Unemployment on the rise in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – Unemployment increased for the second straight month in Mississippi.

According to the State Department of Employment Security, the state’s jobless rate ticked up to 4.9% in March, a slight increase from February’s rate, of 4.8%.

The labor force and a number of people reporting jobs both fell.

The number of unemployed people rose slightly to about 62,000 statewide.

In our area, Clay  County had the highest unemployed population of 6.7%.

The lowest jobless rate is in Lafayette County, with only 3.7% of the population, unemployed.