Lincoln County’s July unemployment numbers were up 1.4 percentfrom the previous month’s totals after what Mississippi Departmentof Employment Security officials say are routine seasonal layoffsof non-contract school employees.

Lincoln County rose from 7 percent in June to 8.4 percent inJuly, the second-largest jump in the area. The largest upswing inunemployment was in Jefferson County, where June’s 16.6 percenttotal raised to 18.7 percent for July.

Copiah County was up to 8.4 percent from 7.7 percent in June,and Lawrence County rose 0.8 percent to 10 percent in July fromJune’s 9.2 percent.

Franklin County rose from June’s 8.1 percent to July’s 8.8percent, and Amite jumped from 6.6 percent to 7.2 percent in amonth’s time. Pike County was at 7.1 percent in June and at 7.6percent in July.

Walthall recorded the only unemployment drop, going from June’spercent 7.5 to July’s 7.3 percent.

Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Executive VicePresident Cliff Brumfield said the situation is not uncommon to thearea – nor should it be alarming.

“We’re seeing the same cyclical trend we see every yearregarding the latter summer months where many individuals normallyemployed through the local education sector are temporary out ofwork and file for unemployment benefits,” he said. “This is a largepercentage of the industry in Lincoln County, hence the impact ithas on our unemployment figures.”

August is generally a better month, said MDES Chief of LaborMarket Information Wayne Gasson.

“August should show improvement in the economy and unemploymentrates as students exit the labor force to return to school and asschool employees return to work,” he said.

Brumfield agreed that the downward trend can be expected to turnaround soon based on conditions in the local work force.

“Recent good news regarding labor agreements with Delphi as wellas the many ‘help wanted’ signs posted at local businesses up anddown Brookway Boulevard and Highway 51 should incur some morepromising numbers in the coming months,” he said.

Mississippi’s adjusted rate stood at 6.0 in June but rose to 6.7for July.

Twenty-eight counties were below the state rate, with DeSoto andRankin counties holding the lowest rates at 4.4 percent each. ClayCounty had the highest rate at 19.5 percent.