ByPatrick Phillips|April 8, 2021 at 8:42 AM EDT - Updated April 8 at 8:42 AM
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - The number of people who filed their first claims for unemployment rose in the week ending Saturday for the fourth consecutive week, according to new state data.
The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce reported 4,969 initial unemployment claims last week. That’s up from 3,105 claims the week before and up from a 2021 low of 2,757 claims received in the week ending March 13.
Three counties with the highest claims were Richland County with 479, Horry County with 449 and Greenville County with 438.
Charleston County’s 305 claims put it in fifth place behind Spartanburg County’s 339.
Berkeley County was in sixth place with 216 claims.
Dorchester County recorded 156 initial claims.
For the week ending Saturday, the state paid out almost $70.1 million in state and federal unemployment benefits.
Since the pandemic began in March of last year, the state has paid out a total of almost $5.8 billion.
Copyright 2021 WCSC. All rights reserved.