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More than 5,200 people found work in S.C. in April

Staff Report //June 21, 2019//

More than 5,200 people found work in S.C. in April

Staff Report //June 21, 2019//

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The number of South Carolinians working increased by 5,253 people to a record of 2,286,079 from April to May,  though the state’s unemployment rate edged upward to 3.5% from 3.4% as more people looked for work.

More than 47,000 people have begun working in the state since May 2018, according to the latest figures from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.

The national unemployment rate remained unchanged from April to May at 3.6%.

S.C.’s level of unemployment increased by 3,299 people from May 2018, according to DEW, while the state’s labor force increased to more than 2.3 million people. That number includes people working plus unemployed people looking for work.

The leisure and hospitality industry reported the biggest employment increase from April to May, gaining more than 1,300 workers, while professional and business services saw the biggest drop at more than 2,300.

Unemployment ticked up this past month in every S.C. county except Marion, where it remained at 4.6%. Richland County saw an increase from 2.9% to 3.3% from April to May. Unemployment in the county also stood at 2.9% in May 2018.

In Lexington County, unemployment rose from 2.5% in April to 2.8% in May after standing at 2.4% in May 2018.

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