Businesses frequently benefit directly from our legal system. The civil litigation system in particular is filled with a variety of business-related disputes. These include actions concerning contracts, wrongful termination, product defects, environmental issues, malpractice, and intellectual fraud. While employers have valid concerns about how jury service affects their employees and resources, it is important that they understand the length of time employees may need to be absent. It is rare that someone will be required to be present at the court facility for more than a week, although a few trials do last longer.
Employers can do their fair share.
Employers and businesses are encouraged to support the jury system by paying employees while they are serving as jurors. In order for society to benefit from fair and open trials, we need to make it easier for citizens to report for jury service. Many citizens cannot afford to serve if they will lose their salaries or wages during jury service. In recent years, far too many jurors have asked to be excused from service because the loss of income they would suffer creates a financial hardship. On the other hand, when the number of jurors claiming financial hardship decreases, a much broader cross-section of society will be free to serve.