The Price of Jury Duty

I have been called for jury duty three times since we moved to DC. My husband and daughter in law have also been called as many times apiece. We lived in Milwaukee thirty years and I was called once. Because I'm working, the Library would pay for the day or days spent at the courthouse. I've never actually served on a jury but came close only once. This time they only called for one group and we were free to leave by 3 PM. A week or so later the certificate of appreciation and four dollar check were mailed to the house. I'm not sure how most people can afford being away from the job. Luckily I didn't have to serve on a Monday or Friday, because I'm now off on those days. Receiving a four dollar check in the mail feels so antiquated, but it gave us an opportunity to try the check deposit feature using the bank's mobile app. Not a good reason to serve, but at least I got something out if it.