Section 55. A juror, including a standby juror and a juror on telephone notice, shall not be compensated by the commonwealth or credited with a day of service except for days on which the juror actually appeared as directed to perform juror service, unless provided otherwise in this chapter. A juror who is absent from service because of serious illness or other compelling reason, as determined by the court or office of jury commissioner, shall be credited with a day of juror service. Jurors shall not be compensated by the commonwealth nor credited with a day of service for a holiday or for business day on which a trial has been adjourned except as hereinafter provided. An employed juror who will lose compensation for a holiday because he is performing juror service or who will not be permitted to return to work during an unexpected adjournment may be awarded credit for a day of service or may be awarded reasonable compensation, not exceeding fifty dollars per day, by the court upon a finding that financial hardship would be imposed upon the juror in the absence of such an award. An alternate juror shall receive the same payments and reimbursements from his employer and the commonwealth as a juror. A standby juror may be reimbursed by the court or the office of jury commissioner for reasonable telephone and travel expenses incurred as a result of the performance of the conditions of standby status even though the standby juror may not perform juror service. Such reimbursement shall not exceed fifty dollars per day.