Brighter Futures Begin with HOPE.

DECEMBER JOB WATCH

December 12th, 2012

he United States added 146,000 jobs in November according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job growth caused the unemployment rate to decrease to 7.7% nationally. In October the national unemployment rate registered at 7.9% compared to Mississippi’s rate of 8.9%. The state continues to struggle with unemployment well above national levels. Overall employment statewide is 69,000 jobs below where it was at the end of 2007.

MEPC’s blog regularly discusses trends in employment and wages, but another key component of economic security for working families accessing work supports and benefits that enable families to go to work, to be healthy, and to build longer-term security. These supports include affordable childcare, savings for emergencies or retirement, and affordable health insurance. Access to affordable health insurance is increasingly challenging for working adults. The percentage of residents that receive health insurance through their employer (52%) has fallen over the decade, and approximately 74% of Mississippi small businesses do not offer health insurance as a benefit to employees.¹

JOBS AND HEALTH INSURANCE
The Mississippi Center for Health Policy recently released an analysis that details which workers are most likely to lack health insurance and also earn income below 138% of the poverty level (see table). The Center’s findings reveal that thousands of Mississippi’s working adults in food service, health care, child care and other service occupations are without health insurance.

Many adults in these low-income jobs lack the resources to cover all their expenses without outside help. The state’s decision to expand Medicaid eligibility up to 138% of the poverty level for working adults would connect more Mississippians with health insurance, so they can affordably access medical care and remain active members of the state’s workforce.