“According to the United States Department Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics office, Mississippi’s unemployment rate was 11.5 percent as of April 2010” (BLS, 2010, para. 10). It is not an easy experience to become unemployed; however, this is becoming a reality in these traumatic economic times. The unemployment rate is high, unemployment benefits are running out, and the job growth is still at an all-time low. Although future programs look promising, the current regulations and obstacles the unemployed are facing today is in dire need of change.
The current regulation and compensation laws provide unemployment benefits based on federal and state laws. This compensation programs is maintained by the state in which they provide benefits to the unemployed who qualify for unemployment insurance. “In Mississippi, the employer pays the cost of unemployment insurance. To be eligible to receive Mississippi unemployment benefits you must:
• Be unemployed through no fault of your own
• Be able to work
• Be available to work
• File a claim for benefits
• Serve a one-week waiting period
• Have earned sufficient wage credits
• Be registered for work at the WIN Job and Claims Center in your area
The amount of the benefit is determined by the amount of wages in your base period, which is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the effective date of your claim” (Lawyers.com, 2010).
While a few programs are in place to assist the unemployed there are obstacles preventing the unemployed from receiving benefits. Eligibility is one of the biggest obstacles that affect a majority of the unemployed. The employee’s who worked part-time or were laid off after being employed a few months will not qualify for unemployment insurance. This is mostly low-income workers, seasonal workers, and women who are in this category (USA Today, 2010). Another obstacle consists of the unemployment benefits expiring. Congress must pass an extension to the existing unemployment benefits packages or millions of people will lose the money keeping them from financial ruin. With no jobs available and assistance programs ending, many families will not be able to put food on the table (Eckholm, 2009).
At this point many are concerned that long-term unemployment is the future. This big debt that is piling up for children and grandchildren to deal with in the future. The biggest question at this point is: Why is no one doing anything to resolve these problems? One bill is making its way through Congress called Local Jobs for America Act. This bill states it will immediately reduce unemployment, provide the ability for local communities to maintain critical services, and put local communities on the road to economic recovery. “The Jobs for Urban sustainability Act would direct $10 billion in newly returned TARP money into cities with populations of 600,000 or more and unemployment rates of 10 percent or more, to provide job training, public works, and economic development in those cities” (Heath, 2010, para. 6). Knowing what jobs that have the largest numerical growth will benefit in training workers. “The 20 occupations listed in the graph below are projected to account for more than one-third of all new jobs—5.8 million combined—over the 2008-18 period.

Occupations Number of new jobs
(in thousands) Percent change Wages (May 2008 median) Education/training category
Registered nurses 581.5 22 $ 62,450 Associate degree
Home health aides 460.9 50 20,460 Short-term on-the-job training
Customer service representatives 399.5 18 29,860 Moderate-term on-the-job training
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food 394.3 15 16,430 Short-term on-the-job training
Personal and home care aides 375.8 46 19,180 Short-term on-the-job training
Retail salespersons 374.7 8 20,510 Short-term on-the-job training
Office clerks, general 358.7 12 25,320 Short-term on-the-job training
Accountants and auditors 279.4 22 59,430 Bachelor's degree
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants 276.0 19 23,850 Postsecondary vocational award
Postsecondary teachers 256.9 15 58,830 Doctoral degree
Construction laborers 255.9 20 28,520 Moderate-term on-the-job training
Elementary school teachers, except special education 244.2 16 49,330 Bachelor's degree
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer 232.9 13 37,270 Short-term on-the-job training
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers 217.1 18 23,150 Short-term on-the-job training
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks 212.4 10 32,510 Moderate-term on-the-job training
Executive secretaries and administrative assistants 204.4 13 40,030 Work experience in a related occupation
Management analysts 178.3 24 73,570 Bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience
Computer software engineers, applications 175.1 34 85,430 Bachelor's degree
Receptionists and information clerks 172.9 15 24,550 Short-term on-the-job training
Carpenters 165.4 13 38,940 Long-term on-the-job training
SOURCE: BLS Occupational Employment Statistics and Division of Occupational Outlook

The education or training categories and wages of the occupations with the largest numbers of new jobs are significantly different than those of the fastest growing occupations” (BLS, 2010, para. 58-60).
“Nearly half of the unemployed—45.9%—have been out of work longer than six months, more than at any time since the Labor Department began keeping track in 1948” (Heath, 2010, para. 9). Future trends do show that positive improvements can happen, but until then regulations and obstacles need to be addressed to the help those currently in need. It will take time to recover from the economic struggles we are facing today but most people will agree that creating jobs and job training are the two things that will help resolve the current economic and unemployment crisis.