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The college recognizes the civic responsibility
of employees to serve on juries. If you are called for jury duty, you are eligible
for jury duty pay. Under current Massachusetts law, jury service is generally limited
to one day or the length of one trial, and virtually no one is exempt from service.
Jurors are summoned at least three months prior to the date of service and are entitled
to one postponement of up to one year. Employers normally are required to pay regular
wages to those serving as jurors for the first three days of jury service. On the
fourth day and thereafter, each trial juror receives jury duty pay from the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
Regular and Limited-Term Employees
If you are employed in a regular or limited-term position of half time or
more, you are eligible for supplemental jury duty pay in addition to the three days
of pay stipulated under Massachusetts law. If you work half time or more but less
than full time, you will be reimbursed for regular work hours missed during jury
service for up to 10 work days per year. Continued reimbursement for long-term jury
duty leave will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
When the college continues to pay your regular salary
while you are serving on jury duty, you must endorse over to the college any checks
received from the Commonwealth. You are entitled to keep any mileage or parking reimbursement
payments. Upon completion of the service, you should submit to the Office of Human
Resources the court-issued statement verifying the dates and times of your appearance
or service and the amount of any jury duty pay received.
Temporary Employees
If you work less than half time or hold a temporary position, you will be
paid for your usual number of hours for the first three days of jury duty, provided
that the hours you would have worked can be determined based on the average of your
previous three months of employment at the college. On the fourth day and thereafter,
you retain the jury duty pay received from the Commonwealth.
General Procedures
If you are called for jury duty and will miss work, you should notify your
supervisor and send a copy of the selection notice to the Office of Human Resources
as soon as possible.
Jury duty may be postponed where significant inconvenience
to the department may occur. If a work-related postponement is deemed necessary,
you or your supervisor should alert the Office of Human Resources as soon as you
receive the selection notice and you will be assisted in requesting a postponement.
Under the one-day/one-trial system, jurors are often
dismissed early in the day. If you are required to attend court for less than a full
day, you are expected to return to work to complete the remainder of your regular
schedule.
Effect of Jury Duty on Other Paid Time and Benefits
While serving on jury duty leave, you continue to earn personal time, vacation,
and sick leave at your normal rate. Benefits remain in effect.
If you are required to perform jury duty during a college
holiday or a previously scheduled vacation, you may arrange with your supervisor
or department head to take an alternative day off with pay on a mutually convenient
day within 30 days of the holiday, or to reschedule your vacation.
Supplemental jury duty pay is granted during paid leaves
of up to 10 work days; it is not granted during paid leaves of more than 10 days
and during unpaid leaves.
Situations Not Covered by This Policy: If you become
involved in a legal matter as a result of the performance of your duties at the college
and must appear in court or attend related proceedings, you are considered to be
on college business and this leave plan does not apply. If you are required to appear
in court as a plaintiff, defendant, or witness in any action unrelated to college
business, you are expected to use personal time or vacation time, or to request unpaid
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