The Arkansas Labor Law Guide

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate that employers are legally obligated to pay nonexempt employees. The federal minimum wage is a wage baseline, but different states, cities, and regions can adopt their own rates. 

$11.00 per hour for most employees (as of 2024)

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Tipped minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay rate employers are legally obligated to pay nonexempt employees who earn a significant portion of their income through tips. 

$2.63 per hour for most employees (as of 2024)

The tips earned must be enough to bring them up to the applicable hourly minimum wage. Employers are responsible if this is not the case.

In Arkansas, non-exempt employees who work over 40 hours per workweek are entitled to overtime pay. Most nonexempt employees receive overtime pay at 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek.

Arkansas wage and hour laws do not require employers to provide meal or rest breaks to their employees unless they are children under the age of 16 and employed in the entertainment industry. See more details on Child Labor Laws below.

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Vacation leave
Arkansas does not require employers to provide paid time off to their employees. The employer can choose to offer vacation leave at their discretion. 

Paid Sick Leave
Arkansas law does not require private employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave. 

Holidays
Arkansas does not require employers to provide their employees with paid or unpaid holiday leave. Employers can choose to offer holiday leave at their discretion.

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Generally, children under 14 are not permitted to work in Arkansas. However, some exceptions exist in certain fields, such as agriculture, family business, or entertainment, with proper permits. There is also an exception during school vacations for children employed by their parents or guardians.

Laws for minors under 16 years old:

• Cannot work more than 8 hours in any day

• Cannot work more than 48 hours in any week

• Cannot work more than 6 days in any week

• Cannot work before 6 AM or after 7 PM, except on nights preceding non-school days in which case they can work until 9 PM

Laws for minors under 17 years old:

• Cannot work more than 10 consecutive hours in any one day

• Cannot work more than 10 hours in any 24-hour period

• Cannot work more than 54 hours in any week

• Cannot work more than 6 days in any week 

• Subject to limited exceptions, cannot work before 6 AM or after 11 PM, except they may work until midnight on nights preceding non-school days

Hiring
The Arkansas Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on the following:

• Race

• Religion

• Gender

• National original

• Disability

• Age (40 or older)

• Pregnancy

• Genetic information

• Military or veteran status 

Firing
Arkansas supports “at-will” employment laws. All Arkansas employers have the right to terminate employees at will for nearly any reason and no reason at all provided it is not discriminatory, retaliatory, or otherwise unlawful.