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South Carolina’s Department of Employment and Workforce reported receiving the lowest total of initial unemployment claims last week it has recorded since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
It was also the third straight week the total first-time claims remained below 2,000.
The highest county total last week was in Greenville County with 182, followed by Spartanburg County’s 159. Richland County in the Midlands recorded 123 claims.
None of the Lowcountry counties reported more than 100, but Charleston County had the highest in the region with 93.
During last week, the state paid out a total of $54.5 million in a combination of state and federal unemployment benefits.
Since the pandemic began, the state has paid out a total of more than $6.36 billion.
The state recorded its highest total of first-time claims for the week ending April 11, 2020, when 87,686 were received.
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