New SC jobless claims tick downward as McMaster moves to reopen the state’s economy

South Carolina reported its first decrease in weekly jobless claims on Thursday since mid-March — 73,116 new claims between April 12 and April 18. It was the first downturn in jobless claims since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of South Carolina’s economy.

The week before, some 88,000 people filed initial claims for unemployment insurance with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. The latest claims numbers come as S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster moves to reopen the state’s economy by summer.

This week, McMaster allowed certain nonessential businesses to reopen, just two weeks after they were ordered to close. He also announced the convening of a task force to help revitalize South Carolina’s economic recovery.

South Carolina has not met a key benchmark set by federal health officials — a consistent 14-day downward trend in new cases — although a recent model showed the state might have passed its peak of COVID-19 deaths. State Epidemiologist Linda Bell said DHEC expects 750 new cases per week, into early May.

From mid-March to early April, benefits claims ballooned to 341,730 total. DEW has paid out $351 million in the past five weeks in state unemployment benefits and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. This program gives $600 extra per week to South Carolinians who previously qualified for unemployment in the state.

This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 8:57 AM with the headline "New SC jobless claims tick downward as McMaster moves to reopen the state’s economy."