Jury Duty Pay Calculator
Updated August 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate what jury duty actually pays — court fees, employer top-up policies, and the income gap for a service period — plus which states require employers to keep paying you.
Quick answer: Federal jury duty pays $50/day (rising to $60 after 10 days on petit juries); state courts pay $5-50/day. Employers generally need NOT pay wages during service (exempt salaried employees are the exception) — but several states mandate paid days.
The Three Money Streams
- Court fee: federal courts $50/day ($60 after day 10 on petit juries) + mileage; state courts range from $5 (deep lows) to $50/day, some starting only after day 1-3.
- Employer policy: full pay, top-up (difference between salary and the fee), a capped number of paid days, or nothing — check your handbook before your summons date.
- State mandates: a minority of states require employers to pay — e.g. New York ($40/day for the first 3 days at larger employers), Connecticut (full wages first 5 days), Massachusetts (first 3 days), Colorado ($50/day first 3 days).
Worked Examples
Example 1 — no employer pay. 5 days, $50/day fee, normal earnings $200/day: receive $250, lose $1,000 of wages → net gap $750.
Example 2 — top-up policy. Same case with a top-up employer: employer pays $150/day, court pays $50 → whole → gap $0. Many employers require you to sign the fee over in exchange.
Example 3 — exempt salaried employee. Under the FLSA salary-basis rules, an exempt employee who works any part of a week must receive the full weekly salary despite jury absences (the employer may offset the court fee). A week fully absent on jury duty can be unpaid.
Your Job Is Protected — Your Wages Mostly Are Not
Every state plus federal law prohibits firing or penalizing employees for jury service. But wage protection is the patchwork above. Practical prep: confirm your employer's policy in writing, ask the court about hardship deferral if the gap is unaffordable (most courts defer for documented financial hardship), and keep records — the certificate of attendance is what unlocks employer top-ups.
Jury Pay and Taxes
Court jury fees are taxable income (reported as other income; no FICA). If you sign fees over to an employer who paid your full salary, you deduct the surrendered amount. Mileage reimbursements are not taxable. Self-employed jurors get no fee top-up from anyone — for them the real cost is billable time, which is exactly the lost-revenue math in the freelance rate calculator.
For Employers: Policy Design
- Top-up beats nothing and costs little: average service is 2-5 days; the goodwill per dollar is exceptional.
- Handle exempt staff correctly: partial-week jury absence cannot dock an exempt salary — improper deductions jeopardize the exemption itself.
- Require the attendance certificate, not proof of selection: jurors dismissed at 10am still served.
- Never retaliate — including "making up hours": pressuring night make-up shifts after jury days has produced retaliation findings.
Long Trials
Multi-week trials are where policy gaps become crises: federal petit jurors get the $60/day bump after day 10, some states have employer-pays-first-N-days laws that then lapse, and courts increasingly excuse jurors whose employers won't pay on long trials. If selected for a lengthy case, raise the hardship question during voir dire — judges expect it. Track the accumulating gap with this calculator; the daily-rate baseline comes from your salary via the salary to hourly calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does jury duty pay?
Federal: $50/day ($60 after 10 days on petit juries) plus mileage. State courts: $5-50/day depending on state, some paying only after the first days.
Does my employer have to pay me during jury duty?
Federally, no (except exempt salaried staff in partial weeks). Several states mandate limited paid days — NY, CT, MA, CO among them. Many employers pay voluntarily.
Can I be fired for jury duty?
No — every state and federal law protects jurors from termination or retaliation for responding to a summons and serving.
Is jury duty pay taxable?
Yes — court fees are taxable other income (no FICA). Fees surrendered to an employer who paid full salary are deductible. Mileage is not taxable.
Do exempt employees get paid during jury duty?
If they work any part of the week, the full weekly salary is due (minus, optionally, the court fee). Full weeks of absence can be unpaid.
What if I cannot afford jury duty?
Courts routinely defer or excuse for documented financial hardship, especially on long trials — raise it at summons response or during jury selection.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: August 20, 2026