The unemployment rate in South Carolina rose nearly half a percentage point in October, to 12.1 percent.

South Carolina lawmakers went back to Columbia two weeks ago just to change a law to qualify the state for about $40 million from Washington to extend unemployment benefits.  They could have gotten $100 million more, but passed on the opportunity

Gov. Mark Sanford plans to sign into law a measure on Thursday that will extend jobless benefits to workers who had begun running out of weekly state and federal help.

Around 3 o’clock Wednesday afternoon the S.C House passed a third and final reading of a measure to change legal rules allowing tens of millions of federal stimulus dollars to flow to unemployed.  A senate approval is pending.

South Carolina pays unemployment benefits to some workers who are fired from their jobs for everything from drug use to stealing to being late to work. It also pays benefits to some workers who quit their jobs voluntarily.

The unemployment rate is well above 10%, and it looks like some extended unemployment benefits could soon come to an end.  We talk with one family hit hard by unemployment.

South Carolina’s unemployment rate dropped for the second month in a row in August, decreasing to 11.5 percent.

South Carolina’s unemployment rate of 11.8 percent in July was one of the highest in the country.

What does it take to get work? Find out…

Employers cut a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June, driving the unemployment rate up to a 26-year high.

Friday’s report showed a sharp increase from the record 11.4 percent set in April and was driven higher by job losses in the state’s tourism industry.

More South Carolina workers can go through government-funded retraining programs to get basic skills needed for entry-level jobs. The South Carolina Department of Commerce said Thursday it is putting $4 million into the state technical college system’s Quick Jobs program.

Many unemployed are turning to temporary or project work to keep the paychecks coming.

Elected officials, educators and citizens from all over the state rallied Monday to urge Governor Mark Sanford to lead South Carolina out of the severe jobs crisis in the state. 

South Carolina’s unemployment has set a state record, with the jobless numbers for April reaching 11.5 percent.