Unemployment rate goes up

By Steve Swogetinsky

The Kemper Messenger

Kemper County’s unemployment rate jumped two points June in despite the news that one of its leading manufacturers was hiring.

Emilia has added 30 employees in the last month and is reportedly looking for more.

Kemper County’s unemployment rate stood at 12.5, which is 1.7 points higher than last month, according to state Employment Security Commission data. That is 2.6 percentage points above June 2019.

Historically, Mississippi’s unemployment rate has increased from May to June as the full impact of students entering the labor force occurs. Decreases in the unemployment rate can be attributed to the gradual recovery from COVID-19.

In June, Kemper County’s labor force had 3,040 people working, and 430 people unemployed. In June 2019, Kemper County had 3,310 people employed and 360 unemployed.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June 2020 was 9.7 percent, decreasing seven-tenths of a percentage point. When compared to the June 2019 rate of 6.4 percent, the rate increased 3.3 percentage points. The number of unemployed decreased 8,100 over the month, while the employed total increased 7,300 from the prior month. The Nation’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June 2020 at 11.2 percent was down 1.8 percentage points over the month, but was 7.4 percentage points above the year ago rate of 3.8 percent.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased 25,100 over the month but was down 53,600 from one year ago. Registering the largest monthly employment gains were the Leisure & Hospitality sector and the Trade, Transportation & Utilties sector.

For the month of June 2020, 41 counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 9.7 percent. Smith County posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of June at 6.1 percent followed by Rankin County at 6.3 percent. Jefferson

County had the highest unemployment rate for June at 20.3 percent followed by Holmes County at 20.2 percent.