Mississippi unemployment: Rate dips slightly in June

house-cleaing-jobs(AP) Mississippi’s unemployment rate dipped in June despite weakness in employer payrolls.

The jobless rate fell to 6.6 percent from 6.7 percent in May, and from 7.6 percent in June 2014. A months-long pattern of decreasing unemployment resumed, after May’s rate rose. The number of people with jobs increased, as well as the number of people in the labor force.

Despite the improvement, Mississippi remained tied for the third-highest jobless rate among states.

A separate survey shows Mississippi payrolls fell by 1,000 in June. Total payrolls were about 11,000 higher than in June 2014.

Both sets of figures — adjusted to cancel out seasonal changes — were released Tuesday by the U.S. Labor Department.

The report counted 83,000 Mississippians unemployed in June, down slightly from May and 11,000 below May 2014.