How to File for Unemployment in Arkansas
How to apply for unemployment in Arkansas, what you need, and what you must do each week to keep getting benefits.
Short answer: Apply online (the application takes about 30 minutes). Have your Social Security number (or alien registration number), mailing and physical address, phone number, last employer's name and address, union name and number if applicable, and bank routing and account numbers for direct… Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, Eligibility Requirements; File Weekly Certifications
| How to apply | Apply online (the application takes about 30 minutes). Have your Social Security number (or alien registration number), mailing and physical address, phone number, last employer's name and address, union name and number if applicable, and bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit (otherwise you get a U.S. Bank ReliaCard). Certify each week (Sunday to Saturday) online in your Launch account or by calling Arkline at 501-907-2590; each week must be certified within 14 days after the week ends, by 11:59 p.m. Central on Saturday. |
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| Earnings needed to qualify | Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file (about 12 to 18 months back). Wages your employers reported in that period decide whether you have enough wages to set up a claim and how much you can receive. The U.S. Department of Labor's July 2026 summary of state laws lists the Arkansas requirement as base period wages of at least 35 times the weekly benefit amount, with wages in at least two quarters. |
| Work search requirements | Unless excused, you must complete at least 5 qualifying work search activities each week and report them in Launch or through Arkline with your weekly certification. You are ineligible for any week in which the five work search contacts are not made (effective January 1, 2024). You must also register for work in Launch. |
| Logging in and filing weekly claims | Arkansas unemployment claimants file weekly certifications in the LAUNCH system (Arkansas Division of Workforce Services): sign in to your LAUNCH account, click the unemployment tile, report any hours worked and gross earnings and your work search activities (5 per week), and submit. Online filing is available 24/7; each week (Sunday-Saturday) must be certified by Saturday 11:59 p.m. Central Time, 14 days after the week ends. Without a computer or mobile device you can certify by phone through Arkline, 501-907-2590 (Mon-Fri 6 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 12:01 a.m.-6 p.m.). General information: 844-908-2178. LAUNCH sign-in linked from the agency page: https://jobseeker.launch.arkansas.gov/ |
Where to get help in Arkansas
More Arkansas unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your Arkansas Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in Arkansas
- Unemployment After Being Fired in Arkansas
- Unemployment After Quitting in Arkansas
- How Much Unemployment Pays in Arkansas
- All Arkansas unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How do I apply for unemployment in Arkansas?
Apply online (the application takes about 30 minutes). Have your Social Security number (or alien registration number), mailing and physical address, phone number, last employer's name and address, union name and number if applicable, and bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit (otherwise you get a U.S. Bank ReliaCard). Certify each week (Sunday to Saturday) online in your Launch account or by calling Arkline at 501-907-2590; each week must be certified within 14 days after the week ends, by 11:59 p.m. Central on Saturday.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in Arkansas?
Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file (about 12 to 18 months back). Wages your employers reported in that period decide whether you have enough wages to set up a claim and how much you can receive.
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in Arkansas?
Unless excused, you must complete at least 5 qualifying work search activities each week and report them in Launch or through Arkline with your weekly certification. You are ineligible for any week in which the five work search contacts are not made (effective January 1, 2024). You must also register for work in Launch.
Where do I log in to my unemployment claim in Arkansas?
Arkansas unemployment claimants file weekly certifications in the LAUNCH system (Arkansas Division of Workforce Services): sign in to your LAUNCH account, click the unemployment tile, report any hours worked and gross earnings and your work search activities (5 per week), and submit. Online filing is available 24/7; each week (Sunday-Saturday) must be certified by Saturday 11:59 p.m. Central Time, 14 days after the week ends. Without a computer or mobile device you can certify by phone through Arkline, 501-907-2590 (Mon-Fri 6 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 12:01 a.m.-6 p.m.). General information: 844-908-2178.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.