States

How To Apply For Unemployment In Mississippi

Unemployment Insurance Benefits claims in the State of Mississippi are handled by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). To apply for benefits, you’ll need a state-issued driver’s license or identification card, your employment history with contact information for the past eighteen months, and most recent check stub with year-to-date earnings information. Military personnel will need their Form DD-214. See more below:

• Mississippi Department of Employment Security
• MDES Online Filling Information
• Trade Readjustment Assistance (TRA)

If you’re unable or uncomfortable filing your unemployment insurance benefits claim online, you can file over the phone by calling (601) 855-3133 or (888) 844-3577.

MDES Registration Requirement and Job Search Resources

Before collecting any unemployment insurance benefits payments, you are required to register on the MDES Online System. All recipients of UI benefits payments must continue to look for a new job while collecting. MDES Online is a central platform where you can search available employment opportunities, apply for jobs, and document your work search history.

You’re also encouraged to visit a WIN Job Center, the Mississippi division of American Job Centers. WIN Job Center staff members can assist you with creating a resume, finding the right job fit, and signing up for additional job training or higher education programs. WIN has multiple locations throughout the state that you can visit in person to get started.

Federal Assistance Programs

The federal government offers a number of assistance programs for unemployed workers seeking new job opportunities, financial help, or education and training programs.

• Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA): If your company closed because an overseas competitor took their business away, you may be eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). This is a federal program put in place to assist workers in this situation in re-training for a new profession. The Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) is an extension of benefit payments after your regular UI payments have run out.
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA): If the President of the United States declares a major disaster or national emergency, and you have been deemed not eligible for regular unemployment benefits, you may be qualified for Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Visit the United States Department of Labor to learn more.
• Extended Benefits (EB): The USDOL has a program in place in which qualified unemployed workers in states where unemployment is high can receive extended benefits for up to thirteen weeks. Read more on the USDOL Website.

Interstate and Combined Wages Claims

When your unemployment insurance weekly payment amount is calculated, the number will be based on your wages received in the eighteen months prior to your claim. This is known as your “base period.” If you live in Mississippi, but your base period wages were earned in another state, you need to file your UI claim in that state.

If you live in another state, but your base period was established in Mississippi, you can file with MDES. If you’ve worked in multiple states and would like to combine wages for the purpose of receiving a higher weekly benefits payment, you may be able to file a Combined Wage Claim. Call (601) 855-3133 or (888) 844-3577 to request a combined wage assessment.