The South Carolina Employment Security Commission released the state’s unemployment numbers for the month of May, and unemployment rose sharply.
The state’s unemployment rate jumped to 6.5 percent in May, up .6 tenths from the April figure of 5.9 percent.
The month of May also notched the highest jobless rate in the state since January 2006.
The state’s labor force totaled 2,152,400, an increase of 13,400 above the April level. The number of unemployed rose, however, 15,200 over the month to 140,800. The national unemployment rate also rose .5 percent in May.
Darlington County ranked 22nd among South Carolina counties with a 7.4 percent rate, only a .1 percent increase from April. Chesterfield County increased .2 percent to 7.7 percent.
Non-farm jobs in South Carolina rose 7,800 in May, the smallest increase since 2001, The majority of the growth occurred in leisure and hospitality (+6,100) as tourism activity began to increase for the summer.
More modest job gains were recorded in government (+1,400) and retail trade (+1,300).
On the downside, manufacturers cut 400 positions from their payrolls in May, and construction continued its downward spiral with a loss of 400 jobs. This marks the seventh straight month in which construction jobs have been lost.
The primary factor pushing the rate up in May, according to the release, was the increase in entrants to the workforce. Record high oil prices continue to drive up costs for gasoline, groceries and other consumer goods, forcing discouraged workers to return to a tight job market in hopes of finding relief.
College students entering the job market for both part-time jobs for the summer and fulltime jobs are also putting upward pressure on the state’s unemployment rate.
Darlington and Chesterfield Counties, however, remained only slightly affected.
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