ROCHESTER, N.Y. — If you’re called to serve on a jury, you’ll be paid for your time. How much is the payment and who is responsible for paying you?

Gerald writes: “Currently Monroe County Jurors are paid $40/day. I am wondering for how long that has been the rate and if there are any plans for a change?”

The state sets jury fees. A representative from the New York State Unified Court System says the pay has been $40 a day since February 1998 but that could change soon.

Right now, the State Assembly is considering a bill that would raise the rate for jurors. It passed in the State Senate. If it passes in the assembly and the governor signs it, it would raise the daily rate to $72 per day.

So who pays the fees? The state’s flow chart says that if your wages from your employer are higher than the daily rate for jury duty, then the state does not pay. If your wages are less than the daily rate, you’ll get a check from the state.

Maybe you’ve heard of a 1099 form. It’s a tax document used for independent contractors. Right now, if you earn more than $600 from jury duty in one year, you may receive a 1099 form come tax time. However, you’d have to be called for jury duty for more than two weeks at the current $40 a day in order to make that much.

If you have a question you’d like answered, send an email to goodquestion@whec.com.

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