S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce Exceeds the $5 Billion Mark

for Distribution of Unemployment Insurance Benefits for South Carolinians in Need

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Over the weekend, the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce surpassed $5 billion in benefits distributed in 10 months to assist workers who lost their job during the pandemic. That is an average of $500 million every month since March of 2020.

The $5 billion represents assistance from programs including:

• Unemployment Insurance from the state UI Trust Fund
• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation from the CARES Act
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance from the CARES Act
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation from the CARES Act
• Lost Wages Assistance
• Extended Benefits
• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation from the Continued Assistance Act
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance from the Continued Assistance Act
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation from the Continued Assistance Act

The three programs included in the Continued Assistance Act were all implemented by the agency within 20 days of receiving guidance from USDOL, well ahead of the majority of the country.

The agency will continue to work hard to support the state through this crisis.

About the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce is putting South Carolinians to work. The agency has four missions: (1) workforce development; (2) free job match employment services; (3) unemployment insurance; and (4) labor market information. All four missions contribute to workforce development. The agency is dedicated to advancing South Carolina through services and programs that meet the needs of our businesses, jobseekers and those looking to advance their careers.