Kemper jobless rates up from virus

By Steve Swogetinsky

The Kemper Messenger



Kemper County's unemployment rate stayed below the state average but went up 6.3 percent because of the shutdown and business closings caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Kemper County's unemployment rate for the month of April stood at 13.9 percent, up from 7.3 percent the month before according to state Employment Security Commission data.

Mississippi's unadjusted unemployment rate for April 2020 was 15.6 percent, increasing 10.8 percentage points from the previous month's rate of 4.8 percent. When compared to the April 2019 rate of 4.7 percent, the rate increased 10.9 percentage points. Kemper County's unemployment rate stood at 6,9 April 2019.

In April, Kemper County's labor force stood at 3290. Of that, 460 were unemployed, which was 200 more than the month before.

Here are the unemployment numbers for area counties:



April March April

20 20 19

Neshoba 16.2 5.3 5.3

Kemper 13.9 7.3 6.9

Noxubee 16.3 6.5 6.0

Lauderdale 12.1 4.6 4.8

Winston 14.9 5.4 5.5

Attala 13.4 5.7 5.6

Leake 13.1 4.8 4.8

Scott 9.2 3.9 3.9

Newton 12.9 4.9 5.0

State 15.6 4.8 4.7

USA 14.4 4.5 3.3





The number of unemployed in Mississippi increased 125,500 over the month, while the employed total decreased 202,200 from the prior month.

The Nation's unadjusted unemployment rate for April 2020 at 14.4 percent increased 9.9 percentage points from 4.5 percent in March 2020 and 11.1 percentage points from 3.3 percent in April 2019.

Mississippi's not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased 113,400 over the month and 119,800 over the year.

Industry sectors registering the largest monthly employment losses were leisure & hospitality; trade, transportation & utilities; educational & health services; manufacturing; and professional & business Services.



Kemper supervisors

The Kemper County board of supervisors met this past Monday. Supervisors took the following actions:

• Approved the purchase of a 2021 Mack Tractor from Tri-State at the price of $116,139. This was one of two bids the board considered;

• Noted that Emelia was adding 50 jobs;

• Approved pay raises for Judge Baily's staff. Kemper County is one of four counties in the Tenth Circuit Court District and pays 25 percent of its staff costs;

• Approved two tax reimbursements of $71 and $49 to correct overcharges;

• Accepted the meal log frp, the Kemper-Neshoba Regional Jail, and paid expenses incurred by the Kemper County Sheriff's Department.