Jury duty in New York pays $72 per day for each day you physically report to a state court, a rate that took effect June 8, 2025 under the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget.1Office of the New York State Comptroller. State Agencies Bulletin No. 2358 – June 2025 Increase to Jury Duty Daily Compensation Whether that money reaches you through your regular paycheck, a check from the state, or some combination depends on the size of your employer and how many days you serve. Federal court jurors in New York are paid under a separate schedule.
The $72 rate applies to trial jurors and grand jurors across the state’s unified court system, including town and village courts.2New York State Senate. New York Code JUD Article 16 – 521 – Fees and Travel Expenses of Jurors3NYJuror.gov. Jury Information for Employers
What Your Employer Has to Pay
Employers With More Than 10 Employees
If your employer has more than 10 employees, state law bars them from withholding the first $72 of your daily wages for the first three days you serve.4New York State Senate. New York Code JUD Article 16 – 519 – Right of Juror to Be Absent From Employment Your paycheck keeps coming for those three days, and the state does not send you a separate check for that stretch. If your normal daily wages are less than $72, the state pays the difference.2New York State Senate. New York Code JUD Article 16 – 521 – Fees and Travel Expenses of Jurors
After the third day, your employer is free to stop paying you. The state then pays you $72 directly for each additional day you serve.5NYCOURTS.GOV. Payment for Jury Service
Employers With 10 or Fewer Employees
Small employers are not required to pay you at all while you serve. They’re encouraged to do so, but it’s voluntary.6New York State Unified Court System. Jury Information for Employers If your small-business employer doesn’t cover your wages, the state pays the full $72 per day starting on day one.5NYCOURTS.GOV. Payment for Jury Service
Salaried Exempt Employees
Salaried workers classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act get an extra layer of protection. Your employer cannot dock your salary for jury absences in any week you also perform some work. They can, though, offset the jury fees you receive against your salary for that week.7eCFR. 29 CFR 541.602 – Salary Basis Earn $1,500 a week and collect $216 in jury fees over three days, and your employer could pay you $1,284 for that week.
Federal Jury Duty Pays a Different Rate
Federal court jurors in New York earn $50 per day. Petit jurors who serve on a single trial for more than 10 days may receive up to an additional $10 per day at the judge’s discretion; grand jurors qualify for the same increase after 45 days.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees
Federal courts also reimburse expenses that state courts do not. You get a mileage allowance for driving to and from the courthouse (the 2026 rate is $0.725 per mile), plus tolls and parking with a receipt. Federal jurors who have to stay overnight receive a subsistence allowance for meals and lodging.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees
When the Money Arrives
For state court service, your check comes from the Office of the State Comptroller, and you should expect to wait four to six weeks after your service ends.5NYCOURTS.GOV. Payment for Jury Service If your employer covered your wages during the first three days, the state check will only cover the days no employer payment applied.
State courts do not reimburse travel, mileage, meals, or parking. The one exception is food and lodging for jurors who are sequestered, which the state covers as a necessary cost.2New York State Senate. New York Code JUD Article 16 – 521 – Fees and Travel Expenses of Jurors
Taxes on What You Receive
Jury duty pay is taxable income for both federal and New York State purposes. Report it on Schedule 1 of your federal return as other income.9U.S. District Court Southern District of New York. Will I Be Paid for My Jury Service If your total jury payments top $600 in a calendar year, the Commissioner of Jurors will collect your Social Security number, and you may receive a Form 1099-MISC.10New York State Unified Court System. Questions and Answers
Some employers require you to turn over your jury pay because they kept paying your regular salary. If that’s your situation, you still report the full jury payment as income, then claim a matching deduction as an adjustment so you’re not taxed on the same money twice.11IRS. Jury Duty Pay Given to Employer
Your Job Is Protected
Whatever your pay arrangement, New York law prohibits your employer from firing or penalizing you for serving on a jury, provided you notify them before your service begins. Violating that rule is criminal contempt of court.4New York State Senate. New York Code JUD Article 16 – 519 – Right of Juror to Be Absent From Employment Federal jury duty carries its own protection, with employers facing civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment