Adjunct Life: The “Jury Duty” Edition

Where justice is served and citizens perform their civic duties (photo by David Mark from Pixabay)

For adjunct faculty, serving on a jury has unique consequences.

Earlier this year, I received a jury summons. Since it arrived in the middle of the Spring semester, I requested an extension to the summer. Once it was granted, I refocused and finished the instructional duties. In May, I received three part-time job opportunities for the summer. This was unexpected but welcomed because as a lecturer, I only get paid during the academic year, not during the summers. I gladly accepted the job offers and began to plan my summer.

Then I got the call… a county clerk wanted to know why I didn’t show up for jury duty! In the excitement of finally having work during the summer, I neglected to check-in. During the phone call, the clerk asked if I was still available to come in. Because of the work, I had to say no and request another extension. I agreed to call back in September.

I had to make the calculation that doing Jury Duty during the summer would put at risk three part-time positions that required me to be there every day. Moving my Jury Duty obligation to the fall semester would only interfere with one job, not three. It would also not put my job in jeopardy and provide me with income while I did my legal obligation and civic duty.

This was a new dilemma for me. I never had to contend with having Jury Duty interfere with my employment. As a lecturer, I don’t have the luxury of having my salary and benefits extended through the summer. Work is vital for me to be able to make financial ends meet.

When I finally called in last week, I was asked to appear this week for Jury Duty. I notified my employer, and they were supportive. I was dismayed at the disruption my absence would cause They let me know the policy in place that supports my time away. There is even funding to pay for a substitute for the two weeks I will be on the case. I also get my full salary and keep my benefits while on jury duty.

During the discussion, I was given the policy covering Jury Duty participation. It said that faculty are encouraged to delay their participation to the summer months or in January – times when the university is less busy. As lecturers, those times are when we are most likely to be working in precarious employment that would not support our time away.

If you are called for Jury Duty, check with your academic employer to see what options are available to you. In California, you can delay your participation for up to one year from when you received your initial Judy Duty summons. Work with your department and union (if you are lucky to be part of one) to see about your rights and the support you have during your time of service.

There are options to delay jury service because of financial hardship or if the circumstances of the case would be emotionally triggering. These are things that can be described in the extension request online, or during your first day or so of Jury Duty. The judge will ask jurors about their circumstances and often do their best to accommodate jurors’ needs.

You are legally required to participate in Jury Duty if you can. It is also your civic duty as a citizen of the United States. The jury system has been shown to be the most reliable and fair aspect of the judicial system. We do make a difference.