Pay Frequency and Wage-Payment Lag Requirements in Arkansas
At a glance
| Governing law | Ark. Code § 11-4-401, as last amended by 2017 Ark. Act 475 |
|---|---|
| Who the recurring-pay rule covers | Corporations doing business in Arkansas and their salespersons, mechanics, laborers, and other employees (§ 11-4-401(a)); no general rule for noncorporate employers |
| Minimum pay frequency | Covered corporate employees at least semimonthly; qualifying management/executive employees may be monthly (§ 11-4-401(a), (c)) |
| Maximum pay-period length or structure | No separate period structure or day cap; frequency alone is regulated (§ 11-4-401) |
| Latest payday after work is performed | No general number of days stated between period end and payday (§ 11-4-401) |
| Regular payday designation and changes | No general designation, posting, or change-notice rule stated in § 11-4-401 |
| Classification and industry exceptions | Corporation ≥$500,000 annual gross income may pay management/executive employees monthly if FLSA-exempt and earning >$25,000/year (§ 11-4-401(c)) |
| Enforcement and remedies | Corporate violation is a misdemeanor punishable by $50-$500 per offense (§ 11-4-401(b)) |
Requirements one by one
The general rule is limited to corporations
Ark. Code § 11-4-401(a) requires corporations doing business in Arkansas to pay their salespersons, mechanics, laborers, and other employees no less frequently than semimonthly. The section does not state a parallel general frequency rule for a sole proprietor, partnership, or other noncorporate employer.
The law regulates frequency but does not define calendar-half pay periods or say how many days may pass after a period ends. An employer still needs to set the actual payroll calendar rather than treating “semimonthly” as a lag rule.
A narrow corporate group may be paid monthly
The monthly option in § 11-4-401(c) requires all of the following: the corporation has annual gross income of at least $500,000; the worker is a management-level or executive employee; the employee is exempt under the identified FLSA provision; and annual gross compensation exceeds $25,000. For that group, payment must occur at least once each calendar month.
What trips people up
Arkansas does not impose this schedule on every private employer. Entity form is part of the coverage test, so a statement that “all Arkansas employers must pay semimonthly” is broader than the official text.
The monthly exception is also not an across-the-board salaried-employee rule. It depends on the corporation's annual gross income and all three employee conditions stated in subsection (c).
Common questions
May a covered corporation pay weekly or biweekly?
Yes. “No less frequently than semimonthly” permits a more frequent schedule.
How soon after a pay period must wages be paid?
Ark. Code § 11-4-401 does not state a general number of days between the end of an earnings period and payday.
What is the statutory penalty?
Under Ark. Code § 11-4-401(b)-(c), a violating corporation commits a misdemeanor and may be fined from $50 to $500 for each offense.
Statutes and sources
- Ark. Code § 11-4-401(a). Corporation-only semimonthly rule, as amended by 2017 Act 475. Official enrolled act (accessed July 12, 2026).
- Ark. Code § 11-4-401(b)-(c). Fine and monthly management/executive exception, as enacted in 1991 Act 1113. Official enrolled act (accessed July 12, 2026).
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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