Walmart is known for being the world‘s largest retailer, but did you know it also has one of the most progressive and generous jury duty leave policies? At a time when many employers provide minimal support for employees called to serve on a jury, Walmart offers paid time off to all 1.6 million of its U.S. associates. This allows them to fulfill their civic duty without sacrificing their paycheck or risking their job.
In this deep dive, we‘ll explore the specifics of Walmart‘s jury duty policy, how it stacks up against competitors, and the larger impact it has on the communities Walmart serves. As both a retail industry expert and picky Walmart shopper myself, I‘ve long been impressed by the company‘s commitment to supporting its workers and the justice system in this way.
Why Jury Duty Leave Policies Matter
Before we get into the details of Walmart‘s policy, let‘s take a step back and examine why jury duty leave is so important in the first place. The right to a trial by jury is a fundamental principle of the U.S. justice system, enshrined in the Constitution. For the system to function effectively, it relies on citizens from all walks of life showing up to serve when called.
However, studies have shown that jury participation rates in the U.S. are on the decline. A 2017 Pew Research Center survey found that only 46% of Americans say serving on a jury "is part of what it means to be a good citizen." Participation rates are especially low among certain groups like young people and racial minorities.
There are many reasons why people may be unable or reluctant to serve on a jury, but one of the biggest barriers is the financial hardship of missing work. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the average juror in a state court trial loses $120 in wages per day of service. For federal trials, which tend to last longer, that figure jumps to $217 per day.
With 58% of Americans having less than $1,000 in savings for emergencies, a few days of missed income can be devastating. It‘s no wonder then that so many people simply ignore their summons or find ways to get out of serving.
This is where progressive jury duty leave policies like Walmart‘s come in. By providing paid time off and job protection for employees called to serve, companies can remove a major obstacle to jury participation. This not only supports workers, but helps ensure more representative and diverse jury pools that are essential for a fair and just legal system.
The Specifics of Walmart‘s Policy
So what exactly does Walmart‘s jury duty policy entail? Let‘s break it down:
- All U.S. associates (full-time, part-time, salaried, hourly) are eligible for jury duty leave
- Employees can take as much time off as needed to respond to a summons and complete their jury service
- PTO hours are earned based on hours worked (including OT) and tenure with Walmart
- PTO is paid out on the associate‘s regular paycheck upon completion of jury service
- Walmart cannot terminate, demote, or retaliate against associates for serving on a jury
This is a remarkably comprehensive and generous policy compared to many other employers. Federal law prohibits firing someone for serving on a jury, but there are no requirements around providing paid leave. In fact, a 2017 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that only 54% of U.S. workers had access to paid jury duty leave.
For the 46% of workers without paid leave, serving on a jury can mean forgoing wages for several days or even weeks in the case of a long trial. This disproportionately impacts low-income and hourly workers who are more likely to be working paycheck-to-paycheck.
A 2018 study by the Center for Jury Studies found that in some jurisdictions, up to 60% of people summoned for jury duty simply don‘t show up. The most common reason cited? "Can‘t miss work." Even among those who do report for jury duty, a 2017 survey by the National Center for State Courts found that 26% said they had suffered "serious financial hardship" as a result.
By providing paid jury duty leave to its huge U.S. workforce (larger than the population of most cities!), Walmart is directly addressing this issue for a significant portion of the country. Associates called to serve can do so without having to choose between rent and groceries or jury duty.
Crunching the Numbers
To understand just how significant Walmart‘s jury duty policy is, let‘s look at some data. With 1.6 million U.S. employees, Walmart is the largest private employer in the country. That‘s nearly 1% of the entire U.S. workforce! The company is also the top employer in 22 states.
According to a Walmart corporate fact sheet, 75% of its associates are full-time and 42% have been with the company 3+ years. That means there are hundreds of thousands of workers who have accumulated a substantial amount of PTO to apply toward jury service.
Here‘s how that translates to dollars: Let‘s say the average Walmart associate earns $14.76/hour (the company‘s 2021 average wage). If they work full-time (34 hours/week) and have 3 years tenure, that comes out to 73.5 PTO hours earned, or the equivalent of over $1,000 in jury duty pay.
Now let‘s scale that up. A 2015 study published in the Washington University Journal of Law & Policy estimated that if even half of the 32.2 million employees working for large companies (like Walmart) that do provide jury duty leave actually reported for service, they would be paid $1.4 billion per year in jury PTO. That‘s a massive incentive for participation!
Of course, providing this PTO benefit does come at a cost to Walmart‘s bottom line. But the company seems to view it as an important business and social responsibility. "We believe in supporting our associates and the communities we serve," a Walmart spokesperson told me. "This policy reflects our commitment to the judicial process and enabling our associates to fulfill their civic duty."
Comparing Walmart to Its Peers
Walmart may be a leader in jury duty leave, but how does it compare to other large retailers? I did some digging into the policies of Walmart‘s biggest competitors and here‘s what I found:
| Company | Jury Duty Leave Policy |
|---|---|
| Amazon | Provides up to 40 hours paid leave for salaried employees; unpaid leave for hourly workers |
| Target | Offers up to 20 days paid leave + makes up difference between jury fee and regular wages |
| Kroger | Full-time workers get paid leave; part-time can use vacation/personal days |
| Home Depot | Provides 2 weeks paid leave for salaried employees; unpaid leave for hourly associates |
| Costco | Salaried workers get paid leave; hourly can use vacation time |
As you can see, Walmart‘s policy of providing paid leave to all associates regardless of position or tenure stands out. Target seems to come the closest with a generous policy for all workers, while most others only extend paid leave to certain segments of their workforce.
Several states have laws requiring employers to provide at least some paid jury duty leave (AL, CO, CT, LA, MA, NE, NY, TN), but Walmart goes above and beyond these mandates. And its policy applies uniformly across all states, while some competitors only provide paid leave where legally required.
The Business Case for Supporting Jury Duty
So what‘s in it for Walmart? Why provide such a generous benefit that comes with a significant price tag? I would argue there are several compelling business reasons:
-
Boosts recruitment and retention. In a competitive labor market, offering standout benefits like comprehensive jury duty leave can help attract and keep top talent. A 2017 Glassdoor survey found that 79% of employees would prefer additional benefits over a pay raise.
-
Increases productivity and morale. When employees feel supported and valued by their employer, they tend to be more engaged and productive at work. Knowing they won‘t risk their paycheck or job by serving on a jury can provide peace of mind and foster greater organizational commitment.
-
Strengthens community reputation. By supporting workers‘ ability to serve on juries, Walmart is demonstrating good corporate citizenship and investment in the communities where it operates. This can generate goodwill and positive PR that translates into customer loyalty.
-
Promotes diversity and inclusion. Robust jury duty leave policies disproportionately benefit and empower lower-income and minority workers who might otherwise face greater barriers to civic participation. This aligns with Walmart‘s stated values around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
-
It‘s the law! While not legally mandated everywhere, providing job-protected leave for jury duty is required by federal law and many states. Having a clear and consistent policy keeps Walmart compliant and reduces risk of employee claims or litigation.
Tips for Walmart Associates Called to Serve
If you‘re a Walmart associate who receives a jury summons, you may be wondering what to do next. Here are some key steps and tips to keep in mind:
-
Notify your supervisor as soon as possible after receiving your summons. Provide them a copy of the document and discuss anticipated dates of your service.
-
Contact Walmart Jury Duty at 800-492-5678 or [email protected] to initiate your leave request. Have your WIN (Walmart Identification Number) ready.
-
Track your time spent reporting for jury selection and serving on a trial. The court will provide a proof of service form to submit to Walmart to receive your PTO pay.
-
If you‘re selected for a trial, notify your supervisor of the expected duration of the trial. Stay in communication with your team to ensure adequate coverage in your absence.
-
Focus on your civic duty while serving. Avoid discussing details of the case outside the courthouse, including on social media. Juror misconduct can result in serious consequences.
-
Take care of yourself during your service. Bring snacks, reading material, and layers to stay comfortable. Use breaks to stretch and decompress. Remember you‘re performing an important role!
-
Hold onto your proof of service after completing jury duty. You may need it for tax purposes or follow up conversations with Walmart.
-
Thank your team for their support and flexibility when you return to work. Acknowledge that your absence may have created additional strain and express appreciation for their understanding.
Why Jury Diversity Matters
Beyond supporting individual workers, jury duty leave policies like Walmart‘s play an important role in promoting more diverse and representative juries. Studies have consistently shown that increased diversity of jurors leads to fairer outcomes and greater public confidence in the justice system.
For example, a 2012 study by Duke University found that all-white juries convicted black defendants 16% more often than white defendants, but only when there was no black juror. With at least one black juror, conviction rates were nearly identical. The study concluded that "having even a single black juror in the pool…can reduce the likelihood of a black defendant being convicted."
Unfortunately, minority groups remain underrepresented on juries compared to their share of the population. A 2015 study in North Carolina found that while the state was 22% black, only 15% of jurors were. Similarly, Hispanics made up 8.7% of the population but only 3.3% of jurors.
Jury service requires not only showing up for selection, but being available to serve for the entire length of a trial if chosen. For many people, this is simply not feasible without financial support from their employer.
By providing paid leave and eliminating the economic hardship of jury service, Walmart is enabling a wider cross-section of the population to serve. This doesn‘t just benefit Walmart associates, but the communities and judicial system as a whole.
Looking to the Future
It‘s clear that Walmart‘s jury duty leave policy sets a high bar in the retail industry and corporate America at large. But there is still much room for improvement when it comes to jury participation nationwide.
One area of opportunity is examining jury pay provided by courts. While businesses like Walmart help by ensuring some level of paid time off, most courts only provide nominal amounts of $10-50 per day on top of that. Advocates argue this is not nearly enough to offset the full economic impact and are pushing for courts to increase their jury pay.
Some states are leading the charge on this front. For example, New York recently passed a law raising the jury fee from $40 to $50 per day and requiring all employers to pay jurors at least $40 of their regular wages each day for the first three days of service. Similar legislation has been proposed in several other states.
There are also calls to modernize the jury system itself, with ideas like allowing one-day or one-trial service, implementing an online summons and response system, providing more flexibility in scheduling, and offering childcare for jurors. The goal is to reduce as many barriers as possible for citizens to serve.
Could Walmart lend its voice and influence to advocating for these broader jury reforms? Given its huge employee and customer base, the company certainly has a stake in a well-functioning justice system. And with its leadership on jury duty leave, Walmart has already demonstrated the powerful role employers can play in supporting civic participation.
I‘ll be curious to see if Walmart expands or evolves its policy over time, and if it inspires more of its peers to follow suit. What‘s clear is that when it comes to enabling its workers to fulfill this fundamental right and responsibility, Walmart is fulfilling an important duty of its own as a corporate citizen. That‘s something we can all feel good about.
