West Virginia - Jury Duty Employer Obligations

In West Virginia, 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.

No provision of West Virginia law requires an employer to pay an employee any wages or other compensation for the time the employee is on leave for jury service obligations.

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

West Virginia law requires that employees be excused from employment for the time needed to serve as a juror.

An employee may not be terminated, threatened, or discriminated against; or be subjected to a decrease in regular wages for time not absent.

You should be sure to show your employer your West Virginia 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 discriminates or acts adversely toward an employee because of their jury duty compliance may be found guilty of civil contempt and may be fined between $100 and $500.

The courts may order reinstatement of the employee with or without retroactive payment of wages, as remedy.

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.