In this series, we will explore some of the ways states vary from one another in their employment laws.

There is no federal law requiring paid jury duty leave – in fact, there is no federal law protecting jury duty leave at all. While most states require employers to excuse employees for jury duty, they usually do not require employers to pay employees for this time spent out of work.

However, there are outliers. Starting on Jan. 1, 2027, Illinois employers with 26 or more employees will be required to pay employees while they are on jury duty leave. Alabama (for full-time employees only), Nebraska, and Tennessee employers are also required to pay employees while they are on jury duty leave. Notably, these states do not place any time limits on the paid jury duty leave requirement, so in the unlikely event an employee in these states ends up on a jury for weeks or months, the employer may be on the hook for an expensive absence.

Other states take a more measured approach to paid jury duty requirements. Louisiana requires pay for only one day. Massachusetts requires up to three days of paid jury duty leave. Colorado requires pay of $50 per day for up to three days. Connecticut and the District of Columbia require pay for full-time employees for up to five days.

Several states do not require jury duty pay, but prohibit employers from requiring employees to use their paid time off while on leave. While many employees would want to use their paid time off to ensure they receive pay during their time on jury duty, others may want to save that paid time off for vacations, and some states give them that right.