Grand jury duty summons

[Collsherm]

I recently got a summons to appear for a grand jury in Philadelphia. From what I understand, if I'm selected I would have to appear up to two days a week for at least 18

months and possibly 24 months! I work full time as an oncology nurse 7a-7p, three days a week, including weekends and holidays. I am very concerned about how this is going to effect my work schedule. I don't mind serving and doing my "civic duty" but I am concerned about missing out on hours, affecting my paychecks, leaving my floor short staffed and on short notice. I'm waiting to hear back from my HR department, but was wondering if anyone had the experience with serving on a grand jury.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Your employer should have a policy about jury duty. In my pre-nursing days, I was working 2 jobs when I was called for jury duty. I ended up on a case for a week. One employer gave me paid time off, the other adjusted my start time.

What will happen if you end up sequestered (staying in a hotel, at state expense, to avoid tainting the jury)? I knew a woman who was called to serve on a grand jury in Massachusetts. It was a murder trial, and they were sequestered for 6 months. She was unemployed at the time, so it worked for her.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Was on a grand jury mon thru fri for two months. It was a great eye opening experience. I was not paid by my employer as i was per diem but i was paid 50 dollars per day for serving as a juror. It can be an inconvenience, but if you are able to serve, then i recommend it.

Fifty dollars A DAY? For TWO MONTHS? I get paid $50 an HOUR at my job. Are you allowed to declare economic hardship to avoid Grand Jury duty? I mean, people could lose their homes if on a Grand Jury for too long!

[ErinDel, ASN, BSN, RN]

Dudette10, yea it was rough and i blew through my savings to live during that time..

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Dudette10, yea it was rough and i blew through my savings to live during that time..

I've done grand jury. We didn't convene every day. Work accommodated me when I had to go and I used vacation time to supplement. I liked the grand jury....very interesting. We had a couple of medical legal at the time....interesting stuff

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Your employer should have a policy about jury duty. In my pre-nursing days, I was working 2 jobs when I was called for jury duty. I ended up on a case for a week. One employer gave me paid time off, the other adjusted my start time.

What will happen if you end up sequestered (staying in a hotel, at state expense, to avoid tainting the jury)? I knew a woman who was called to serve on a grand jury in Massachusetts. It was a murder trial, and they were sequestered for 6 months. She was unemployed at the time, so it worked for her.

You can claim hardship

[nurse4ever08]

Work has to accommodate legally. You could ask the court for exemption or claim biases.

[ponymom]

I just served recently. My employer (outside the nursing field) paid me my full salary.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Every time I have received a jury duty notice, my employers would contact them and get me out of it, because it would greatly inconvenience the staffing. If we had enough ICU experienced staff, there would not have been a problem, but it seemed like each time I got a notice, it was the worse time possible for the hospital, due to other staff being out, etc. Once, I wasn't selected because they claimed I might be "sympathetic to the victim" because I was a nurse. Once I got out of it due to it would cause a hardship for me; my son was still alive and I was taking care of him. And once I got out of it because I had a recent GI bleed. (Yes, I am old enough to have received many of those notices....)

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Fifty dollars A DAY? For TWO MONTHS? I get paid $50 an HOUR at my job. Are you allowed to declare economic hardship to avoid Grand Jury duty? I mean, people could lose their homes if on a Grand Jury for too long!

Cook County courts(includes Chicago), Pay something like $17 per day. Served on Grand Jury for a month, which was quite interesting, but if a person wasn't retired or getting their salary from their employer they would be excused.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I was selected for a grand jury. It was a great experience, and my manager worked with me to work around the grand jury requirements. Maybe I was just lucky, but it seems to me that a larger hospital ought to be able to do so. Maybe not in a small facility.