Employer / Employee Information
If I miss work because of jury duty, can I lose my job?
No. The California Labor Code prohibits employers from harassing or dismissing employees for performing jury service. Employers are required by law to allow the employee to serve. Employees who are harassed or fired because they performed jury duty can file a claim with the state's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Employers can also be prosecuted criminally and face misdemeanor charges if found guilty.
Employer Information
Hardship on your employer does not excuse you from jury service.
Hardship because you are the sole proprietor of a business does not excuse you from jury service.
Hardship because your employer does not pay you for your time absent from work performing jury service does not excuse you from jury service.
Payment of Wages During Jury Service
Employers are not required by law to pay their employees regular salary when on jury duty, although some do. These employers recognize that jury service is an important component of our justice system, and that financial hardship may discourage employees from fulfilling their civic duty.
If an employer compensates the employee for jury service, those funds paid by the courts to the juror are refundable by the employee to the employer. However, the court does not reimburse the employer directly.