Unemployment Rates rise with New Year

The New Year ushered in rising unemployment rates in the tri-county area of Upstate South Carolina. According to the latest figures released by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW), Oconee County’s jobless rate was 5% in January compared to 4.1% in December. Pickens County posted 4.9% in January, up from 4.1% in December. Anderson County’s unemployment rate increased to 4.7% in January from 3.9% in December. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 4.3% in January from December’s revised rate of 4.2%. The number of individuals working increased by 463 to 2,221,308 people, while the number of unemployed individuals increased by 2,299 to 100,178. The state’s labor force increased by 2,762 to 2,321,486 people. Since January 2017, the labor force has grown by 18,281 people, and employment gains totaled 21,773. The level of unemployed people decreased by 3,492. “Businesses continue to add jobs at a record pace. People are finding jobs and others are entering the labor force to take advantage of the state’s robust economy, all of which are cause for celebration. With more than 61,000 jobs available across the state, DEW is preparing our residents, including those with barriers to employment, to be able to succeed in those jobs,” said Cheryl Stanton, executive director of the S.C. DEW. “Recently, the State Workforce Development Board awarded $400,000 in grants to two organizations, South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department and Trident Literacy Association, to assist out-of-school youths ages 16 to 24 develop the skills necessary to gain employment and by removing the barriers that are keeping them back.” Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged, remaining at 4.1% in January.