Minnesota - Jury Duty Employer Obligations

In Minnesota, 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.

Employee must notify employer of the jury summons within a reasonable period.

Minnesota law does not require employers to pay employees while serving jury duty.

Labor union employees may be covered through their union contracts.

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

An employer shall not deprive, threaten, or otherwise coercean employee who receives a summons, responds thereto, serves as a juror, or attends court for prospective jury service.

You should be sure to show your employer your Minnesota 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 may be found in criminal contempt and may be fined not more than $700 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

Discharged employee within 30 days may start civil action for recovery of wages lost and an order for reinstatement Damages recoverable shall not exceed lost wages for six weeks. Successful employee may be granted reasonable attorney's fee fixed by the court.

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.