Judge lectures employers on the value of jury duty

Yesterday, the ongoing bribery trial of Mississippi attorney Paul Minor offered an interesting window into the attitude of corporate America about the value of serving on a jury. Two of the jurors who have been selected for the trial told a federal judge that they fear losing their jobs if they stay on the case, which is expected to last at least another month.

Rather than let them off, U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate subpoenaed their managers! Wingate then lectured the managers from the bench about the law on jury service after confirming from one of the managers of a Northpark mall store that company policy says anyone off the job for more than 10 days, even for jury duty, would have to reapply for his or her job. After that kind of tongue lashing, I don't think the jurors are going to have to worry about their future employment, at least not because of their jury service. Kudos to Wingate for going up the chain of command!