Employment and Workforce Executive Director Dan Ellzey’s Statement

October 2020 Employment Situation

“October’s employment situation is a huge stepping stone in the economic recovery process for South Carolina. Our state’s unemployment rate has dropped to 4.2%, only a few percentage points higher than the historic low unemployment rate of 2.4% in January. This development indicates a massive shift in South Carolinians going back to work,” said S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce Executive Director, Dan Ellzey.

“This month’s release shows two very important things. First, the number of unemployed citizens dropped from 125,120 (September) to 100,333 (October). That is a decrease of approximately 25,000 unemployed people. And, the important part is that these people left the ranks of the unemployed because they got a job, not because they gave up on looking for a job. At the same time that roughly 25,000 people left the ranks of the unemployed, approximately 28,000 additional South Carolinians became employed. That is a remarkable development,” continued Ellzey.

“All unemployed South Carolinians are needed more than ever. There are currently more than 81,000 jobs posted in our SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) portal. The reality is, opportunity is knocking and the partners at SC Works centers statewide are prepared and ready to help job seekers fill these open positions,” stated Ellzey.

“Our agency has been dual focused since the pandemic took hold in South Carolina. We are helping those who need temporary financial assistance with unemployment insurance benefits while simultaneously looking for new ways to promote workforce opportunities. In fact, we are launching Project Job One, a new communications effort to promote the 81,000 job postings that are waiting for the right candidates to apply and step into long-term financial stability. Ultimately we all understand that prosperity for the citizens of South Carolina equals prosperity for the state. It is our goal to come out of this pandemic stronger than ever before. It won’t be easy and it will take time, but we know South Carolinians are up for the challenge,” concluded Ellzey.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: For a better understanding of how the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics utilizes trained Census Bureau employees to capture critical labor force data each month, you can read the full PDF explanation here: https://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.pdf.

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.