as the Jarzynski equality further restrict the distributions of deliberate work done. Such fluctuation theorems have been experimentally verified in small, non-equilibrium quantum systems undergoing unitary or decohering dynamics. Yet, their validity in systems governed by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian has long been contentious, due to the false premise of the Hamiltonian’s dual and equivalent roles in dynamics and energetics. Here we show that work fluctuations in a non-Hermitian qubit obey the Jarzynski equality even if its Hamiltonian has complex or purely imaginary eigenvalues. With post-selection on a dissipative superconducting circuit undergoing a cyclic parameter sweep, we experimentally quantify the work distribution using projective energy measurements and show that the fate of the Jarzynski equality is determined by the parity-time symmetry of, and the energetics that result from, the corresponding non-Hermitian, Floquet Hamiltonian. By distinguishing the energetics from non-Hermitian dynamics, our results provide the recipe for investigating the non-equilibrium quantum thermodynamics of such open systems.