Arkansas Unemployment

Do I qualify for unemployment benefits?

Benefits can only be paid to you if you meet all state legal requirements, and you are not under a disqualification. The most common circumstances that can lead to a disqualification are:

• Quitting your job without good cause in connection with the work.
• Being fired or discharged for misconduct.
• Refusing to apply for or accept suitable work, or refusing recall after being laid off.

The circumstances of your separation from your last permanent job will be investigated by an DWS claims adjudicator. Both you and your employer will be asked to provide a statement regarding the facts. A Notice of Agency Determination will be issued advising you and your employer of the decision. If you are disqualified, the agency determination will explain the penalty imposed. Each section of law, such as quit or discharge, has its own penalty period.

Certain conditions must be met each week in order for you to receive benefits. To be eligible you must be:

You must also register with DWS Employment Services. You will be required to contact a specific number of employer seacrh week. The number of contacts assigned to you should be entered on the inside cover of this handbook. If you have not been advised of the minimum number of contacts to make each week and it is not listed on the inside cover, contact your local office for work search instructions. If you file an application for unemployment benefits by computer, the required number of contacts will be shown on your confirmation page. If you receive notice to start recording your contacts and have either lost or did not receive a handbook, report to your local office to request one.

Unless you are exempt from the work search requirements, you will be required to report your job contacts beginning with the 13th or 19th week of unemployment compensation. A notice will be issued to you alerting you when it is time to begin recording your contacts. (The 13th week or 19th are assigned depending on the area where you live or work.) You will need to refer to the section at the back of this handbook entitled Notice of Work Search Requirements for complete instructions on the work search requirements.

You will be required to begin recording your job contacts as indicated on the Job Contacts Log located in the back of the handbook. This can be printed from the electronic version. If you are a union member, you may have chosen to allow your union hiring hall representative to make your job contacts for you. When you receive your notice to begin recording your work search, refer to the Work Search Requirements for Union Members (Part B), also located in the back of this handbook. You must notify your union representative to begin keeping appropriate documentation of the weekly job contacts they make on your behalf.

Remember! Failure to make the required work search contacts in any week may result in an ineligibility for benefits. Your work search activity is subject to audit by the DWS Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) program as well as the DWS Benefit Payment Control (BPC) unit at any time during the life of your claim.

How do I file for unemployment benefits?

Go to  www.accessarkansas.org/esd

From there you click on “Unemployment Services.” This takes you to a menu where you select “UI Claimant Forms.” From the list of forms on the next screen select “DWS-ARK-501,” “Application for Unemployment Benefits” and then “print.” The completed form should be mailed or taken to your nearest local office. You can locate your local office on page 4 to obtain their mailing address. Remember, your claim is effective when presented in person or postmarked if mailed. 

Arkansas Unemployment Office Locations

ADWS Local Offices

OFFICE ADDRESS TELEPHONE FAX COUNTIES

ARKADELPHIA 502 S. Sixth Street, P.O. Box 620, Arkadelphia, AR 71923-0620 870-246-2481 870-246-0344 Clark
BATESVILLE 396 Barnett Drive, P.O. Box 2296, Batesville, AR 72503-2296 870-793-4156 870-793-2577 Fulton, Izard, Independence, Stone and Sharp
BENTON 309 S. East Street, P.O. Box 2470, Benton, AR   72018-2470 501-776-2974 501-776-2980 Saline
BLYTHEVILLE 111 East Ash St., P.O. Box 1409, Blytheville, AR 72316-1409 870-762-2035 870-762-0561 Mississippi
CAMDEN 232 North Adams Avenue, P.O. Box 717, Camden, AR 71711-0717 870-836-5024 870-836-7237 Calhoun, Dallas and Ouachita
CONWAY 1500 No. Musuem Road, Suite 111, P.O. Box 189, Conway, AR 72033-0189 501-730-9897 501-730-9869 Faulkner and Van Buren
EL DORADO 523 East Sixth St., P.O. Box 2038,
El Dorado, AR 71731-2038 870-862-6456 870-862-6962 Union
FAYETTEVILLE 2143 West Martin Luther King Blvd, P.O. Box 1205, Fayetteville, AR 72702-1205 479-521-5730 479-521-1595 Madison and Washington
FORREST CITY 2615 South Washington Street, P.O. Box 1059, Forrest City, AR 72336-1059 870-633-2900 870-633-1710 Cross, Monroe, Prairie and St Francis
FORT SMITH 616 Garrison Ave., Rm 101, P.O. Box 1987, Fort Smith, AR 72902-1987 479-783-0231 479-783-2132 Crawford, St. Franklin, Logan and Sebastian
HARRISON 818 North Highway 62-65, P.O. Box 280, Harrison, AR 72602-0280 870-741-8236 870-741-7901 Boone, Carroll, Newton and Searcy
HELENA 301 Rightor St., P.O. Box 279. Helena, AR 72342-0279 870-338-7415 870-338-8061 Phillips and Lee
HOPE 700 South Elm Street, P.O. Box 598, Hope, AR 71802-0598 870-777-3421 870-722-2912 Hempstead, Howard, Nevada and Pike County South
HMFLC 205 Smith Road, Suite A, Hope, AR 71801 870-777-5630 870-777-5125 All
HOT SPRINGS 2254 Albert Pike Rd, Suite A, P.O. Box 2278, Hot Springs, AR 71914-2278 501-525-3450 501-525-3944 Garland, Montgomery and Pike County North
JACKSONVILLE #2 Crestview Plaza, P.O. Box 39, Jacksonville, AR, 72078-0039 501-982-3835 501-982-5365 Lonoke and Pulaski
JONESBORO 2311 East Nettleton Avenue, P.O. Box 16127, Jonesboro, AR 72403-6127 870-935-5594 870-935-0024 Craighead and Poinsett
Little Rock UI 1501 South Main Street, P.O. Box 34047, Little Rock, AR 72203-4047 501-682-8030 501-682-7797 Pulaski
Little Rock ES 3901 S. University, Suite 24, Little Rock, AR 72204 501-682-7719 501-682-7801 Pulaski
Little Rock TEA \u0026 Work Pays 8001 National Drive, Bldg. D, PO Box 190060, Little Rock, AR 72219 501-320-3026 501-320-3075 Pulaski
MAGNOLIA 203 N. Fredrick, P.O. Box 369, Magnolia, AR 71754-0369 870-234-3440 870-234-8360 Columbia and Lafayette
MALVERN 1735 E Sullenberger St., P.O. Box 788, Malvern, AR 72104-0788 501-332-5461 501-337-9003 Hot Spring
MENA 601 C Highway 71 North, P.O. Box 230, Mena, AR 71953-0230 479-394-3060 479-394-4910 Polk and Scott
MONTICELLO 477 South Main Street, P.O. Box 30, Monticello, AR 71657-0030 870-367-2476 870-367-7105 Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Desha and Drew
MOUNTAIN HOME 1058 Highland Circle, #20, P.O. Box 1945, Mountain Home, AR 72654-1945 870-425-2386 870-424-6056 Baxter, Marion
NEWPORT 401 Walnut Street,Newport, AR 72112-3811 870-523-3641 870-523-8678 Jackson and Woodruff
PARAGOULD 1015 Linwood Drive, Suite 4
Paragould, AR 72451-0336 870-236-8512 870-236-9162 Greene and Clay
PINE BLUFF 1001 South Tennessee Street, P.O. Box 8308, Pine Bluff, AR 71611-8308 870-534-1920 870-534-7688 Arkansas, Grant, Cleveland, Jefferson and Lincoln
ROGERS 100 North Dixieland Road Rogers, AR 72757-0099 email address:  rogers.DWS@mail.state.ar.us 479-636-4755 479-621-0322 Benton
RUSSELLVILLE 104 South Rochester Avenue, P.O. Box 727, Russellville, AR 72811-0727 479-968-2784 479-968-1670 Conway, Johnson, Perry, Pope and Yell
SEARCY 501 West Arch Avenue, P.O. Box 248, Searcy, AR 72145-0248 501-268-8601 501-268-9166 Cleburne and White
TEXARKANA 1702 Hampton Road Texarkana, TX 75503-0000 870-216-4011 903-792-0983 Little River, Miller and Sevier
WALNUT RIDGE 116 West Elm Street, P.O. Box 470 Walnut Ridge, AR 72476-0470 870-886-3556 870-886-6117 Lawrence and Randolph
WEST MEMPHIS Mid-South Community College 2000 West Broadway West Memphis, AR, 72303-1928 870-400-2269 870-735-7656 Crittenden

http://www.arkansas.gov/esd/About/LocalOffices/LocalOffices.htm