Unemployment edges up to 4.6% in December 2020

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Unemployment in South Carolina rose to 4.6% in December 2020, up from 4.4% from the previous month, as the number of people working in the state dropped by more than 3,600.

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce’s seasonally adjusted, monthly household survey found that the number of South Carolinians working dropped to 2,232,786 in December, down 3,364 from November 2020 and a decrease of 93,232 people over December 2019.

Unemployment estimates increased to 107,253 people, an increase of 4,547 since November 2020 and of 49,974 over December 2019.

The national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.7% from November to December 2020.

South Carolina’s estimated labor force, or working people plus unemployed people looking for work, increased to 2,340,039 in December 2020, up 901 from November 2020 and down 43,258 over December 2019.

State industries reporting gains were trade, transportation and utilities, which saw an increase of 6,900 jobs, and professional and business services (5,300). Education and health services and other services industries each lost 400 jobs.

From December 2019 to December 2020, South Carolina’s economy has lost 53,200 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs, according to DEW data.

Statewide, metropolitan statistical areas saw slight growth in those jobs from November to December, except for the Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin MSA, which saw a decrease of 900 for the month and of 6,200 from December 2019 to December 2020.

Columbia gained 2,800 jobs for the month but saw a decrease of 11,500 for the 12-month period; Charleston/North Charleston gained 3,100 for the month but lost 20,500 for the year; and Spartanburg gained 1,800 for the month but lost 8,400 for the year.

Unemployment rose in every S.C. county from November to December 2020, topping out at 8.6% in Allendale County. In Richland County, unemployment, which stood at 2.2% in December 2019, rose to 4.8% in December 2020 from 4.6% in November.

Spartanburg County saw a rise from 4.6% in December 2020 from 4.3% the previous month, while unemployment rose from 4.% to 4.4% in Charleston County and from 3.5% to 3.9% in Greenville County.

Lexington County, where unemployment stood at 1.9% in December 2019, saw an increase from 3.1% to 3.5%, the lowest rate in the state.

“Unfortunately, we lost 3,646 jobs from the ranks of the employed,” Dan Ellzey, DEW executive director, said in a news release. “There’s no doubt that December 2020 was filled with uncertainty as the CARES Act federal programs came to an end, and we all watched and waited to see if federal extensions would be signed into law. Now that our agency has swiftly implemented the FPUC, PUA and PEUC extensions, we are encouraging claimants to look at opportunities in the new year.”

On Jan. 22, DEW began paying out Pandemic Unemployment Emergency Compensation benefits, available to those who have exhausted all regular state benefits. Those initial payouts pushed the state past $5 billion in state and federal benefits paid since March 15.

On Jan. 11, DEW began issuing payments to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claimants who had exhausted their 39 weeks of benefits. The agency began paying extended Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefits the previous week.

The PUA extension will provide an additional 11 weeks of benefits. Individuals receiving benefits as part of this extension will also get the $300 FPUC weekly supplement, according to the agency.

Ellzey encouraged those looking for work to take advantage of job search programs at SC Works Center offices and to search jobs posted online at the SC Works Online Services portal.

“We know that the federal program extensions for FPUC, PUA and PEUC will provide benefits through March 13, 2021,” Ellzey said. “However, we understand there is anxiety for claimants who are constantly worried about looming deadlines and benefits coming to an end, the chance that extensions won’t be approved, won’t be approved in time to avoid a gap in benefits, or that eligibility requirements might change. Our goal is to help claimants find employment that provides permanency that unemployment benefits do not.”