SC Unemployment Rate rises Slightly

The unemployment rate in South Carolina rose slightly in December according to a new report from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW). The December jobless rate was 4.1%, which is one-tenth of one percentage point higher than the 4% posted in November. “While businesses continue to add jobs at a record pace, which is cause for celebration, we want to ensure that all South Carolinians are able to take advantage of the opportunities being provided. With nearly 63,000 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 South Carolina DEW. “Recently, the State Workforce Development Board provided grants to help 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.” The number of people working in the state decreased by more than 5,000 to 2,227,542. The report says the number of unemployed individuals increased by 3,708 to 96,434. Oconee and Pickens counties also posted 4.1% unemployment, while Anderson County’s jobless figure came in at 3.9%. The national unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1% in December.