Arkansas Minimum Wage — As of October 2026, the minimum wage in Arkansas is $11.00 per hour, unchanged since 2021, with no increase scheduled. The rate applies to employers with four or more workers; smaller employers default to the federal $7.25 floor. Tipped employees may be paid $2.63 per hour in direct wages as long as tips bring total hourly pay to $11.00 — the employer must make up any shortfall.
Arkansas Work Time and Breaks
Breaks of less than 20 minutes are considered work time, and the employer must pay the worker for those breaks. Neither state nor federal law requires an employer to provide a break or a meal period.
Arkansas Time For Payment Of Wages
Workers who are fired by a corporation must be paid their last paycheck within seven days of being fired, if demanded. In all other cases, payment must be made at the regularly scheduled payday.
Arkansas Direct Deposit
Employers may NOT require employees to have their checks direct deposited into a bank account. The worker has the right to refuse to use direct deposit. He may do so by giving the employer a written and signed letter that says the worker does not want direct deposit.
Arkansas Overtime — Arkansas has its own overtime statute requiring 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a week, matching federal law, with no daily overtime trigger and no double-time rule. The state salary threshold for exempt status follows the federal $684-per-week floor, and job titles alone don’t determine exemption — actual duties do. Arkansas workers can file wage complaints with the state Department of Labor within two years.
