Published: July 01, 2008 10:53 am      

Unemployment rises to 6.9 percent

JACKSON — Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 6.9 percent during the month of May according to a press release from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was slightly less than the state average, coming in at 6.7 percent. That figure is nearly a full percentage point higher than figures reported in May of 2007, when the county reported an uneployment rate of 5.8.

In April of this year, Pearl River County reported an unemployment rate of 5.5 percent.

The state wide 6.9 percent rate for May is nine-tenths of a percent higher than May’s figure of last year, when the rate was six percent. Continuing the trend, the U.S. unemployment rate also rose four-tenths percent to 5.2 percent, which is nine-tenths percent higher than the May 2007 rate of 4.3 percent. That rate has not been seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted rates for the state rose from 5.9 percent to 6.9 percent over the month, which is nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than a year ago when the rate was 6.0 percent. The U.S. seasonally adjusted rate increased over the month from 5.0 to 5.5 percent, and was a full percentage point higher than the 4.5 percent rate recorded for May 2007.

Non-farm employment data, based on place of work, recorded a small decline of 700 jobs during May but was still 2,100 jobs more than one year ago. Employment gains were noted in Leisure and Hospitality, Trade Transportational and Utilities, and Financial Activities. Over the year the largest employment increases were noted in the Educational and Health Services, Professional and Business Services, and Leisure & Hospitality industries.

Unemployment rates increased over the month in 80 counties. Rankin County reported the lowest unemployment rate for the month of May 2008 at 4.3 percent, followed by Lamar County with 4.7 percent and Jones County with 5.2 percent. Twenty seven counties reported unemployment rates lower than or equal to the state rate of 6.9 percent and 13 counties reported double digit unemployment rates.

The county with the largest unemployment rate was Chickasaw with 13.3 percent.

Changes in the labor force conditions from April to May could be traced, largely, to the annual entry of students into the labor force estimates along with temporary layoffs occurring throughout the state.