S.C. unemployment claims drop for 5th consecutive week

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The number of South Carolinians filing initial unemployment claims decreased for the fifth consecutive week, according to S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce data.

For the week ending May 16, 29,446 claims were filed, down 3,067 from the previous week.

DEW has received 515,595 claims since March 15 and paid out more than $1.35 billion in state and federal unemployment benefits, the agency said.

Dan Ellzey, DEW executive director, said in a news release that the agency will soon launch a third and final federal program, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which will provide up to 13 weeks of aid to S.C. residents who have exhausted their 20-week benefits.

“Throughout the duration of this crisis, our priority is processing claims and backdating payments appropriately,” Ellzey said. “We want to reassure all claimants that if and when they are found eligible, critical payments will be paid to them.”

For the week ending May 16, Greenville County saw 2,845 claims filed, while Charleston County had 2,505. Richland County had  2,279. Spartanburg County 2,166, Horry County 1,999, Berkeley County 1,826, and Lexington County 1,308.