Tri-County Employment on the Rise

The tri-county area of Upstate South Carolina experienced gains in employment last month, according to the latest figures from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. In Oconee County, the unemployment rate decreased from 4.5% in August to 3.9% in September. Pickens County saw the unemployment rate decrease from 4.4% in August to 3.7% in September. Anderson County’s jobless figure dropped from 4.2% in August to 3.5% in September. The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce reports the number of people working in the state set a new record in September, and unemployment reached its lowest level since February of 2001, as the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September 2017 dropped to 3.9% from 4% in August. The over-the-month change in the number of individuals working across the state increased by 6,910 to 2,232,795. The number of people unemployed declined 1,641 to 91,428, while the state’s labor force increased 5,269 to 2,324,223 people. “South Carolina businesses are growing and providing opportunities for her residents. While there are more people working today than any time in the state’s history and participating in the robust economy, there are still people who want to work but who may have a barrier to employment. The agency is working with these individuals, whether they are homeless, veterans, ex-offenders or others, to help them overcome those barriers to be productive citizens,” said Cheryl Stanton, executive director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, which invests in building a pipeline of quality workers, matches workers with jobs, and is a bridge for individuals who find themselves out of work for no fault of their own. This promotes financial stability and economic prosperity for employers, individuals and communities. The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce is dedicated to advancing the state through services that meet the needs of the state’s businesses, jobseekers and those looking to advance their careers. Since September of 2016, the state’s labor force has grown by 26,586 with employment gains of 39,183. The level of unemployed decreased 12,597 in South Carolina last month. Nationally, the unemployment rate decreased from 4.4% in August to 4.2% in September.