The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6968, aims to enhance juror compensation by amending Section 51-247 of the general statutes. Under the new provisions, full-time employed jurors will continue to receive regular wages from their employers for the first five days of jury service. However, part-time employed or unemployed jurors without any source of compensation during this period will now receive a flat fee equivalent to the minimum fair wage, based on an eight-hour day. Additionally, all jurors not classified as full-time employed on a given day will be reimbursed for necessary out-of-pocket expenses incurred during their jury service, which includes family care and travel expenses, with the reimbursement amount adjusted to reflect the minimum fair wage.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that jurors serving beyond five days who are not compensated by their employers will receive a daily payment from the state equal to the current minimum wage, also based on an eight-hour day. This replaces the previous fixed rate of fifty dollars for such jurors. The legislation also ensures that unemployed or part-time employed jurors serving more than five days are entitled to family care and travel expenses, adhering to the guidelines set by the Jury Administrator. The changes are set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 51-247