First Call: “This is Charlie Mitchell. I’m with The Vicksburg Post newspaper and I need to speak to your press office or the person who handles your press inquiries.”

Thirty rings. No answer. No voice mail. No nothing. Disconnected.

Second Call: “This is Charlie Mitchell. I called a minute ago with a question and was transferred. The extension rang 30 times, then I was disconnected. No one answered. Is there someone I can ask a question?”

Put on hold. Timer on phone reaches two minutes, 45 seconds and then stops, indicating I was disconnected.

Third call: “This is Charlie Mitchell again. I really just need a simple answer to a question, an explanation of something in your published data I don’t understand. Isn’t there someone I can ask?”

Transferred.

Female voice: “Mississippi Employment Security Commission. How may I help you?”

“My name is Charlie Mitchell. I write for The Vicksburg Post newspaper. I have a question about your July report.”

Female voice: “What is it?”

“Thanks, I’m asking this for attribution, so may I have your name and job title?”

Female voice: “I’m not authorized to talk to the press.”

“Well, OK, but I asked for someone who could talk to the press, so could you connect me with someone who can?”

Female voice: “You tell me your question and I’ll see if we can give you an answer.”

“Are you sure that’s the way you want to do it? It’s kind of a long question involving your data.”

Female voice: “I’m the administrative assistant. You tell me your question and I’ll have our person who talks to the press call you back.”

“OK. You ready? Your July report listed the state unemployment rate at 9.8 percent in June, reflecting 129,000 people unemployed, compared to a June 2008 rate of 7.7 percent unemployed or a total of 102,800 people. The same report said that in June 2008, $13 million was paid in unemployment claims and in June 2009 $35 million was paid in unemployment claims. In other words, while joblessness rose 2.2 percentage points or 26,200 people, jobless checks nearly tripled from $13 million to $35.7 million. I understand that it’s not a one-to-one thing, that not every jobless person is receiving benefits and that there are other variables. But I still need someone to help me understand the $22.7 million increase in unemployment benefits paid from last June to this June. Is there a new program? Are you defining ‘unemployed’ differently?”

Female voice: “I’ll have somebody get back to you on that.”

“Did you get it all?”

Female voice: “I said I’ll have someone get back to you on that. What’s your number?”

“Who will be calling?”

Female voice: “I will have to ask the appropriate person to call. He’s in a meeting.”

“Does he have a name? I need to know so I will recognize what the call is about.”

Female voice: “I told you I will have him call you.”

“Is his name a state secret or something?”

Female voice: “No. Is your phone number a state secret?”

“No. It’s 601-636-4545. I’ll be wai ….”

Click.

•

My suspicion, of course, was that the Saints would win a Super Bowl before I heard from the MESC, but I did get a call back within the hour.

I did need to repeat the question about why benefit payments tripled, but Mary Willoughby gave me an explanation, her name and even spelled it. She wasn’t the least bit defensive or hostile.

She said that while 26,200 more people were out of a job this June compared to last June, the year-to-year differential in people receiving payments was 100,000. That’s why payments had tripled while joblessness had not.

“OK,” I said. “Thanks.”

The first part, sorry to say, was a typical journalistic encounter with a state agency.

The point here, is that jobless figures can be deceiving. They are a snapshot, subject to “adjustments.”

The better figure is claims paid. And these days, it indicates an employment picture far more grim than the jobless rate.