Unemployment Rates fall in Tri-County Upstate

Business payrolls set new records in March, reports the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. In the tri-county area of Upstate South Carolina, unemployment dropped .5% in each county. Anderson County posted a 3.8% jobless rate in March compared to 4.3% in February. Oconee County’s unemployment rate dropped from 4.5% in February to 4.0% in March. Pickens County lists unemployment at 3.9% for March compared to 4.4% in February. During the month, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 4.4% as 2,059 people found work, raising the number of employed to an all-time high of 2,225,456. The state’s labor force also edged up by 2,720 people to a level of 2,327,532, while the number of unemployed increased by 661 to 102,076 people. “More and more people are entering the workforce as businesses continue to add a record number of jobs and hiring a record number of South Carolinians and this something to celebrate,” said Cheryl Stanton, executive director of the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. “As we work to remove barriers to employment, we have found that investing in the education of many of the state’s high school students who are at risk of dropping out helps provide businesses with a needed workforce. Through Jobs for America’s Graduates-SC program, we are seeing around 97% of the students in this program graduate. It is keeping them in school and providing them with purpose and passion. And this also is reason to celebrate.” Since March 2017, the labor force has grown by 21,012 people, and employment gains totaled 18,810. The level of unemployed people increased by 2,202. Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged for the sixth consecutive month, remaining at 4.1%.