Webster County’s unemployment rate increased nearly 8 percentage points in April, the first month to fully reflect the economic impact from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The county’s jobless rate in April was 13.4%, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. That compares to 5.5% (revised) in March and 5.1% in April 2019. MDES statistics from 1990 forward show the county’s highest unemployment rate for April came in 1991 when it reached 17.5%. The lowest rate for that period was in 1998, when it dropped to 4%. The number of unemployed Webster Countians in April increased by 280 to 500. The labor force, which is made up of everyone who has a job or is looking for one, decreased by 240 to 3,710. “The increases in the number of unemployed and the unemployment rates, along with the decreases in the number employed and the nonfarm employment, can be attributed to the statewide shelter in place due to COVID-19,” MDES stated on its website. The state’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 15.6% in April while the national average, also unadjusted, was 14.4%. Jobless rates in adjoining counties: Calhoun, 21.3%; Chickasaw, 31.4%; Choctaw, 9.8%; Clay, 24.6%; Grenada, 12.7%; Montgomery, 12.3%; and Oktibbeha, 13.5%. Tunica County had the state’s highest unemployment rate for April at 31.7% while Smith County posted the lowest at 7.6%. Unemployment Scams Reports of unemployment fraud continue to rise as scammers look for ways to cash in during the ongoing pandemic. MDES urges Mississippians to remember the following when filing for unemployment insurance benefits: • No Fee — There is no fee to file for unemployment compensation. MDES will never ask for a debit card or other method of payment in order to process a claim. If you receive a phone call from someone identifying them self as a representative of Mississippi Department of Employment Security, do not send money. • False Websites — Several websites advertise they can assist claimants in filing for unemployment benefits. Some of these sites offer services free of charge and others charge for services. These sites often ask for confidential/private information, such as your Social Security number, address, work history and email address. Use only the official MDES website to file for unemployment benefits. MDES does not work with, nor endorse any private service claiming to assist applicants in applying for unemployment insurance benefits. • Personal Documents — Some solicitors will ask claimants to upload a copy of their driver’s license or birth certificate. MDES will only notify you through agency-issued correspondence to ask for your documentation to be uploaded within your secure MDES account.
