Jury duty, tax questions, and NonProfit?

[LiveFree79]

I put this in this section because I think it's applicable and is as much a government issue as an economic one.

I work in the medical field for a catholic hospital health system. So I was summoned for jury duty twice back in May and now again a few weeks ago. This most recent one is for a two week long trial in a Federal Court. I guess it's a big case. Chances are I probably won't even be selected. However, since I decided to forgo and ask for an extension from the last two, I figured I would serve on this one or in other words I had to. I don't have any reason to claim financial hardship. Atleast I didn't think so. I get PTO through work which is used for holidays, vacation, etc. I also have a paid sick bank but can only use that if I'm sick for longer than three days. Long story short I pulled up our HR policy and procedures and found out my health system pays for up to four weeks of jury duty and PTO accrues during that time. However, when I emailed HR they said I have to use PTO they don't cover it. I guess the policy and procedure manual I was reading is for the head office employees. I'm a patient care employee. But we all work within the catholic health system just I work at the actual hospital and not the office.

Anyways, long story short it brings me up to my point........I cannot afford to go 1-2 weeks being paid $45 a day to sit in court. And damn if I'm gonna use my vacation to do it either. I feel my company should pay the difference. I know for a fact my health system gets major tax breaks from the government? Lots of companies support jury duty and provide full pay for their employees. Costco is one. Of all the places I would have thought my hospital would.

What are your thoughts? Thanks.

[jm1776]

Go to the courthouse at the appointed time. Explain that ever since you learned about Jury Nullification you have been excited to serve on a jury. Further explaining that there are many bogus laws on the books and you really hope your case involves one or more of them.

That should do it! They will probably give you a personal escort out of the building, watch to ensure you drive away and strike your name from their list forever!

[enjerth]

By law, your employer is supposed to compensate you for the difference between what you get on jury duty and what your normal pay is. At least that's the way it was when I was summoned for jury duty 10 years ago.

** Edit **

I guess that's a state law. What state are you in?

[pacelli]

Sounds like your employer is threatening you with financial hardship. Does it say in the policies manual that the 4 weeks jury duty ONLY applies to people in the office?

I'd schedule a meeting with the director/superintendent of the hospital, explain the situation, and ask him/her what you should do. The peons in payroll just want to sit on their ass and keep their calculators off.

[LiveFree79]

Well I just got word from my HR rep that it's only covered for a small group of corporate office people. Which makes no sense because it's the same system we all work for.

I think this is symbolic of the what's wrong with the rest of our country. As I was discussing this issue with my coworkers everyone was saying how easy it was to get out of jury duty and how I should just make some excuse. I believe that to have a fair and equal justice system we should have a very diverse group of people serving on jury duty. And I think EVERY American should take it seriously. Do we all want stay at home out of work deadbeats serving on a jury? It was disgusting how my fellow Americans viewed jury duty.

So my HR rep said I should use my PTO/vacation time if I want to serve. Well I hope I get out of it now because I cannot afford to go two weeks without my wages. I don't know it just really pisses me off. This is coming from the same organization that sent out a mass email that we should all support Obama's healthcare plan!

I said you know what my country comes first and universal healthcare is bad for our country, who cares if it's good for the hospital. I'm in CA by the way.

[LibForestPaul]

Why should your employer pay you for not working?
Do I pay my pizza guy when he is on jury duty?
WTF?

In my state, employers are NOT required to pay for your jury duty leave.

Now, why certain employees are more equal than others and do get paid jury duty,..., I don't know, good to be the king, man with the gold makes the rules. Long as it isn't base on race, religion, yaddi yaddi, all legit.

Not sure why they are bugging you, plenty of people out of work they could call for jury duty.

[LiveFree79]

Why should your employer pay you for not working?
Do I pay my pizza guy when he is on jury duty?
WTF?

In my state, employers are NOT required to pay for your jury duty leave.

Now, why certain employees are more equal than others and do get paid jury duty,..., I don't know, good to be the king, man with the gold makes the rules. Long as it isn't base on race, religion, yaddi yaddi, all legit.

Not sure why they are bugging you, plenty of people out of work they could call for jury duty.

Why does my employer pay me vacation? Short term disability? Long term Disability? Sick time? I guess if you had it your way you'd do away with those as well. Good thing you run a pizza joint because most educated people wouldn't bother working for you if you didn't have some sort of benefits plan. It's easy to hire an uniformed, naive teenager or some desperate out of work sucker for your job.

[LibForestPaul]

Why does my employer pay me vacation? Short term disability? Long term Disability? Sick time? I guess if you had it your way you'd do away with those as well. Good thing you run a pizza joint because most educated people wouldn't bother working for you if you didn't have some sort of benefits plan. It's easy to hire an uniformed, naive teenager or some desperate out of work sucker for your job.

He pays you vacation because if he is smart, he wont have his employees burning out.

most educated people

in Europe perhaps.

I've worked w/o sicktime, w/o disability, and w/o vacation many times, its known as 1099...If I want a day off, I don't get paid.

Good thing you run a pizza joint

Wow, just wow...

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Why does my employer pay me vacation? Short term disability? Long term Disability? Sick time? I guess if you had it your way you'd do away with those as well. Good thing you run a pizza joint because most educated people wouldn't bother working for you if you didn't have some sort of benefits plan.

I don't get any of those things as part of my benefits package. Good thing I like cash instead.

It's easy to hire an uniformed, naive teenager or some desperate out of work sucker for your job.

People get to make their own choices regarding who they work for or what deals they make with people. I worked for a pizza joint when I was younger. It also didn't include vacation pay or pay for jury duty or any pay for time I didn't work. I was fully aware of that when I began work. It sounds like you were uninformed regarding the deal you made. Why take it out on other people? The only thing obvious here is that you personally didn't know what was going on with your own employment.

[bill50]

Explain that ever since you learned about Jury Nullification you have been excited to serve on a jury. Further explaining that there are many bogus laws on the books and you really hope your case involves one or more of them.

That's funny, I got selected for jury duty and I was going to hide the fact that I know about jury nullification to actually get put on a trial to do my part in helping stop the socialist police state.

Unless I just got hired or have a job interview. Then $#@! them.