Illinois workers summoned for jury duty could soon receive their regular wages during service under a proposed change to state law aimed at making jury duty more accessible for low- and middle-income residents.

House Bill 4844, currently awaiting consideration by Governor JB Pritzker, would require employers to pay employees their usual salary while serving on a jury. The measure includes an exemption for small businesses with 25 or fewer employees to mitigate the impact on smaller employers.

Currently, juror compensation in Illinois varies widely by county and is generally low; most counties pay jurors between $4 and $15 per day, while Cook County offers $35 daily. Advocates argue these rates are insufficient to cover basic costs such as transportation and lost wages, particularly for hourly workers and those living paycheck to paycheck. This financial burden, they say, discourages many individuals from fulfilling their civic duty, resulting in jury pools that are disproportionately composed of retirees, salaried professionals, and higher-income individuals.

Proponents contend that this undermines the principle of a jury representing a cross-section of the community, potentially skewing juries toward wealthier segments of the population. "Justice doesn’t work if the jury box doesn’t look like the community outside the courthouse," said Julia Warheit, policy manager at Citizen Action/Illinois. She emphasized that the bill’s requirement for employers to pay regular wages while workers serve on juries would promote fairness and inclusivity in the judicial process.

Opponents and skeptics of the bill have raised concerns about the potential financial strain on employers, although the provision for exempting small businesses seeks to address these issues.

The bill has sparked debate over balancing the financial obligations of employers with ensuring equitable access to jury service, especially amid rising economic pressures on working families. Should Pritzker sign the legislation, Illinois would join several other states that mandate wage compensation for jurors, a step supporters believe is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the judicial system.