Frequently asked questions about Unemployment Insurance for Individuals
Yes. After you have made your original decision on your withholding status, you may change your decision one time during your benefit year. Contact the service center at 1-844-908-2178 if you wish to make this change.
Arkansas Law requires that a person be able and available for work while drawing unemployment and be willing to accept suitable work if offered. However, exemptions from work search can occur if you are attending school full-time and are enrolled in a training course that is approved by the Division Director, or if you are attending school full-time in an approved Federal program such as the Trade Act. Check with the service center at 1-844-908-2178 to determine if you qualify for any type of exemption.
No, the law requires that each individual serve a Valid Waiting Period for the first eligible week claimed. Although you do not get paid for this week, the maximum benefit amount is not reduced or affected.
Yes, unemployment benefits are subject to Federal Income Taxes. Arkansas offers the option of having 10% of your weekly benefit amount deducted for the payment of Federal Income Tax. Beginning with payments issued in 2018, these payments must also be reported on your Arkansas state income tax return.
If you disagree with an overpayment decision, you have the ability to appeal per instructions included in the notice.
No, only one Valid Waiting Period is required for the life of a claim. However, once a claim expires, and another new claim is filed, another waiting period must be served.
Individuals required to look for work must be willing to accept suitable work when offered. The suitability of a job can depend on many factors, such as how much the new job pays, how long you have been unemployed, and what you were paid at your last job. The law does not specify that the pay must be the same as your previous employment.
You are able to have an attorney represent you in an appeal to the Appeal Tribunal or the Board of Review, but it is not a requirement. You are required to have representation to appeal to the Court of Appeals.
You must report the number of hours you work and the gross wages earned for each week claimed. Earnings must be reported for the week in which they are earned, not the week in which you get paid.
Your benefit amount is determined by how much you worked and earned during a 12-month period 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.
- You may exit the claim filing process at any time by clicking “Log Out.” If you click “Log Out,” any information you have entered on the screen will not be saved; however, any information you have entered prior to that screen will be saved for 24 hours. You must complete any remaining portions of the application process within 24 hours. Any partially completed claim information will be lost if you do not complete the application within that time. Remember that the effective date of your claim is the day you SUBMIT the application, not the day it is saved.
- Any information you have entered and saved will automatically be saved for 24 hours in the event of a system failure.
- Your claim is effective the day you submit the claim and receive confirmation the application has been accepted.
To allow time for processing your new claim for benefits, it is a good idea to wait at least three (3) days after midnight Saturday of the week in which you submitted your online claim form before trying to claim that first week.
Week 1: Submit your online claim form on any day (1-7) of the week:
Sunday
Day 1
Monday
Day 2
Tuesday
Day 3
Wednesday
Day 4
Thursday
Day 5
Friday
Day 6
Saturday
Day 7
The first week of unemployment ends at midnight on Saturday (Day 7)
Week 2: Wait for three (3) more days:
Sunday
Day 8
Monday
Day 9
Tuesday
Day 10
Wednesday
Day 11
Thursday
Day 12
Friday
Day 13
Saturday
Day 14
Call in your first weekly claim on Wednesday (Day 11)
Subsequent weeks can be claimed as soon as each week has ended (see “What is a ‘week of unemployment’?”).
- The claim process should take approximately 30 minutes.
- You may experience delays when saving each page. Please be patient and do not interrupt the process.
Generally speaking, individuals who have been out of the workforce for more than nine months will not have sufficient wage credits to monetarily establish an unemployment insurance claim. After being released, inmates who believe they may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits may file for benefits using the EZARC system at https://www.ezarc.adws.arkansas.gov. Consult the Inmate Brochure for more information regarding former inmates and the unemployment insurance program.
If you are unsure what your pay will be for a week, you must wait until you get paid to claim that week. Arkansas Regulation 14(a) provides that, in the case of partial unemployment, an individual has 14 days from the date the wages are paid to claim the week.
You must wait to receive your monetary determination before you can link your UI claim to your LAUNCH account.
No, we can not provide that information until you complete an initial claim application. The information you provide on your application is matched against our files according to your Social Security number. The data is processed to determine whether or not you qualify for benefits in Arkansas and how much you will be able to draw. We will then mail you a Notice of Monetary Determination, which will tell you whether you have enough wage credits to establish a claim.
You’ll need to search for “labor exchange [your state]” to find your home state’s labor exchange website. Here you can register for work to meet your requirement. You’ll need to take a screenshot of your registration showing your name and the date you registered. This will need to be provided to [email protected].
Yes, you must report the number of hours worked and the gross wages for every week you work and claim, no matter where you are employed.
The 10% reduction will only be made after amounts are deducted and withheld for any UI overpayments, child support obligations, or any other amounts required to be deducted and withheld under Arkansas UI law. If, after these priority deductions have been made, there is not enough money left over to pay the income tax amount in full, then no income tax deduction will be made during that week.
No, deductions are not made from your paycheck. Arkansas employers who are covered by the Arkansas Division of Reemployment law are required to pay a quarterly tax on their payroll. This tax funds your benefits.
- Once you have completed the online application for benefits, click on the SUBMIT button and wait for the Confirmation Page. Save (or print) the Confirmation Page for your records as proof of filing.
- Provide proof of ID following the instructions on your Confirmation Page.
- Register for work and conduct your required job search activities.
- Read all notices you receive from the Division of Workforce Services and follow any instructions provided.
- File weekly claims for each week you are unemployed.
- You will receive your unemployment insurance benefits on a debit card unless you choose to receive your benefits through direct deposit. You will have the option to set up this payment method on the Confirmation Page.
- See more details in the 5 Steps for Filing for Unemployment Insurance below.
If you are unable to find work by the time your unemployment insurance runs out, contact the service center at 1-844-908-2178 for free employment services. They can also determine if or when you might qualify for additional benefits. You may qualify for another regular claim for benefits or extended benefits if we are in an extended benefits period.
You may appeal to the next appellate body.
Claimants and/or employers who disagree with a decision issued by the state may file an appeal. The Appeal Tribunal is a separate entity that will hear your case and render a new decision. The next level of appeal is the Board of Review, followed by the Arkansas Court of Appeals.
A “week of unemployment” or a “continued claim week” is the same as a regular calendar week – it begins on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. and ends on the following Saturday at midnight.
PIN stands for “Personal Identification Number.”
Your PIN acts as your legal signature and allows you to claim weekly benefits over the phone using calling ArkLine at 501-907-2590 or online using Arkansas LAUNCH.
The State of Arkansas enacted an Extended Benefits Program in 1971. The Extended Benefits program 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.
Each Sunday, you can begin filing for the previous week. Each week should be certified within 14 days of the end of the week (Saturday) by 11:59 p.m. If you miss three (3) weeks or more, you’ll have to re-open your claim through EZARC.
Remember that the first week claimed after establishing a new claim is considered a Valid Waiting Period or “waiting week” (provided you are otherwise eligible), 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 circumstances and whether any issues must be resolved. Consult the UI Information Handbook for more detailed instructions.
- There may be some circumstances where you may still be required to report to your Local Office, although most items are handled online.
- Certain circumstances require you to mail or fax documents to your Local Office before processing your claim. These documents must be received within 10 days, or your claim will not be processed.
- Your claim’s Confirmation Page, which provides information and instructions, will address any additional action you need to take.