea and I need to go early to help her with the wedding set up. I''m very nervous right now becuase I''ve been chosen as a juror before, and the case lasted a week.

 

[Sparkster]

Is there any way that you can be exempt?

I found this on the californian jury duty website:

Exemptions/excuses/postponements: By law, no one who meets the basic criteria is automatically exempted from service. The law does provide for hardship excuses. Hardship is defined by law and includes no reasonable transportation, excessive travel, extreme financial burden, undue risk to physical property, physical or mental impairment for those over age 70, public health and safety, or no alternate care for another. If you believe you fall in any of these categories, contact your local jury office. Postponement may be available if you have health problems, a paid vacation, or other personal commitments that cannot be rescheduled at the time you are initially called. If you have already received one postponement during the past 12 months, you will probably have to come to court and speak to a judge to further delay your service.

I''ve never been called for jury duty, but I know that I am exempt if I am called. In Victoria Australia, if you work in a law firm (which I do), you can be exept from jury duty.

 

[jellybean]

Check into the law in California, but here employers cannot "make" you take vacation days for jury duty.

I served on a jury about 10 years ago or so for an automobile accident case. I was off work for a week. Didn''t need to take personal, vacation or sick days for it. I wasn''t paid by my employer for those days off but it didn''t count against me.

 

[sasa]

I send in the request for financial hardship the first time I received it. Because it will cause me financial hardship if I don''t get paid for a week (I served on a jury about 3 years ago, the case lasted a week and a half) Especially if I''m going to be traveling overseas. But I guess it doesn''t cause extreme hardship because they deny my request.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I was on jury duty a few months ago and it is illegal for your job to fire or make you take vacation days for going. I am self-employed so I guess I could have paid myself but it seemed like everyone else''s jobs were still paying them. Our trial lasted a day and a half so it wasn''t so bad. Good Luck.

 

[sasa]

I think some of the state required employer pay their employee while they are on jury duty. I think that''s great. I hope CA will change the law too. I don''t mind being on jury duty, but don''t they realize it does cause some hardship for some people when the employer doesn''t pay you while you are on jury duty. I wonder what happen to the people that get picked for a case that lasted 3 month (like a murder trial) what do they do if their employer doesn''t pay them?

 

[IrishEyes]

Oh that sucks!!

I''m in Illinois, I don''t think they (employers) have to pay you, but not sure. Definitely check into the law in your state. I got called back in March, but never actually had to do a case, thank god! I was still in school at the time and it was midterms week, so I was really busy and couldn''t afford to miss any tests, so I got lucky!

I hope it works out for you!!

 

[MINE!!]

Here is something hilarious... (if you think about it).. MY DH has been called in for jury duty 7X... and he is not a citizen...

Hope it all works out for you!

 

[IrishEyes]

That is funny!! I thought you had to be a citizen?? Where is your husband from?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Bobo, you served on a jury 3.5 years ago? In NC you have a 5 year "break" between jury duty (being able to be called anyways) Check CA, they might have the same law. It seems unreasonable if you served not too long ago. Just a thought.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Oh, nevermind. I just checked their website and it is everyone 12 months. You do get paid $15 a day and 34 cents per mile. In NC we get $7 a day! So funny. I also love how they call it Jury SERVICE now.

 

[sasa]

with everything so expensive right now....how does the goverment expect us to live on $15 a day?? If I''m lucky...it should be a one day service, if not...like last time lasted over a week

 

[MINE!!]

Vancouver

Date: 8/26/2005 10:01:13 PM
Author: IrishEyes
That is funny!! I thought you had to be a citizen?? Where is your husband from?