Jury Duty as Salaried Fed Employee

[Peppermint_RN]

So here is the scenario:

• My lucky self got selected for jury duty in federal court. Oh yay.
  
• I am a salaried federal employee at the VA, paid for 80 hours over a 2 week period (I usually work a total of six 12 hour shifts and one 8 hour shift).
  
• I worked at my job for 20 hours this past week (one 12 hour shift, one 8 hour shift), then had jury duty (total of 16 hours) for two days, one of them being my scheduled day off from work.
  
• I was scheduled to work two 12 hours shifts this weekend.
  
• I will be in court for jury duty all of next week, per the judge, so that makes it 40 hours next week of jury duty.
  
• Since I am a salaried federal employee, I recieve NO compensation through the court system
  

Ok, so now that the facts are out of the way, here is my situation. I was told I was expected to work this weekend, my scheduled two 12 hour shifts. This will put me working/jury duty from last Tuesday all the way through next Friday, for a total of 11 days straight since my only days off were during the week when I have jury duty. Between jury duty and work, that would be a total of 100 hours straight. I will only receive compensation through the VA for 80 of those hours. I was told if I wanted one day off, I must use my vacation time or sick leave for that day.

After researching online and in the employee handbook, as well as talking to numerous coworkers, I feel I was getting the rotten end of the deal. When I figured up my time, I realized after working 4 hours Saturday, that put me at 40 hours for the week, so I left work early. I had already told my manager I would be taking today off, but was told I needed to use vacation leave. That way I am at my 80 hours for the two weeks.

Now that I'm at home thinking about it, I'm worried I'll get in trouble for leaving and that they will make me use my vacation. But I don't think that is right! Does anyone have any experience with this, or know of the laws related to federal salaried employees and court leave. They cannot make me work more than my scheduled 80 hours biweekly if I'm in court for 56 of those hours, right?

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

Talk with your HR department they should have the latest rules on this. Are you a supervisor or staff RN? This will make a difference. Before you speak with HR look up the rules on jury duty so you have the a see f before you go and if the say the opposite hand them a copy of the regulations.

If you are not a supervisor your salary is listed on a yearly basis bit paid hourly. That is why they want you to use vacation time I bet.

[theVaway]

our union handbook describes jury duty and actually HR and payroll should know if you qualify for AA according to VA handbook, it also has guidelines regarding required work hours.

[theVaway]

make sure your time keeper knows, it'll post over 80 hours with jury duty!