Arkansas State Holiday Pay Law Requirements for Employers

Arkansas holiday pay laws are similar to some other states. Workers receive ten paid holidays which are New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and two birthday holidays which are Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s & Robert E. Lee’s combined Birthday, as well as George Washington’s Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates’ Day, as well as the employee’s birthday which he can take as a holiday.

An employee is eligible for holiday pay if he works his last scheduled day before the official holiday and the next scheduled day after the holiday. If the employee is off work due to illness or a scheduled leave, he is to be given a holiday day and his annual or sick leave is not to be charged for the holiday. If the employee is on a scheduled day off on the day of the holiday, he is to be given equivalent time to be taken upon the approval of his supervisor.

Regular salaried and extra help employees are eligible to receive holiday if they work their last scheduled work day before the holiday and at least one hour on their first scheduled work day after the holiday. If the employee is on leave or out of work on these days due to illness, the holiday will be considered a holiday and will not be charged against the employee’s annual or sick leave. If by the same token the holiday occurs on an employee’s day off, the employee will be given time off equivalent to the holiday. A part-time employee will be given holiday pay at the rate equivalent to their time worked. For example, if an employee works half-time, he would be given holiday pay equal to 4 hours. Holidays which occur on a Saturday will be observed on the previous Friday, and holidays occurring on Sunday will be observed on the following Monday.