How to file for unemployment in Arkansas

The online claim is usually the fastest way. Here is what to have ready, when your claim starts and what comes after you file.

All about unemployment in Arkansas

Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.

Filing, step by step

Apply online through EZARC (Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.). It takes about 30 minutes. For help, visit an Arkansas Workforce Center or call the UI Hotline at 1-844-908-2178. After you apply, you must prove your identity and register in Arkansas LAUNCH before you can file weekly certifications.

When to file and when your claim starts

Apply as soon as you are out of work. Your claim is effective the day you submit the application and get the confirmation page, not the day you start it. Your benefit year begins on the first day of the calendar quarter in which you file and runs up to 52 weeks.

What to have ready

Your Social Security number (and your name exactly as it is on your Social Security card), or your Alien Identification/registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen
Your mailing and physical address
Your telephone number
Your last employer's name and address
Your labor union's name and number, if you find work through a union
Your bank routing and account numbers, if you want direct deposit

Certify (claim your weeks)

How often: Weekly. File a weekly certification for each week you are unemployed in Arkansas LAUNCH (Sunday 12:01 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) or by phone on Arkline at 501-907-2590. You can file for the previous week starting each Sunday; file within 14 days of the week's end. Report gross earnings for the week you did the work and your work search activities.

Your first payment

Processing a claim takes about 3 business days, and you get a monetary determination by mail. The first eligible week is an unpaid waiting week, so payment can begin with the second week claimed. Benefits are paid by direct deposit or a U.S. Bank ReliaCard debit card.

Register for work

State law requires you to register for work. After you receive your monetary determination, create an Arkansas LAUNCH account, complete onboarding and link your claim with your Social Security number and date of birth. LAUNCH is also where you file weekly certifications and record work search.

Arkansas LAUNCH

Law: Ark. Code Ann. sec. 11-10-507

Official source: Source page

What applies in every state

File with the unemployment program of the state where you worked. If you worked in another state or in several states, the agency in the state where you live now can tell you how to file with other states.
It generally takes two to three weeks after you file to get your first payment. Some states require a one-week waiting period, so the second week you claim is the first week paid.

Free help

Call 1-844-908-2178. Legal aid and other free help in Arkansas → Official sources →