SC DEW: Decrease in initial unemployment insurance claims last week

(Courtesy: SC DEW/Facebook)

SOUTH CAROLINA (WOLO) – The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce reported a decrease in initial unemployment insurance claims for last week.

According to the department, during the week of December 6 – 12, there were 3,723 initial insurance claims for unemployment that were filed.

That’s a decrease of 1,386 claims filed from the previous week of November 29 – December 5, where 5,109 claims were filed.

On their intrastate map showing initial unemployment insurance claims by counties, Horry County had the highest number of claims in the state with 434.

SC DEW says since March 15, 792,758 total initial claims have been filed in the Palmetto State.

The department has paid more than $4.7 billion in a combination of the following:

• Regular state Unemployment Insurance benefits
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (For the self-employed and others)
• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program ($600 per week)
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program (Extension of benefits for 13 weeks)
• Extended Benefits (Additional 16 weeks of benefits after PEUC)

The U.S. Department of Labor reported the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits increased again last week to 885,000.

Officials say this increased from 862,000 applications the previous week as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.