Last verified October 25, 2026 · How we verify
Arkansas break laws
Arkansas sets no break rules of its own. What federal law still requires, how overtime and teen work hours are limited in Arkansas, and where to complain.
Arkansas sets no break rules of its own. What federal law still requires, how overtime and teen work hours are limited in Arkansas, and where to complain.
Arkansas has no state law requiring meal or rest breaks for adult workers, so breaks are up to your employer. Federal pay rules still apply to any break you do get. Overtime is due after 40 hours in a workweek; there is no daily overtime.
Arkansas has no state law requiring meal or rest breaks for adult private-sector employees. It is not listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's tables of state meal-period and rest-period laws, which list every state that has one.
“States not listed do not require paid rest periods.”
So only the federal rules apply. Federal law does not require meal or rest breaks. Short breaks (about 5 to 20 minutes) that an employer gives count as paid work time; meal periods of 30 minutes or more can be unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of duty.
“Rest periods of short duration, running from 5 minutes to about 20 minutes, are common in industry”— 29 CFR 785.18-785.19 (rest and meal periods)
Verified October 26, 2026 · Sources (DOL tables last revised January 1, 2023): U.S. DOL, Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector; U.S. DOL, Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector
Non-exempt employees get 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Arkansas has no daily overtime, so a long single day does not count unless the week goes over 40.
“overtime must be paid for hours worked beyond forty in a work week”
Verified October 26, 2026 · Source: Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, Minimum Wage and Overtime
Nursing employees also have a federal right to reasonable unpaid break time and a private place, not a bathroom, to pump breast milk for one year after the birth. What the federal pump-break rule covers.
Rules for adult, non-exempt private-sector workers. Industry orders, union contracts, local laws and exemptions can change the answer. General reference, not legal advice.
Teen workers in Arkansas have limits on how long and how late they can work. Where the Arkansas and federal limits differ, the stricter one applies. Arkansas is not among the 33 states that the U.S. Department of Labor lists as having a separate meal-break rule for minors.
| Age | Hour limits | Can't work between |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 (Arkansas) | Up to 8 hours a day and 48 a week, 6 days a week | 7 p.m. (9 p.m. before non-school day) to 6 a.m. |
| 16 and 17 (Arkansas) | 16-year-old children cannot work more than 10 hours consecutive or more than 10 hours in a 24 hours period. | 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. before school day (for 16 year-olds only; no requirements for 17 year-olds) |
| Under 16 (federal) | Non-school days and weeks: up to 8 hours a day and 40 a week School days and weeks: up to 3 hours a day and 18 a week | 7 p.m. (9 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day) to 7 a.m. |
| 16 and 17 (federal) | No hour limits | No night limits |
Verified October 26, 2026 · Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Selected State Child Labor Standards Affecting Minors Under 18 in Non-farm Employment, as of July 15, 2025. School-day limits usually apply only to students.
Because Arkansas has no break law, there is no state claim for a missed break itself. But if your employer deducts short breaks (5 to 20 minutes) from your pay, or you work through an unpaid lunch, that is unpaid work time under federal law. The Labor Standards Section handles wage claims of $2,000 or less, filed online through its Citizen's Portal. You are not eligible if you earn $50,000 or more a year. No filing deadline is stated. Official page ↗ Verified October 25, 2026
You can also call the federal Wage and Hour Division free at 1-866-487-9243. Firing or punishing you for a wage complaint is illegal.
Federal law does not require pay stubs, but your employer must keep accurate records of your hours and pay. Ask Arkansas's labor department whether a state pay stub rule applies to your job. Source ↗ Verified October 26, 2026
Paid break time counts as hours worked, at no less than Arkansas's minimum wage of $11.00 an hour. Arkansas minimum wage details ↗ Keep your own record to compare: the time card calculator totals your week with Arkansas's rules and saves a PDF.
| State | Meal break | Rest breaks | Overtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Louisiana | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Missouri | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Mississippi | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Oklahoma | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Tennessee | A 30-minute meal break for 6 consecutive scheduled hours | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
| Texas | None required | None required | Weekly, 40 h |
See all 50 states and DC.
Every rule on this page was checked against the official source below; the quotes are verbatim and were found in the source on the date shown next to each rule. This page was last verified on October 25, 2026, the oldest of those dates. How we verify.