California - Jury Duty Employer Obligations

In California, 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.

Some employers will have jury duty payment in place, but are not required by law to do so. Employers are required to allow leave, if given reasonable notice, but not required to pay for leave. Employees may use accrued/unused vacation, personal, or compensation leave to be entitled to pay.

You will receive a nominal jury duty payment from the State of California 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.

In California, no employee may be discharged or discriminated against by their employer for taking leave to serve as jury, provided they gave reasonable advance notice, prior to taking time off.

You should be sure to show your employer your California 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.

An employer who is deemed to have demoted, suspended, retaliated against, discriminated, discharged, or threatened to discharge an employee who has taken, with reasonable notice, leave for the purpose of jury duty, shall be responsible for reinstatement, reimbursement of lost wages, and work benefits.

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.