I got jury duty. Sort of.

I didn't remember the last time I was called for jury duty. Apparently, it's been 7 years - I figured out.

Anyway, I read it over and the same rules apply. Sacramento county is actually pretty easy to get out of jury duty. I am the sole source of household income and my employer doesn't pay for jury duty. (He despises it - but to be fair - it does really disrupt his SMALL business). For other employees, I have heard him get really upset. They live in other counties and can't get out quite that easy.

So, I got a letter from my boss confirming he won't pay me, and sent off my excuse already.

Dh has been excused a couple of times as sole provider of unpaid childcare to his children.

I certainly wouldn't mind jury duty if I could afford the loss of income, and if it wouldn't freak out my boss. I think we are getting to the point where dh could handle it. (Daycare is no longer an insane expensive consideration. Likewise, how to find quality care just for jury duty??? These days we have more options and kids are at school all day any how).

That said, as I read the "acceptable excuses" I asked dh if he was working 5 hours a week if that would count. We were just talking about him looking for work, yesterday. So, maybe resetting the jury duty clock isn't a bad thing while dh eases into employment. I don't want to have to not check the box because dh makes a few hundred dollars a month. IT's not like we can live on that, much better than $0.

They never really call me much. I am trying to recall if this is #3 or #4. I think I might have been called once to jury duty, but then they never actually pulled my number to show up at court. When I Was 19 or 20 I got called in, but the guy/accused confessed, and so they sent us home. Last time was same excuse as this time.

I actually find the rules kind of interesting. It always bugged me a bit that unemployment was so individual and unrelated to household income. Dh took unemployment last he was unemployed and looking for work. Why wouldn't he? But I can't say I would complain if he was ineligible due to the fact that we could easily live without his income. & thus becomes the issue with many welfare programs. Casting a wide enough net without casting too wide.

Jury duty struck me as kind of opposite. Sole income earner gets an easy out. But, what if I contributed 95% of the income? I suppose I could plead my case at court. But no automatic out, there. IT struck me as opposite because most people I know would be financiall devastated if they lost work for a few days (even with a working spouse).