Workers compensation follows where your people actually work, not where your office sits. If you are an Arkansas business with employees working in Arkansas, those workers count toward your coverage trigger and need Arkansas coverage (Arkansas Code section 11-9-102). Employees who live and work in another state usually need coverage under that state's rules, which is handled by listing each state on your policy.
Who this is for: Arkansas owners with remote staff, a hybrid team, or employees who cross state lines, trying to get their coverage in the right states.
The short version
- Coverage follows the work location. An employee working in Arkansas needs Arkansas coverage; one working in another state usually needs coverage there.
- Remote does not mean uncovered. A home-based employee injured while working is still a workers comp claim.
- Arkansas workers count toward your trigger. Remote employees based in Arkansas count the same as in-office staff.
- Multi-state teams need the right states listed. Your policy should name every state where employees regularly work.
- Jurisdiction can turn on more than location. An injury in Arkansas or an Arkansas contract of hire can bring a claim under the Arkansas Act, so ask your agent about cross-border work.
Where coverage is owed
| Employee situation | Where coverage is owed | Counts toward Arkansas's trigger? |
|---|---|---|
| Remote employee living and working in Arkansas | Arkansas | Yes |
| Employee working from another state | That state, usually | Generally no |
| Employee splitting time across states | Depends on the main work state | Depends; ask your agent |
| Arkansas employee traveling for a short job out of state | Usually still Arkansas | Yes |
A home office is still a workplace
The most common mistake is assuming a remote worker cannot have a comp claim. They can. If an employee is hurt while doing their job at home, that is generally a workplace injury, and a required employer without coverage is exposed just as if it happened on site. The location of the desk does not remove the duty. Make sure your remote Arkansas staff are on the policy and counted toward your trigger.
Getting the states right on your policy
If your team spans states, the fix is usually straightforward: your policy lists each state where employees regularly work so coverage responds in the right place. Arkansas does not publish a simple day-count rule for out-of-state work, and the Commission decides its own jurisdiction, so an injury that happens in Arkansas or a worker hired in Arkansas can raise an Arkansas claim even for a mostly out-of-state role. When you hire across state lines, tell your agent before the person starts so the policy is set up correctly. See how to get a policy in Arkansas and the national explainer on what workers comp does not cover.
A Little Rock example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Little Rock software company has two employees at its office and one developer working remotely from Tennessee. Its Arkansas staff count toward the trigger, so it carries an Arkansas policy, and it adds Tennessee to the policy so the remote developer is covered where she works. When she strains her wrist at her home desk, the claim is handled in the right state instead of becoming a dispute. See the trade detail on our workers comp for technology firms page.
Real questions Arkansas owners ask
Do remote employees need workers comp in Arkansas?
Yes, if they work in Arkansas. Coverage follows where the employee actually works, so a remote worker based in Arkansas needs Arkansas coverage and counts toward your coverage trigger.
Is a home-based worker covered if hurt while working?
Generally yes, if you carry coverage. An injury that happens while doing the job at home is usually a workplace injury, so remote staff should be on your policy just like in-office staff.
Do my out-of-state employees count toward Arkansas's trigger?
Usually not, because coverage for them is owed in the state where they work. They typically need coverage under that state's rules, which your policy handles by listing that state.
How do I cover a team spread across several states?
Your policy should name every state where employees regularly work, so coverage responds in the right place. Tell your agent about each work state before someone starts, so nothing is missed.
An employee is traveling out of state for a short job. Are they covered?
Usually yes under your Arkansas policy for a short trip, but it depends on the work and the state. Let your agent know about regular out-of-state work so the policy can be set up correctly.
Does an Arkansas injury pull a claim into Arkansas even for an out-of-state worker?
It can. Arkansas has no simple day-count rule, and the Commission decides its own jurisdiction, so an injury in Arkansas or a worker hired here may raise an Arkansas claim. Ask your agent to set the policy up for that.
Does having only remote workers avoid the requirement?
No. Remote Arkansas employees count toward your trigger just like in-office staff. Where the work happens matters, but working from home does not remove an employee from the count.
Why Arkansas owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Arkansas you buy workers comp on the open market from any private insurer licensed in the state, because Arkansas has no state fund, and if no carrier will take you the assigned risk plan run by the rating organization NCCI, the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Insurance Plan, is the guaranteed backstop, so we can shop your rate freely and still cover hard-to-place work.
- We catch pricing mistakes. Your price depends heavily on the category your work falls into for pricing (the class code). Put people in the wrong category and you overpay for years. We review your payroll and classifications before you buy.
- Proof of coverage, fast. Need a certificate (proof of coverage) for a general contractor or a landlord before Monday? We turn those around the same business day for most carriers.
- We help lower the score that drives your price. Insurers give you a score based on your past claims that raises or lowers your cost (the experience modification rate). We review it each year, flag errors, and connect you with return-to-work and safety resources that bring it down.
- Real people when a claim happens. When someone gets hurt, we stay involved through the life of the claim, not just at renewal.
Related Arkansas guides
Every Arkansas business is set up a little differently. These companion guides answer the same question for other situations, plus the national explainers behind the terms used here.
- Business insurance in Arkansas (start here)
- Workers comp: the owner's overview
- I own an LLC: do I need workers comp?
- I'm a sole proprietor: do I need workers comp?
- I own a corporation (C-corp or S-corp): do I need it?
- We're a partnership: do we need workers comp?
- We're a nonprofit: do we need workers comp?
- My workers are 1099: do I still need it?
- Only part-time or seasonal staff: do I need it?
- I only employ family: do I need workers comp?
- What happens if I don't carry workers comp?
- How much does workers comp cost?
- How do I get workers comp (even if turned down)?
- What insurance do I need for a contractor license?
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- Hiring your first employee: what changes
- What workers comp does not cover
- Arkansas technology workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Arkansas rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.