Representative Jason Dawkins is pushing for higher pay for jurors, who currently make $9 per day.
Pennsylvania State Representative Jason Dawkins, a Democrat of Philadelphia, is arguing that it’s time to increase pay for jurors in Pennsylvania.
The compensation rate for jurors is currently $9 per day. Dawkins’ recent legislative proposal calls for that to be increased to $40 per day. The proposal was introduced during the last legislative session, but the bill was not brought up in committee.
Dawkins wrote in a memo to colleagues, “Jury service is one of the most important duties in our democratic system. Jurors deserve to be well compensated for their service.” Dawkins cited other states that pay much higher than Pennsylvania’s $9-per-day rate for jury service.
New York provides $40 per day, Maryland pays $30 to $40 per day, and Washington, D.C. compensates jurors $57 per day for their service.
Pennsylvania, on the lower side, pays $9 for the first three days and $25 per day after the first three days of jury duty have elapsed.
In 1980, the legislature added the $25 per diem for longer trials. The $9 initial rate was kept, and these were the rates set for the entire Commonwealth.
The General Assembly voted four times from 1933 to 1959 to increase juror pay. The current rate was set in 1959, when the state minimum wage was just $1 per hour.
Jurors who are unemployed, retired, or whose job will not pay their full salary during service are entitled to the daily compensation.
The proposal made by Dawkins would also allow officials to use different payment methods to compensate jurors. Under current law, officials may only do so by issuing a paper check.
The legislative proposal would allow officials to pay jurors through a bank transfer, debit card payment, or other methods approved by county commissioners.
