Unemployment rates in all Pee Dee counties rose in July as the region’s rate increased to 9.3 percent and the state’s rate jumped to a three-year high of 7 percent, according to data from the S.C. Employment Security Commission released Friday.
Marion County, with a 14.7 percent unemployment rate, remained at No. 2 in the state, behind Allendale County, with 15.9 percent.
Marion County’s rate rose from 12.1 percent in June.
The Pee Dee’s overall June rate was 8.4 percent.
Florence County, at 7.5 percent, had the region’s lowest unemployment rate. The county’s rate, however, rose from 6.7 percent in June.
The state’s rate, up from 6.1 percent in June, is the highest since October 2005, according to the commission.
The state lost 31,900 jobs as schools released nonteaching staff members for the summer, the commission reported.
Those jobs should be largely recouped during the coming months, based on when the different school districts return for the fall semester, said Sam McClary, senior analyst with the commission.
While South Carolina added 1,800 private-sector jobs and 4,900 seasonal jobs, those gains were offset by layoffs — 2,400 in manufacturing and 1,500 in retail, according to the commission.
H.J. Heinz Co. and Monster have announced plans to bring a total of 1,100 jobs to the Pee Dee. The type of skills required, however, will determine how the new jobs will help the region’s unemployment rate, McClary said.
“The problem we have in (the Pee Dee) is that we have a lot of people laid off in manufacturing with very low skill levels,” he said.
Even lower-level service jobs might require some skills many workers don’t have, McClary said.
The commission also announced Friday that, as of July 12, it has processed more than 32,000 claims for benefits through the federally funded Extended Unemployment Compensation Program. The program, enacted by Congress, offers assistance to people “who have exhausted benefits under the regular Unemployment Insurance” program, according to the commission.
Marlboro and Williamsburg counties’ July unemployment rates also were among the state’s 10 highest.
Marlboro County, at No. 6, had an 11.7 percent rate. Williamsburg County, at No. 10, was at 10.9 percent.
Dillon County, tied with McCormick County for the state’s 12th highest unemployment rate, was at 10.6 percent in July.
Chesterfield County had an 8.9 percent unemployment rate, and Darlington County was at 8.5 percent.
The Pee Dee’s work force dropped by 843 people in June to 169,161 in July. The number of unemployed workers, meanwhile, rose by 1,476 since June.
The national unemployment rate also increased from 5.5 percent in June to 5.7 percent in July.
A year ago, the Pee Dee’s unemployment rate was 8.2 percent. The state’s rate was 5.8 percent at that time.
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