Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd’s Statement

November 2023 Employment Situation

Columbia, S.C. – “As we close out the year, South Carolina’s economic growth continues as the state hits another record-setting month of 2,398,350 individuals working. That number is up more than 5,000 from October and is a significant increase of more than 104,000 people since November 2022,” said S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Executive Director William Floyd.

“While the unemployment rate edged up slightly to 3.0% from October’s number of 2.9%, we saw more people joining the labor force month-over-month, indicating that people are entering the workforce and finding jobs. And pay remains competitive as average hourly earnings are now at $30.48,” stated Floyd.

“Economic development in the state remains strong as evidenced by recent announcements in Sumter and Florence with employers who will provide hundreds of additional jobs,” continued Floyd. “If you are a jobseeker, contacting a representative in an SC Works center is a great way to network with local employers and find your next job. If you are an employer, our business services team is available to help you optimize your hiring as we enter the new year,” concluded Floyd.