Arkansas Employment Contract Template

An Arkansas employment contract is a written agreement between an employer and an employee that sets out the job role, salary, benefits, workplace policies, and how the relationship can end. Employment in Arkansas is generally at-will unless the contract specifies otherwise.

• Minimum wage: Arkansas’s minimum wage is $11.00/hour for most employees as of January 1, 2025.
• Paid sick leave: Arkansas law does not require private employers to offer paid sick leave. However, state employees accrue sick leave at a rate of one day per month under the Uniform Attendance and Leave Policy Act (Arkansas Code § 21-4-207). Employers in the private sector should clearly define any sick leave or PTO policy in the contract.
• Overtime: Follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rules for non-exempt workers — 1.5× pay after 40 hours per week.
• Meal/rest breaks: No state law requires meal or rest breaks for adults. Breaks are required for minors under age 16 who are employed in the entertainment industry. If short breaks are offered (typically under 20 minutes), they must be paid; longer, unpaid meal breaks may be allowed if the employee is fully relieved of duties.
• Final pay: When employment ends, all wages due must be paid by the next regular payday. If the employer fails to pay by then, they may owe double wages (AR Code § 11-4-405).
• Paydays: Employers must pay employees semi-monthly.
• Child labor: Work permits (except for entertainment jobs) are no longer required as of August 1, 2023 (Act 195 of 2023). However, strict limits remain on hours and hazardous work.
  • Minors under 16: Cannot work more than 6 days/week, 48 hours/week, or 8 hours/day. No work before 6:00 AM or after 7:00 PM (9:00 PM on non-school nights).
  • Minors aged 16: Cannot work more than 6 days/week, 54 hours/week, or 10 hours/day. No work before 6:00 AM or after 11:00 PM (may work until midnight before non-school days, with restrictions).
  • Hazardous work: Arkansas law prohibits minors under 18 from performing certain dangerous jobs (e.g., mining, operating heavy machinery, working in bars, construction sites, logging, or meatpacking).
• Non-compete agreements: Arkansas courts enforce non-competes only if they are reasonable.
• E-signatures: Arkansas law recognizes the validity of electronic records and electronic signatures through the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), found in Arkansas Code Title 25, Chapter 32.
• Recordkeeping: Arkansas follows federal recordkeeping rules under the FLSA. Employers must keep accurate payroll and time records for non-exempt workers, including hours worked, wages paid, and deductions. Payroll records must generally be kept for at least three years, and records used to calculate salaries (like time cards or schedules) must be kept for two years

Writing an Arkansas employment contract is straightforward: include clear terms on pay, duties, benefits, and compliance with state and federal rules.

1. Start with the basics: List employer and employee names, job titles, start dates, and work locations. Contracts should be in writing and signed to be enforceable.
2. Define the role: Describe job duties, reporting structure, and exempt vs. non-exempt classification under FLSA.
3. Set pay and schedule: State the hourly wage or salary, pay frequency, and overtime rules (FLSA standard: 1.5× after 40 hours/week). Confirm that wages meet or exceed Arkansas’s minimum of $11/hour.
4. Add benefits or sick leave policies if offered: Arkansas does not mandate paid sick leave for private employers. State clearly whether any sick leave, PTO, or unpaid leave is provided, since only public employees accrue statutory sick leave.
5. Break policy: If you provide breaks, clarify whether short rest breaks are paid, and confirm that unpaid meal breaks only apply when the employee is fully relieved of duties.
6. Child labor compliance: If hiring minors, include work hour limits and a statement that the role does not involve prohibited hazardous occupations.
7. Confidentiality, IP & restrictive covenants: Protect business information with NDAs or invention-assignment clauses. Non-competes and non-solicits should be narrowly tailored to ensure enforceability.
8. Termination & final pay: Confirm at-will status unless otherwise agreed. Specify that final wages will be paid by the next regular payday, noting that Arkansas law imposes double-wage penalties if late.
9. Governing law & signatures: State that Arkansas law applies. Confirm that electronic signatures are valid under Arkansas’s adoption of UETA.