The deadline, and what it depends on
It depends on your pay schedule, not on the day you left. Two people who leave on the same day can have deadlines a week or more apart.
The statute covers discharge only: Arkansas sets no deadline for workers who quit, who are paid on the employer's normal schedule. Corporations must pay wages at least twice a month. The old railroad version of this law, with same-day pay and a 60-day penalty, was repealed in 2019 — some published copies still show it.
If you were fired vs if you quit
- Fired or laid off: By your next regularly scheduled payday. The date depends on your pay schedule, not on when you were let go.
- You quit: Arkansas law sets no deadline for final pay when you quit. If your wages are not paid by your next regular payday, they can be collected in court.
What “next regular payday” means
“Next regular payday” means the next date your employer would normally have paid you had you stayed. It is not a fixed number of days: paid weekly, it is at most a week away; paid monthly, it can be a month.
That is why the calculator asks for your pay schedule first. Take any recent payday from a pay stub and it works out the date for you.
Unused PTO — is it owed?
Only if your employer's written policy or agreement promises it. No Arkansas law requires a vacation, sick, holiday, bonus or severance payout. The state will only take a claim for one if you can produce the company policy promising it. Check your handbook, offer letter or any PTO policy you signed; if it says accrued time is paid out, that promise is enforceable.
What happens if they are late
A discharged employee who is not paid within 7 days of the next regular payday is owed double the wages due (Ark. Code § 11-4-405(b)). No written demand is needed, but the doubling is collected through a wage claim or a lawsuit.
How to file a claim in Arkansas
File a wage claim with the Arkansas Division of Labor through its Citizen's Portal. The claim must be $2,000 or less, and it is closed to anyone earning more than $50,000 a year; larger claims go to small claims court. Filing is free, and you do not need a lawyer.
- Ask in writing first. Email creates a dated record.
- Send a short demand letter naming the amount, the deadline, and any penalty that applies in Arkansas.
- File the wage claim. Keep copies of pay stubs and your schedule — the time card calculator can total the unpaid hours for you.
Arkansas final paycheck: common questions
Can they hold my last check until I return my equipment?
No. In Arkansas your final wages are due by the deadline on this page whether or not you have returned a laptop, uniform or keys. Your employer can ask for the equipment back or pursue its cost separately, but federal law bars deductions for it that would cut your pay below minimum wage or eat into overtime.
Do I get paid for unused vacation?
Only if your employer's written policy or agreement promises it. No Arkansas law requires a vacation, sick, holiday, bonus or severance payout. The state will only take a claim for one if you can produce the company policy promising it. Check your handbook, offer letter or any PTO policy you signed; if it says accrued time is paid out, that promise is enforceable.
What if I quit without notice?
No. Quitting without notice does not forfeit anything you earned in Arkansas. Your final pay is due by your next regular payday, exactly as if you had given notice. Notice only changes the timing, and only where state law says so.
When is my final paycheck due in Arkansas if I am fired?
By your next regularly scheduled payday. The date depends on your pay schedule, not on when you were let go. Everything you earned is due on that deadline, along with any unused vacation your state or your policy makes payable.
What happens if my final paycheck is late in Arkansas?
A discharged employee who is not paid within 7 days of the next regular payday is owed double the wages due (Ark. Code § 11-4-405(b)). No written demand is needed, but the doubling is collected through a wage claim or a lawsuit.
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Arkansas overtime rules and calculator →
Other states that also tie the deadline to your next payday: Arizona, Delaware and Idaho.
Worked across a state line? Louisiana final paycheck law and Mississippi final paycheck law.