Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd’s Statement
May 2023 Employment Situation

Columbia, S.C. – “The number of people working in South Carolina is higher than ever before, growing in May by more than 14,000 individuals to hit another record of 2,344,922, and the unemployment rate held steady at 3.1%,” said S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Executive Director William Floyd. “When compared with the national unemployment rate that went up from 3.4% in April to 3.7% in May, you really get a sense of the state’s current strength.”

“The ongoing expansion of our labor force is definitely encouraging news and helps support South Carolina’s businesses,” continued Floyd. “Even more employees are needed, so every day DEW focuses on workforce development and connects jobseekers with great jobs in our growing economy. For example, in July our SC@Work: Road Trips will focus on Union, Chester, and Fairfield counties as part of our rural workforce initiative. This initiative puts DEW and our community partners in the heart of the areas of our state that sometimes face significant barriers to employment and allows us to personally offer services, assistance, and direct connection with local employers.”

“With our state’s average hourly earnings continuing to hover above $29.00 an hour, now is the time for even more jobseekers to join the workforce. For those with the commitment, training, or experience, there are thousands of opportunities to begin career paths with long-term advancement and success. No matter where people are in their work search journey or whether a business needs one or hundreds of employees, our agency has the resources and services to help,” concluded Floyd.