Jury Duty

[Anonymous]

I was just called for jury duty next month in Fairfax county. Anyone ever had to do this? I don't want to lose my job over missing an undetermined number of weeks.

[Anonymous]

To the best of my knowledge, it is illegal to lose your job over having to perform ones civic duty.

It's the law that you must respond to any court order.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, some employers will find other reasons to let you go. Good luck OP. Talk to your employer as soon as possible, maybe you have a friend who could fill in?

[Anonymous]

Another egregious example of nannies having no basic worker protections.

[Anonymous]

Probably wont be weeks OP. I have been called twice and each time was a day each. I dont know anyone who has been stuck there longer than 3 days.

[Anonymous]

I know two nannies who got fired when they had to do jury service.

[Anonymous]

I've done jury duty once. I told my employer , once I found out the exact day I was needed they stayed home with the kids. I was gone for 1/2 a day because I wasn't chosen. I called my boss as soon as I got out and she told me I could have the rest of the day off. It was a great experience I got a day off with pay. I also received $30 for my time from the jury duty.

[Anonymous]

Yes, give a copy of your jury summons to your boss and figure it out. You must do it - saying you're a nanny won't get your excused. And probably it won't be weeks, unless you were called to grand jury? That is different and a huge pain (in DC, anyway, where I did it). But even if you get chosen for a trail, it will probably only be 1 to 3 days.

Look at the summons - some of them are set up that you must show up, no matter what. Others are set up so you must call in the night before between certain hours to see whether you will be needed the next day. So make sure you know what to do.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! It is not grand jury. I am relieved to hear that it's only likely to be a few days. I am going to call today to see whether I can postpone it a bit, but knowing that it's not likely to drag on for weeks is very reassuring.

[Anonymous]

My manny got called for jury duty twice in the four years he's been working for us. Once he had to call in each day for a week to find out if he had to go in the following day (he didn't). And once he had to go for two days.

He was not picked to be on a jury. We did not think of firing him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My manny got called for jury duty twice in the four years he's been working for us. Once he had to call in each day for a week to find out if he had to go in the following day (he didn't). And once he had to go for two days.

He was not picked to be on a jury. We did not think of firing him.

Did you pay him? Charge his vacation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My manny got called for jury duty twice in the four years he's been working for us. Once he had to call in each day for a week to find out if he had to go in the following day (he didn't). And once he had to go for two days.

He was not picked to be on a jury. We did not think of firing him.

Did you pay him? Charge his vacation?

We just paid him, same as I have gotten paid at my job when I've had jury duty. It's not a vacation, it's civil work. It might be legal to charge his vacation (don't know), but it wouldn't be moral.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've done jury duty once. I told my employer , once I found out the exact day I was needed they stayed home with the kids. I was gone for 1/2 a day because I wasn't chosen. I called my boss as soon as I got out and she told me I could have the rest of the day off. It was a great experience I got a day off with pay. I also received $30 for my time from the jury duty.

Fun fact: the jury duty pay is supposed to replace your lost wages (a joke, I know). You're not supposed to get it if your employer pays for the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My manny got called for jury duty twice in the four years he's been working for us. Once he had to call in each day for a week to find out if he had to go in the following day (he didn't). And once he had to go for two days.

He was not picked to be on a jury. We did not think of firing him.

Did you pay him? Charge his vacation?

We just paid him, same as I have gotten paid at my job when I've had jury duty. It's not a vacation, it's civil work. It might be legal to charge his vacation (don't know), but it wouldn't be moral.

If he had been picked up for a lengthy trial, what would you have done?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My manny got called for jury duty twice in the four years he's been working for us. Once he had to call in each day for a week to find out if he had to go in the following day (he didn't). And once he had to go for two days.

He was not picked to be on a jury. We did not think of firing him.

Did you pay him? Charge his vacation?

We just paid him, same as I have gotten paid at my job when I've had jury duty. It's not a vacation, it's civil work. It might be legal to charge his vacation (don't know), but it wouldn't be moral.

If he had been picked up for a lengthy trial, what would you have done?

I don't know. Probably cobbled together local help from friends while we tried to fly in a grandparent.