SCDEW: Increase in first time unemployment insurance claims last week

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce says there was an increase in the number of South Carolinians who filed first time unemployment insurance claims last week. SCDEW says 1,578 initial claims were filed during the week of January 30-February 5. This is an increase from the 1,474 claims reported the previous week.

During the last claim period, SCDEW says 6,235 claimants were paid an average benefit of $272.82.

Since March 15, 2020, SCDEW says a total of $6,603,172,671.25 has been paid to claimants.

The unemployment rate in South Carolina for December 2021  is 3.5%, down from 3.7% the previous month.

To see SCDEW’s full data dashboard, visit www.dew.sc.gov/data-and-statistics/data-dashboard.