Unemployment in South Carolina increased to 4.6% in December 2020, from 4.4% in the previous month, as the number of people working in the state dropped by more than 3,600.
The seasonally adjusted monthly household survey by the SC Department of Employment and Workforce found that the number of Southern Carolinians working fell to 2,232,786 in December, down 3,364 from November 2020 and a decrease of 93,232 people from to December 2019.
Estimates of unemployment increased to 107,253 people, an increase of 4,547 since November 2020 and 49,974 compared to December 2019.
The national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.7% from November to December 2020.
South Carolina’s estimated workforce, or more unemployed people looking for work, increased to 2,340,039 in December 2020, an increase of 901 from November 2020 and a drop of 43,258 from December 2019 .
The state industries that reported gains were commerce, transportation and public services, which saw an increase of 6,900 jobs, and professional and commercial services (5,300). Education and health services and other service industries lost 400 jobs each.
From December 2019 to December 2020, South Carolina’s economy lost 53,200 seasonally adjusted non-agricultural jobs, according to DEW data.
Across the state, the metropolitan statistical regions saw a slight growth in these jobs from November to December, except for Greenville / Anderson / Mauldin MSA, which had a reduction of 900 in the month and of 6,200 from December 2019 to December 2020.
Columbia gained 2,800 jobs in the month, but had a reduction of 11,500 in the 12-month period; Charleston / North Charleston won 3,100 in the month, but lost 20,500 in the year; and Spartanburg won 1,800 in the month, but lost 8,400 in the year.
Unemployment increased in all SC counties from November to December 2020, reaching 8.6% in Allendale County. In Richland County, unemployment, which was 2.2% in December 2019, rose to 4.8% in December 2020, from 4.6% in November.
Spartanburg County saw a 4.6% increase in December 2020 from 4.3% in the previous month, while unemployment increased from 4% to 4.4% in Charleston County and from 3.5% to 3, 9% in Greenville County.
Lexington County, where unemployment was 1.9% in December 2019, increased from 3.1% to 3.5%, the lowest rate in the state.
“Unfortunately, we lost 3,646 jobs among employees,” said Dan Ellzey, executive director of DEW, in a press release. “There is no doubt that December 2020 was full of uncertainties when the federal programs under the CARES Act came to an end, and we all watched and waited to see if federal extensions would be converted into law. Now that our agency has quickly implemented the FPUC, PUA and PEUC extensions, we are encouraging applicants to look for opportunities in the new year. “
On January 22, DEW started paying Pandemic Unemployment Emergency Compensation benefits, available to those who have exhausted all regular state benefits. These initial payments have pushed the state beyond $ 5 billion in state and federal benefits paid since March 15.
On January 11, DEW began issuing payments to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claimants who had exhausted their 39 weeks of benefits. The agency began paying extended Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits the week before.
The PUA extension will provide an additional 11 weeks of benefits. Individuals receiving benefits as part of this extension will also receive the $ 300 weekly supplement from the FPUC, according to the agency.
Ellzey encouraged job seekers to take advantage of job search programs at the SC Works Center offices and to search for jobs published online on the SC Works online services portal.
“We know that the federal program extensions to FPUC, PUA and PEUC will provide benefits until March 13, 2021,” said Ellzey. “However, we understand that there is anxiety for claimants who are constantly concerned about imminent deadlines and benefits coming to an end, the chance that extensions will not be approved, will not be approved in time to avoid a gap in benefits, or that eligibility may change. Our goal is to help applicants find a job that offers permanence that unemployment insurance does not offer. “