Learn about compensation for jury duty

Learn about getting compensated or reimbursed for your jury service.

Whether you've served one day of jury duty without being impaneled or have been seated as a juror, learn about what your options are for compensation and reimbursement.

Getting paid for jury duty

If you work in Massachusetts as a full-time, part-time, temporary, or casual employee, your employer must pay you your regular wages for any work missed for the first 3 days of your service. After the third day, the state may compensate jurors at the rate of $50 per day. This pay is taxable. If your company is willing to continue to pay you for your additional days of service, they can require you to turn over your state compensation as a condition of paying you.

Almost all employers in Massachusetts are required to pay employees for jury service, except in very specific circumstances. Your employer may not need to pay you if:

• You work unpredictable schedules (e.g., part-time substitute teachers).
• You're a non-employee worker (e.g., independent contractors).
• You're self-employed. Self-employed jurors must pay themselves for the first 3 days of service, but can discuss any hardship with a judge on the day they report for service. A judge can limit the term of a juror’s service and/or approve pay of up to $50 per day if they agree that this is a hardship.
• You work out of state. If the loss of pay is a hardship for you, you can request a hearing before a judge when you report for service. You'll need proof of your out-of-state employment, and you can request to be paid no more than $50 per day for the first 3 days of juror service. Ask the jury pool officer for help when you report for jury service. However, if you work in Massachusetts for a company that's headquartered in another state, the company is legally required to pay you for your service, even if the company has a policy not to pay its employees in other states for jury service.

If your company refuses to pay your for the first 3 days of your service even after you've given them your Certificate of Juror Service, contact the Legal Department at [phone] or write to:

Office of Jury Commissioner
ATTN: Legal Dept. / RE: Compensation
560 Harrison Ave., Suite 600
Boston, MA 02118

If you don't want to keep your juror compensation, you can write “VOID” on the check and mail it to:

Office of Jury Commissioner
560 Harrison Ave., Suite 600
Boston, MA 02118

Getting reimbursed for jury duty

Only retired or unemployed jurors can be reimbursed for reasonable travel and childcare expenses of up to $50 per day for the first 3 days of service by submitting a written reimbursement request form, which is available at the courthouse. Ask the jury pool officer for help when you report for jury service. After the third day of service, jurors who aren't employed are paid $50 per day by the state, just like all other jurors. 

You'll receive your check within 14 days of completing your service. If you serve for more than a week, you'll receive a check within 10 days after the end of each week.