PEARL, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) announced that Mississippi workers who are not able to work due to COVID-19 will be eligible to file for unemployment benefits.
MDES has modified its existing unemployment compensation rules to also allow workers to file a claim for unemployment benefits if they are/have been:
- Quarantined by a medical professional or a government agency
- Laid off or sent home without pay for an extended period by their employers due to COVID-19 concerns
- Diagnosed with COVID-19
- Caring for an immediate family member who has been diagnosed with COVID-19
To file an Unemployment Claim, visit the MDES website at www.mdes.ms.gov or call the MDES Contact Center at 1-888-844-3577.
The Contact Center will be open this weekend, March 21 and 22 and available to take calls between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Beginning Monday, March 23, 2020, the contact center hours will be 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week.