You finally landed a 3-month seasonal job to save up for the holidays. Two weeks in, a jury summons arrives in the mail. If you leave, will the temp agency pay you? Will the client company just fire you?
The biggest point of confusion for temporary workers is figuring out who is actually responsible for them. Legally speaking, your employer is the staffing or temp agency that cuts your check, not the company whose office you sit in every day.
This means if you live in a state that forces employers to pay for jury duty, the temp agency is the one on the hook to pay you, not the client company.
Here's the harsh truth: temp and seasonal workers frequently fall through the cracks of state labor laws. Many states have specific clauses that say an employer only has to pay for jury duty if the employee works full-time, or has been employed for at least 90 days.
If you are a seasonal worker on a 6-week contract, you might not qualify for those protections. Even worse, while it's illegal to fire someone for going to jury duty, client companies can simply tell the temp agency they 'no longer require your services', making retaliation very hard to prove.
If missing a week of your short seasonal gig will crush your finances, you should absolutely request a postponement. Most courts allow you to push your service back by up to 6 months no questions asked. Postpone it until your seasonal contract is over.
Your temp agency is your legal employer, but you may not qualify for paid leave depending on your hours. If you can't afford to miss the assignment, use your one-time right to postpone service.