How To File For Arkansas Unemployment

This page provides information on how to file for unemployment in Arkansas. If you lost your job or your hours were reduced at no fault of your own, you may qualify to receive unemployment benefits in your state. Review the information below, if you still have questions or issues about these benefits, then we suggest to contact your local Arkansas Unemployment Department for assistance. It is important that you file your new claim right away because Arkansas unemployment insurance are not retroactive.

A claim for Unemployment Insurance may be filed on the internet through their EZARC system or in person at any Department of Workforce Services office.

Arkansas unemployment eligibility

Claims must be filed with a State Department of Workforce Services office. Certain conditions must be met during each week for which benefits are payable. To be eligible, you must be:

  • Unemployed
  • Physically and mentally able to perform suitable work
  • Available for suitable work
  • Making a reasonable effort to find work
  • Free of participation or direct interest in a labor dispute
  • Free of disqualification

In addition to the above, a waiting period of 1 week must be served before benefits are payable to you. A week to be used as a valid waiting period must be a valid week of unemployment. A valid week of unemployment must be a week you have claimed subsequent to filing your Initial Claim, in which you did not have any earnings or had earnings of less than 140% of your Weekly Benefit Amount, met all eligibility requirements, and week for which you are not disqualified.

Able to work

Means being physically and mentally able to perform work similar to work you performed in the past or other work for which you are fitted by experience and training to perform and have a reasonable expectancy of obtaining.

Availability for work

Means being ready to accept work at once, and there are not circumstances, personal or otherwise, which would prevent you from accepting suitable work.

Reasonable effort to find work

Means making personal efforts to secure suitable work by contacting persons with hiring authority, union local, etc., or doing those things reasonable for you to do in regard to your occupation which would result in your finding employment as soon as possible.

After a reasonable period of time, you must expand your efforts and seek work in related fields which utilize a lesser skill.

EZARK unemployment claims system

The EZARC (Easy Arkansas Claims) system is a web-based application that allows anyone to file an initial or additional claim for Arkansas Unemployment Insurance via the Internet. If you are working less than full-time, or have completely separated from your last job, you may file your Arkansas Unemployment Insurance claim from your own home. To file an EZARC online claim, you must have access to a computer, a printer, and an Internet Connection. For the best results, please have the following information ready when you access the EZARC website:

  • Your name & mailing address
  • Your Social Security Number
  • The name & address of your last employer
  • The last day you worked & the reason you are no longer working

Completing your Internet claim will take approximately 30 minutes. You will receive online confirmation once you have successfully submitted your claims application. You are not required to have access to a PC in order to file a claim for Arkansas Unemployment Insurance. You may also report to any DWS local office and complete a claim application.

File for Arkansas weekly UI benefits

ArkNet is the web-based continued claim application for Arkansas Unemployment Insurance weekly benefits via the Internet. If you currently have a valid Arkansas claim for Unemployment Insurance, you may choose to file for weekly benefits online. To use ArkNet, Arkansas's continued claims website, you must have access to a computer, a printer, and an Internet Connection. To access ArkNet online right now, click here. For the best results, please have the following information ready when you access the ArkNet site:

  • Your PIN (If you do not already have a current a PIN for unemployment insurance purposes, you will be asked to establish a Personal Identification Number the first time you access this site.)
  • Your Social Security Number
  • If you worked, the name & address of your last employer
  • The last day you worked & the reason you are no longer working
  • The gross amount of pay you earned for the week

Completing your ArkNet weekly claim will take approximately 10-15 minutes. You will receive online confirmation once you have successfully submitted your continued claim application. You are not required to have access to a PC in order to file for weekly benefits. You may also file by telephone using Arkansas’s Interactive voice response system, ArkLine.

ArkLine file unemployment claim by phone

Arkline is a Interactive Voice Response System for Filing Weekly Unemployment Insurance Benefits by Telephone. To access Arkline for applicants call 501-907-2590. For employers call 501-907-2591. The ArkLine system is available for Arkansas unemployment weekly claims Monday through Friday from 6am to 6pm and Sunday from 12:01am to 6pm.

By using your touch-tone telephone Department of Workforce Services provides a quick and efficient way to file your weekly claim for benefits. ArkLine provides you with updated information. In addition, ArkLine can be used to verify when your weekly claim was processed.

  • To get general information, press 1
  • To inquire about your claim, press 2
  • To file your weekly claim, press 3

Read the following instructions carefully before you make your first call. To File Weekly Claims by Telephone You Need:

  • A touch-tone or dial-pulse telephone
  • Your social security number
  • Your personal identification number or PIN
  • Your total gross earnings and hours worked for the week you are claiming
Calculating my base period

Your benefit amount is determined by how much you worked and earned during the 12-month period of time called the Base Period. A Base Period is defined as the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters. There are 4 quarters in a calendar year:

  • The 1st quarter is January, February and March
  • The 2nd quarter is April, May and June
  • The 3rd quarter is July, August and September
  • The 4th quarter is October, November and December

To calculate your base period first determine the quarter in which you filed your initial claim. If you filed your initial claim in the 1st quarter of 2009 your Base Period is the 4th quarter of 2007 through the 3rd quarter of 2008. If you filed your initial claim in the 2nd quarter of 2009 your Base Period is the 1st quarter of 2008 through the 4th quarter of 2008. If you filed your initial claim in the 3rd quarter of 2009 your Base Period is the 2nd quarter of 2008 through the 1st quarter of 2009. If you filed your initial claim in the 4th quarter of 2009 your Base Period is the 3rd quarter of 2008 through the 2nd quarter of 2009. Your new claim's benefit amount will be based on where you worked during this 12-month period.

What is an extended benefits period?

Extended Benefits provides that additional benefits can be paid to qualified individuals in a period of high unemployment. You can draw your extension as long as you are unemployed and meet the eligibility requirements, do not exceed the maximum benefit amount, and do not qualify for any other type of regular Unemployment Compensation.

When will I start receiving unemployment benefits?

Remember that the first week claimed after establishing a new claim serves as a Valid Waiting Period and no benefits are paid for that week. The earliest payment of benefits begins with the second week claimed. However, payment of benefits can vary depending on your individual circumstances and whether there are any barriers or issues that have to be resolved.

Filing an appeal

If you disagree with any notice that denies benefits, you may file an appeal with the Arkansas Appeal Tribunal. You must continue to claim benefits each week, while you remain unemployed, in order to receive payment for those weeks if you win your appeal. Your former employer also has the right to appeal. If the employer wins the appeal and your benefits are denied, you may have to repay the money you have already been paid.

To file an appeal you may report to the nearest DWS local office to complete a form or write directly to the Arkansas Appeal Tribunal at P.O. Box 8013, Little Rock, AR 72203. Your appeal must be submitted or postmarked within 20 days of the date the decision was mailed to you. If the 20th day falls on a Sunday; a Sunday before a legally recognized holiday, or on a legally recognized holiday, then the appeal will be considered timely if filed on the day after the Sunday or the holiday. All other appeals filed outside the 20 day period will not be considered unless it can be established that the appeal was filed late due to circumstances beyond the party's control. Be sure to clearly state your intent to appeal, include your correct name and address, social security number, and attach a copy of the determination being appealed. If you have filed an appeal and your address has changed, you should notify the Appeal Tribunal as soon as possible.