Arkansas doesn’t, however, have a unique anti-harassment law, nor does it require employees to complete any harassment or discrimination training courses.
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Human Resources
Arkansas Employment and Labor Laws
Keeping up with state employment and labor laws can substantially complicate compliance efforts. Here’s what employers in Arkansas need to know.
Arkansas favors a pragmatic employment framework, from right-to-work protections to a unique minimum wage rate to final paycheck timelines. Targeted rules also focus on non-compete agreements, lactation accommodations, and overtime pay calculation, while the state defers to federal guidelines across several other topics, such as workplace safety and unpaid family and medical leave.
When it comes to talent and workforce management, Arkansas-based employers need to comply with the following state employment laws:
- Pay equity and unpaid leave
- Final paychecks and PTO payouts
- Anti-discrimination and harassment
The below information was last updated November 4, 2025. It is not intended as legal advice. Also, unless otherwise noted below, the following laws predominantly apply to the private sector.
Arkansas Labor Laws
A subset of employment law, labor law focuses on the relationships between employers, employees, and labor unions, particularly in the context of collective bargaining and workplace rights.
Central to U.S. labor law is the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which protects employees’ rights to organize, join unions, and negotiate working conditions while restricting unfair labor practices. Still, states can enact additional laws, such as Right-to-Work statutes, that influence union membership and dues requirements.
Is Arkansas a Right-to-Work State?
Right-to-work states prohibit employers from requiring union membership or dues as a condition of employment (a.k.a. union security agreements).
Arkansas is one of 26 states that currently have right-to-work laws, as outlined in the 34th amendment to the state's constitution.
Arkansas Employment Laws
Employment law governs the individual rights of employees and their professional relationship with their employers, such as working hours, fair wages, anti-discrimination protections, and workplace safety.
Arkansas Wage Laws
| Arkansas Minimum Wage | The state of Arkansas uses its own minimum wage rate of $11.00, including a tipped minimum wage rate of $2.63 for employees who earn tips with their base pay. |
| Arkansas Overtime Pay Laws | According Ark. Code Ann. § 11-4-211, overtime pay in Arkansas is calculated at 1.5 times the employee’s regular pay rate when working over 40 hours a week. |
| Arkansas Pay Equity Law | Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-4-601, all employers in Arkansas shall pay employees equal compensation for equal services, and no employer shall discriminate against any employee in the matter of wages or compensation solely on the basis of the sex of the employee. |
| Arkansas Pay Transparency Law | Arkansas currently has no pay transparency laws or regulations. |
| Arkansas Final Paycheck Law | In Arkansas, employees who are involuntarily terminated from a job must receive their final paycheck by the next regular payday. If an employer doesn’t make the payment within seven days of the next regular payday, the former employee is owed double the wages due. |
| Arkansas PTO Payout Laws | Arkansas currently requires employers to pay out unused vacation time to any terminated employees if the employer provides paid vacation time according to an accrual plan and the vacation time was earned according to that plan. It does not, however, have any regulations on the use of "use-it-or-lose-it" policies. |
Arkansas Leave Laws
| Arkansas Paid Sick Leave (PSL) | Arkansas currently has no paid sick leave laws or regulations. |
| Arkansas Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) | Arkansas currently has no PFML laws or regulations. However, employers with 50 or more employees must still comply with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave every 12 months for various reasons. |
| Arkansas Maternity Leave | Arkansas doesn't have a maternity leave law, as this type of leave is an employer-provided benefit. Since the state also doesn’t have a mandated PFML program, employees must instead use FMLA leave or another type of employer-provided leave. |
| Arkansas Voting Leave Law | Ark. Code Ann. § 7-1-102 requires Arkansas-based employers to provide employees with unpaid leave to vote in an election if the employee is working on Election Day. |
Arkansas Workplace Health and Safety Management
All states must comply with federal health and safety standards overseen by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
While some states adopt additional health and safety regulations, Arkansas is an "OSHA plan" state, meaning it defers to OSHA's requirements when addressing health and safety matters, such as having an emergency action plan or providing medical and first aid supplies.
Arkansas Work Break Laws
Arkansas currently has no work break laws or regulations.
Arkansas Harassment and Workplace Discrimination Laws
As described by the Arkansas Civil Rights Act, employers in Arkansas are prohibited from discriminating against employees based on:
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| Arkansas Non-Compete Agreement Laws | Arkansas is one of several states that limit the use of non-compete agreements. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 4-75-101 allows the enforcement of noncompete agreements if they aren’t overly broad and protect legitimate business interests. They’re unenforceable, however, to anyone holding a medical professional license. |
| Arkansas Retirement Plan Laws | Arkansas currently has no mandatory retirement plan laws or regulations. |
| Arkansas Lactation Law | Under Ark. Stat. Ann. § 11-5-116, employers are required to support all breastfeeding employees by providing break time and a space (other than a bathroom) to pump at work. |
This information is provided as a courtesy and may be updated at any time. It is not intended as legal guidance. If you have questions or concerns, we encourage you to seek the advice of a qualified employment or labor attorney or advisor.
Keep Up With Compliance
Between constantly changing employment laws and updates to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), keeping your workplace compliant can be a time-consuming and costly challenge. Eliminate the stress and stay up to date with our Compliance Dashboard. View compliance alerts and get a bird’s eye view of what you need to do to avoid fines and penalties.
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