South Carolina Unemployment Rate Drops in July

The jobless figure falls to 11.8% in July after posting a 12.1% figure in June according to Friday's report from the S.C. Employment Security Commission.

By: Staff Reports/N.C. Employment Security Commission Release | News Channel 7
Published: August 21, 2009

South Carolina's unemployment rate fell to 11.8% in July according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Security Commission.

That's down three-tents of a percentage point from June.

But the news may not be all good. "The decrease in the July unemployment rate is welcome news for South Carolina. However, the data trends indicate that people in South Carolina left the labor force for the second month in a row," said Roosevelt T. Halley, Executive Director of the commission in a written release.

"There is concern that people are becoming more discouraged over job prospects in the short term and are giving up the job search.

The state's labor force dropped by nearly 10,000 while the number of jobless decreased by nearly 8,000 to a total of 258,465.

The end of the school year in South Carolina contributed to more than a 31,000 worker drop in the state job count. Partially offsetting the losses were gains in leisure and hospitality (+4,600), and financial activities (+700).

Here are the jobless rates from Upstate counties, which include the ranking among all 46 counties.

5. Union 21.1%
12. Cherokee 17.0%
t-18. Abbeville 15.2%
20. Oconee 15.1%
t-22. Greenwood 13.7%
26. Spartanburg 12.7%
27. Anderson 12.5%
28. Laurens 12.5%
35. Pickens 10.8%
t-39. Greenville 10.1%

North Carolina jobless rate holds at 11% in July

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s unemployment rate remained at 11 percent in July, according to statistics released Friday by the N.C. Employment Security Commission.

“We continue to feel the effects of a struggling global and national economy,” said ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr. “We experienced a slight drop in the state’s labor force in July. However, this change was not enough to affect the unemployment rate. Our network of offices statewide continue to provide services to those needing assistance with job searches and unemployment insurance claims.”

Seasonally adjusted employment decreased by 12,997 workers to 4,039,946. Unemployment decreased by 4,853 workers, to 496,867. Since this time last year, unemployment has increased by 209,024 people. Employment is down by 208,598 workers since July 2008. The state rate in July 2008 was 6.3 percent.