The Official Web Site of the State of South Carolina

Due to severe winter weather, many government offices will be closed Monday, February 2. DEW's Appeals, Collections, and Unemployment Insurance (UI) Tax departments will not be available to take calls. Please know that we have limited staff taking UI calls starting at 10 AM and wait times may be long. We strongly encourage you to call back tomorrow if your call is not urgent. As a reminder, you can always get up-to-date information about your claim or account by visiting the MyBenefits claimant portal. 

For the latest updates of SC Works closures, please visit scworks.org/sc-works-closings to find out if your local center is affected.

Executive Director William Floyd's July 2025 Employment Statement

Mon, 08/18/2025

Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd’s Statement

July 2025 Employment Situation

 

Columbia, S.C. – “It was another strong employment month for South Carolina with job growth in nearly every industrial sector and employers expanding their payrolls by an estimated 9,000 jobs. The number of people working is 2,464,252, a new record high for this year,” said the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Executive Director William Floyd. “The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2% as more people entered the labor force, while the state saw significant job growth in professional, scientific, and technical services; administrative and support and waste management and remediation services; and accommodation and food services.”

“We’ve experienced another month of positive numbers all around and positive hiring with the potential for even more to help fill more than 72,000 jobs that remain open in the state. Our agency connects jobseekers with these jobs through the year-round efforts of SC Works centers, our Rural Connections Team, Regional Workforce Advisors, the Career Coach, and more. 

In September of each year, we celebrate Workforce Development Month to highlight some of the great work done by businesses, organizations, and workforce partners throughout the state,” said Floyd. “By promoting education and training programs and other career resources, September spotlights businesses who collaborate with their regional community to create pathways for career advancement. And, with job fairs, hiring events around the state, the annual South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s Workforce Symposium, the announcement of this year’s Workforce Champion Award, and much more, Workforce Development Month is a great way to learn about all of the connections, opportunities, programs, and organizations that support South Carolina’s jobseekers and employers all year round,” concluded Floyd.