As a business owner, you rely on your employees to show up to work every day. But there are going to be occasions where that just isn’t possible—and that includes when they’re called for jury duty service.
Jury service is a civic duty—and, when they’re summoned for jury duty, citizens of the United States are required to answer the call. Under federal law (more specifically, the Jury System Improvement Act of 1978), employers must give their employees the time off necessary to fulfill their jury duty obligations. Employment law also prohibits employers from threatening or punishing their employees as a result of their jury duty service—for example, by firing them or threatening to cut their hours. In addition to federal law, most states in the US also have additional state laws to protect prospective jurors while filling their civic duty.
So, under current leave laws, whether your employee gets called to serve jury duty in a federal or state court, as an employer, you’re required to grant them jury duty leave. But do you also have to grant them juror pay?
Let’s take a dive into jury duty pay, whether you’re required to pay your team while they’re serving on a jury, and, if so, what compensation you’re required to provide:
Are You Required To Provide Pay To Your Employees While They Serve Jury Duty?
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers are not required to pay their employees for time they’re not working—and that includes time spent serving on a jury.
But just because the FLSA doesn’t have any jury duty requirements, as an employer, you’re not necessarily off the hook for paying your employees while they serve on a jury. Each state has its own jury duty pay laws—and you’ll need to pay your employees in accordance with any applicable laws in your state.
State Jury Duty Laws
Currently, there are eight states that require employers to pay their employees while serving on a jury: Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, and Tennessee. Employers in the District of Columbia must also provide pay for their employees while they’re fulfilling their jury service.
How much employers have to pay varies widely by state. For example, in Alabama, businesses have to provide their employees their regular pay while they serve jury duty—while in New York, employers only have to cover the first $40 of the employee’s regular wages for the first three days of jury duty; once they’ve paid out those wages, they’re not required to provide any additional jury duty pay.
In addition to the states that require employers to provide juror pay, there are fifteen states that prohibit employers from requiring their employees use paid leave (including sick time, vacation time, or personal time) to cover their jury duty obligations. Those states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.
Some states (and even some cities, counties, and municipalities) require that employers provide juror pay to certain types of employees; for example, in Miami-Dade county in Florida, employers must provide jury pay for any employee regularly scheduled to work at least 35 hours per week—while in Texas, if an exempt salaried employee works at all during the week, they’re entitled to their entire salary, even if part or most of the week is spent serving jury duty.
For the rest of the states in the US, employers aren’t required to provide any sort of compensation to cover jury duty. For example, in California, employers aren’t required to provide jury duty pay to their employees—but employees are free to use any available leave (like sick or vacation time) if they wish to be compensated while they’re serving on a jury.
Consider Providing Juror Pay For Your Employees—Even If Your State Doesn’t Require It
Depending on where you operate your business, you may or may not be required to pay your employees when they receive a jury summons and are chosen to serve on a jury.
If your business is in a state that requires you to pay your employees while they serve jury duty, you’ll want to make sure you provide pay that’s in accordance with your state laws. But even if your state doesn’t require it, you may want to consider providing some sort of compensation to your employees while they serve jury duty.
Your employees don’t have a choice when it comes to if and when they’re called to serve on a jury—and for many, losing pay while they fulfill their civic duty can cause serious financial hardship. If it’s within your budget, consider providing some sort of compensation or reimbursement to your team when they’re serving on a jury.
1. Introducing Yourself
Your introductory email needs to pack a lot of information into a small package. Try something like this:
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Hello Jane,
My name is John Doe and I work for ABC Agency, where we provide business insurance policies to many of Dallas' rockstar small businesses.
Congratulations on your new business, Jane's Bakery. Are you wondering if you have all the insurance you need? Or if your policies will really cover you in a pinch?
At ABC Agency, we pride ourselves on providing robust, comprehensive coverage options to companies like yours with flexible, pay-as-you-go plans.
Are you available this week to talk more about how we can help? I can help you find the most affordable rates and the best policies out there.
I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Cheers,
John Doe
2. Presenting a Quote
Once you've met with your potential client, a quick reply with their quote will get the ball rolling.
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Hi Jane,
Thanks so much for meeting with me this morning. I loved touring Jane's Bakery–I can still smell those delicious chocolate chip cookies baking! You have a great location, and I'm sure you're going to do great on Front St.
After reviewing my notes, I've pulled together an insurance quote for you (attached). I recommend a business owner's policy. A BOP includes several insurance products in one: liability, property insurance, and business interruption insurance. It offers robust coverage at a competitive price.
I'll call you in a few days to see what you think about this insurance plan. In the meantime, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me or call me at [phone number].
Again, thank you for your time today. I look forward to working with you in the future.
Cheers,
John Doe
3. Thanks for Purchasing a Policy
Gratitude is important! It's never a bad idea to thank your clients for their business.
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Hi Jane,
Thank you for choosing a business owner's policy with ABC Agency. We know it's so important to get the right coverage for your business, and we are honoured you've placed your trust in us.
We're excited to work closely with you, and our no. 1 goal is to make sure you're business is always protected.
Do you have any questions? We are here to help. Reach out whenever something comes to mind.
Thank you again for choosing ABC Agency to insure Jane's Bakery.
Cheers,
John Doe
4. Welcome Email
A welcome email helps clients feel like you're there to help–and can softly pitch other insurance products you offer.
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Dear Jane,
Welcome to the ABC family! We are thrilled to have you as a new customer and can't wait to meet all of your insurance needs.
As an independent insurance agency, we work with multiple insurance providers to find the best coverage options for all our customers. If you need any other type of insurance–like [include additional offerings unique to your agency, like life insurance, health insurance, home insurance or anything else]–we can help you too.
Do you want to discuss any of these policies?
Cheers,
John Doe
5. Introducing a New Product
A happy client may want to expand their business with you.
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Hello Jane,
I hope all is well with you and Jane's Bakery. I stopped in yesterday for a blueberry muffin and coffee, and they were delicious. I loved the hint of cinnamon in the muffin! Was that your idea?
I wanted you to be the first to know we are now offering commercial vehicle insurance to our policyholders. Auto insurance for your catering vans is super important since your personal car insurance won't cover them.
We're offering this insurance coverage solely to our current business clients at the moment and have some very competitive rates.
Would you like me to work up a quote for you?
As always, thanks so much for being a part of the ABC family.
Cheers,
John Doe
6. Asking For Referrals
Once your relationship is established and comfortable, let your clients help you grow.
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Hi Jane,
You've been a valuable member of the ABC family for two years now, and we so appreciate your business–not to mention the muffins you supply for our monthly meetings!
Because you are a valued policyholder, I wanted to ask a quick favour. I know you are active in the local Chamber of Commerce, and I'm hoping you might know some colleagues who would benefit from working with our insurance company.
Referrals are one of the most effective ways to connect with our community since people really trust their friends, family and colleagues. Is there anyone you'd recommend I speak with?
Remember that in addition to business insurance products, we offer everything from life insurance policies to pet insurance.
As a thank you for your help, we will send you an Amazon gift card of $100 when your referrals buy insurance from us.
Thanks so much for your help!
Cheers,
John Doe
7. Policy Renewal
If your client needs to renew their policy with you, send an email like this:
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Hi Jane,
I hope you're doing well! What a year it's been—from being listed as one of the top 5 bakeries in Dallas to being an official vendor for the city—you have so much to be proud of.
Just a heads up that your business owner's policy is up for renewal soon and will expire on June 15, 2023.
If you're still happy with the coverage, we can easily renew it for you.
Do you have some time to chat this week?
Looking forward to serving you again!
Cheers,
John Doe
