Arkansas - Jury Duty Employer Obligations

In Arkansas, employers are required to provide you with unpaid time off for reporting to jury selection or jury duty. You may have to show your employer your jury summons in order to be given the necessary leave.

Your employer can never punish you for missing work to attend jury duty. However, if missing work would cause your employer undue hardship, it may be considered as an acceptable jury duty excuse.

Private employers not required to pay any wages during leave due to jury duty. State employers required to grant paid leave for jurors attending state or federal court.

You will receive a nominal jury duty payment from the State of Arkansas for each day you serve on a jury, as well as potential reimbursements for travel expenses. However, jury duty pay tends to be a token amount rather than actual compensation.

Any employee summoned to serve on jury duty shall not be subject to discharge from employment, loss of sick leave, loss of vacation time, or any other form of penalty as a result of their absence from employment due to jury duty, upon giving reasonable notice to his or her employer of the summons. Unlawful for employer to persuade or attempt to persuade to avoid jury service; or to ask employee to use annual, vacation, or sick leave for time spent responding to jury summons.

You should be sure to show your employer your Arkansas jury duty summons letter when you receive it, and update them with your jury duty dates if you are assigned to a trial, to ensure that you receive your mandatory time off.

Should an employer penalize or dismiss an employee as a result of their duties as a juror, the employer is subject to Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $2,500.

If you have been punished for missing work due to jury duty, contact the joror office of the court that summoned you, and they will assist in ensuring that your rights are protected.