Jury duty is a civil duty when a U.S. citizen is summoned to be part of a jury during court proceedings. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers are not required to pay time off for jury duty, although some do by choice or state law.
If you or someone you know is thinking about working at Amazon, you may wonder about Amazon’s jury duty policy. That’s a fair question, and I looked into it to hopefully help you!
What Is Amazon’s Jury Duty Policy?
Amazon’s official paid leave policy states that most leave periods are unpaid, except for portions of jury duty, military, bereavement, pregnancy, or parental leave. Amazon’s jury duty policy depends on the employee’s status and location, as some states require employers to pay for jury duty. Salaried Amazon employees are more likely to receive partial jury duty pay.
If you want to know more about Amazon’s jury duty policy and how the company’s paid leave works, keep reading my guide!
Does Amazon Pay For Jury Duty?
Amazon is the largest e-commerce company by revenue, with over $386 billion in e-commerce sales in 2020.
Further, the company is known for its competitive pay and generous leave.
Still, with over a million workers, not all Amazon employees are at the same level regarding benefits, including paid leave for jury duty.
Like other companies, full-time employees usually have more paid leave than hourly employees, who can request unpaid days off as necessary.
However, remember that Amazon doesn’t publicize its specific jury duty policy, as it varies by department and employee position.
That said, Amazon has confirmed it pays for some jury duty depending on employment status, such as part-time vs. full-time and hourly vs. salaried.
So, full-time Amazon workers can approach their manager to ask for paid leave for jury duty, as long as it’s listed in their contract.
Essentially, Amazon’s pay for jury duty is the same as a typical day of pay, just like if you were to take a paid vacation day.
For hourly employees who work in Amazon fulfillment centers, paid jury duty isn’t ordinarily available.
Instead, they need to take the days off without pay, although it’s not all bad news because the court usually pays federal jurors $50 per day.
Where Does Amazon Pay For Jury Duty?
Also, a few states require employers to pay their staff through jury duty, even though it’s not a federal requirement.
For example, states that require employers to pay for jury duty include:
- Alabama
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Nebraska
- New York
- Tennessee
For Amazon locations and workers in these states, the company must fulfill its legal obligation to pay employees when they’re summoned for jury duty.
How Do You Take Jury Duty at Amazon?
The law requires employers to give employees time off for jury duty, and Amazon is no exception.
So, if you receive your official court mailing summoning you to jury duty, you must let your employer know as soon as possible.
This way, Amazon can make the appropriate arrangements, plus your manager will appreciate the heads up.
Also, Amazon may require official documentation to request jury duty leave, so check with the management team and follow any instructions before leaving to attend court.
Remember, you should receive your summons two weeks before you appear for jury duty, so you have a little time to get organized and let work know.
What Is Amazon’s Paid Leave Policy?
Amazon has a paid leave policy for U.S. employees on its website, and paid time off is earned on top of paid company holidays.
However, jury duty falls outside these regular leave entitlements, although it should be mentioned in the employment contract.
Both hourly and salaried employees are eligible for paid leave, but they accrue more paid vacation time off with the more hours they work.
Furthermore, personal time ranges from three to six days per year, depending on whether an employee is part-time, reduced-time, or full-time.
Also, Amazon pays sick time per local, city, and state requirements, and the same goes for jury duty, parental, and bereavement leave.
If you want to know more, you can also see our posts on the Amazon inclement weather policy, Amazon rehire policy, and Amazon bereavement policy.
