How to File for Unemployment in Arkansas: EZARC Claims and Payments

To file for unemployment in Arkansas, submit an initial claim through the state’s EZARC online portal, then file a weekly certification through Arkansas LAUNCH for every week you remain out of work. Weekly benefits run from $81 to $451 and last up to 12 weeks, depending on what you earned before losing your job.¹² The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services (ADWS) runs the program.

Who Qualifies

Arkansas pays benefits to workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, typically because of a layoff, a business closure, or a lack of available work. You generally will not qualify if you quit for personal reasons unrelated to work conditions, or if you were fired for misconduct.³

You also need enough recent earnings. Arkansas looks at your wages during a “base period,” which is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file.⁴ If you file in March 2026, for example, the base period covers October 2024 through September 2025. If those wages fall short, ADWS can use an alternate base period made up of the four most recently completed calendar quarters.⁵

Every week you collect, you must be able and available for work, legally authorized to work in the United States, and willing to accept a suitable job offer if one comes along.³

What to Have Ready Before You File

Pull these together before you sit down at the computer:

Your Social Security number and a valid Arkansas driver’s license or state ID.⁶
The full legal name, mailing address, and phone number of every employer you worked for in the last 18 months.
Your last day of work and your gross earnings (before taxes) for your final week.
A clear description of why the job ended, such as lack of work, discharge, or a labor dispute.

Recent pay stubs or W-2 forms give you reliable wage figures. Inaccurate wage or employer information can trigger a request for more documentation or a formal hearing, and that will delay your payments.⁷

Filing the Initial Claim on EZARC

Initial claims go through the EZARC portal. The site is open Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.⁸ Enter your personal, employment, and wage information, then review everything on the final confirmation screen before submitting.

Save the online confirmation you receive after submission. It is your receipt and your proof of the filing date, and you’ll need it if you have to contact ADWS about the claim later.⁶

After the initial claim, verify your identity and set up an account on Arkansas LAUNCH. That is the separate portal you’ll use every week from then on.⁸

Filing Weekly Certifications

The initial claim only opens your file. To actually receive payments, you must certify every week that you still meet the eligibility rules. Benefit weeks run Sunday through Saturday, and you file through Arkansas LAUNCH online or by calling ArkLine at 501-907-2590.⁸ Each certification asks you to confirm you were unemployed, able and available for work, and actively job hunting during that week.

File every week without exception, even during the waiting week and even while you are waiting for a determination. A missed certification interrupts payments and creates a gap in your claim.

The Five Work Search Activities

Arkansas requires at least five qualifying work search activities each week. You can mix from this list:³

Applying for a job that fits your skills and abilities.
Interviewing for a position.
Attending a job fair. No more than one job fair counts in a single week.
Attending a job skills training at an Arkansas Workforce Center.
Completing training with an approved provider for an in-demand occupation.

Keep a written log. ADWS can audit your work search at any time, and failing to document your efforts can cost you benefits.³

The Waiting Week and First Payment

Arkansas law requires an unpaid waiting week before benefits begin. You still file a certification for that first eligible week, but no payment goes out for it. The waiting week does not reduce your total maximum benefits for the year.⁹

After that, most claims take about two to three weeks to process before the first payment arrives, since ADWS has to verify your identity, confirm your wages, and contact your former employer about the separation. Keep certifying every week during that review so payments start as soon as it’s complete.

How Much You’ll Receive

Your weekly benefit equals one-twenty-sixth (1/26) of the wages you earned in your highest-paid base period quarter. The floor is $81 and the ceiling is $451.¹ If the formula produces less than $81, you probably don’t have enough base period wages to qualify at all. Regular benefits last a maximum of 12 weeks.²

ADWS will mail you a Notice of Monetary Determination listing your weekly amount and your total maximum for the benefit year.¹⁰ This confirms the money side of eligibility. Payment still depends on the agency clearing the reason you left your job.

If Your Claim Is Denied

If ADWS denies your claim, you have 20 calendar days from the mailing date on the determination notice to file an appeal.⁷ The clock runs from the mailing date printed on the notice, not the day it lands in your mailbox. Miss the deadline and the denial becomes final.

Keep filing weekly certifications while the appeal is pending. If you win, you can only be paid for weeks in which you filed a timely claim.³

Taxes on Your Benefits

Unemployment compensation counts as taxable income at the federal level.¹¹ You must also report it on your Arkansas state income tax return.⁹

You can ask ADWS to withhold 10 percent of each weekly payment for federal taxes. That is the only rate available; you cannot pick a different percentage.¹² You elect withholding when you file, and you can change your choice once during the benefit year by calling the ADWS service center.⁹ Early the following year, ADWS mails you a Form 1099-G showing what you were paid and any tax withheld.

What Happens If You Misreport

Hiding part-time earnings, misstating why you left a job, or otherwise providing false information carries real consequences. If ADWS finds you collected benefits fraudulently, you must repay the full overpayment plus a 50 percent penalty. The penalty drops to 15 percent if you repay within 30 days of the determination notice.¹³ You cannot receive future Arkansas unemployment benefits until the entire balance is cleared.

1
Arkansas Division of Workforce Services. Your Unemployment Insurance Information Handbook
2
Arkansas Division of Workforce Services. Unemployment Insurance Law Changes Effective January 1, 2024
3
Arkansas Division of Workforce Services. Your Unemployment Insurance Information Handbook
4
Justia Law. Arkansas Code Title 11 Chapter 10 Subchapter 5 Section 11-10-501 – Payment
5
Justia Law. Arkansas Code Title 11 Chapter 10 Subchapter 2 Section 11-10-201 – Base Period
6
Arkansas Division of Workforce Services. EZARC – Apply for Unemployment Online
7
Justia Law. Arkansas Code Title 11 Chapter 10 Subchapter 5 Section 11-10-524 – Claims – Administrative Appeal
8
AR Division of Workforce Services. Unemployment Insurance
9
AR Division of Workforce Services. Arkansas Unemployment Insurance FAQs
10
Justia Law. Arkansas Code Title 11 Chapter 10 Subchapter 5 Section 11-10-522 – Claims – Determination
11
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 85 – Unemployment Compensation
12
Internal Revenue Service. Form W-4V Voluntary Withholding Request
13
Justia Law. Arkansas Code Title 11 Chapter 10 Subchapter 5 Section 11-10-532 – Claims – Recovery