SC’s unemployment jumps to 10.9 percent

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — South Carolina’s unemployment rate jumped to 10.9 percent in July, up from 10.5 percent the month before. State officials said Friday an influx of new jobseekers is to blame for the rate increase. The Department of Employment and Workforce says new graduates seeking work and new residents helped bring the total number of unemployed in the state last month to more than 236,000. Nonfarm payroll fell by more than 7,000 positions but the total count of jobs for the month was higher than July of last year. South Carolina’s jobless numbers have consistently outpaced the national rate. (Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)