Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd’s Statement

November 2024 Employment Situation

Columbia, S.C. – “South Carolina’s labor force has steadily grown each month throughout 2024.  Most recently, during October and November, our labor force increased from 2,531,262 to 2,533,987, marking a strong finish to a successful year,” said the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Executive Director William Floyd. “After seeing some employment contraction in October 2024 due to Hurricane Helene, South Carolina payrolls grew by an estimated 4,200 month over month. And steady employment growth was recorded for a variety of industries including Professional and Business Services (+4,400), Leisure and Hospitality (+1,400), and Financial Activities (+700). The economy is adjusting to a growing population and the state’s labor market is absorbing new workers over time. Employers are hiring, the workforce is growing, and people are optimistic about job opportunities.”

“While these numbers are indicative of good trends, the state’s labor market is experiencing a unique combination of events. The strong growth in payrolls across almost all sectors signals that businesses are hiring and the economy is expanding. At the same time, the state has seen a high level of population and labor force growth, meaning in part more people are moving here, often seeking better job opportunities and a better quality of life. This surge in the labor force is partly why we are seeing the unemployment rate tick up to this month’s 4.8%, as it may take some employers and jobseekers more time to connect during this growth,” said Floyd.

“There are dozens of ways to connect with employers through SC Works,” said Floyd. “The SC Works system offers, for example, Veteran-specific services, youth-specific services, workshops, training classes, and jobs fairs throughout the state,” said Floyd.

“For students or newer jobseekers who want to learn more about the incredible career opportunities out there and the path to get there, you can find detailed information through the agency’s Explore SC@Work campaign. New occupations are added to the gallery page each week with all of the detailed job information you need to help you understand South Carolina’s diverse job market,” concluded Floyd.