The Big Misconception
It's a common misconception: "I work for the Department of Defense as a contractor, so I get the same paid jury leave as a standard federal employee, right?"
Wrong. Direct federal employees are protected by the U.S. Code and get their full salary while serving. But as a contractor, you are an employee of your private contracting firm (like Lockheed, Booz Allen, or a smaller local firm). Your benefits are entirely dictated by that private company's policies.
The Billing Dilemma
Here is why contracting firms are notoriously stingy with jury duty pay: they can't bill the government for it. If you aren't at your desk performing the work outlined in the contract, the firm can't invoice the agency for your hours.
If the firm decides to pay you anyway, that money comes straight out of their overhead/profit margin. Because of this, unless you are in a state that legally mandates employer pay, you might find that your firm only offers unpaid leave.
Does a Security Clearance Help?
Many contractors think having a Top Secret clearance is a 'Get Out of Jury Duty Free' card. It isn't. The court doesn't care about your clearance. However, defense attorneys often strike contractors with high-level clearances from the jury pool because of perceived biases toward law enforcement or the government.