SC unemployment rises again to 11.1 percent in Aug

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s unemployment rate climbed again in August, reaching 11.1 percent.

The state Department of Employment and Workforce said Friday that the jobless rate rose 0.2 percentage points from July, the fourth month in a row the rate has increased.

The biggest job losses were seen in hospitality, where there were 3,500 fewer jobs in August as the summer tourism season wound down. Transportation jobs decreased by about 1,500.

South Carolina did see an increase in government jobs as school resumed. There were 800 more manufacturing jobs, marking the seventh straight monthly gain.

The state’s unemployment rate peaked at 12.5 percent in January 2010 and had been steadily declining before the recent increases started in May.