Jobless Rate Is Up Following Months Of Decline

Jobless Rate Is Up Following  Months Of Decline

By David Howell

Editor

WATER VALLEY – After steady decline in recent months, the county’s jobless rate jumped up 1.5 percent for the month of December, according to the latest statistics from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). December’s jobless rate climbed to 7.2 percent, up from six percent in November. Statewide the unemployment rate increased from six percent in November to 6.4 percent in December.

With the increase, 400 Yalobushians were unemployed in December out of a total labor force of 5,310. In the previous month, the total labor force was 5,270, with 320 unemployed. The labor force is defined as the estimated number of people eligible for work or actively seeking unemployment. But, those figures don’t include people who have given up looking for work or no longer participating in the labor force.

Even with December’s jump in the number of unemployed people, the December rate has steadily declined following the recession that started in 2008. Six years ago, in December, 2009, the jobless rate was 14.1 percent. 

  In comparison with the five surrounding counties, Yalobusha’s rate is higher than Lafayette (5.8), Calhoun (6.7) and Grenada (6.7), but lower than Tallahatchie (8.9) and Panola (9.5).

Initial unemployment claims increased during the month, from 34 in November to 57 in December. Continuing claims were also up, from 210 in November to 242 in December. MDES paid $37,893 for unemployment benefits in the county in December, as compared to $25,947 in November.

For the month of December, 29 counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 7.2 percent. Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of December at 4.7 percent followed by Madison County at 5.1 percent. Issaquena County had the highest unemployment rate for December at 18.6 percent followed by Jefferson County at 15.4 percent.