Jobless rate down

The state’s top employment official said Tuesday that the drop in unemployment in South Carolina in September resulted from discouraged workers who are giving up on job searches and leaving the labor force.

As South Carolina’s unemployment rate dropped slightly to 7.3 percent in September — after reaching a 15-year high of 7.6 percent in August — Darlington County’s jobless rate edged downward in September to 9 percent from 9.3 percent, the S.C. Employment Security Commission reported in its unadjusted figures for the month.

Chesterfield County saw little change in its jobless rate for the month at 10.1 percent compared to 10.2 percent the previous month, according to unadjusted figures from the commission.

The national unemployment rate held steady at 6.1 percent.

“There’s very little positive news regarding the national or state economy right now,” the commission’s Executive Director Robert T. Halley said.

“There’s not a lot to be optimistic about right now. The recent crisis in the financial markets occurred after our survey week in September, so the impact will not be reflected in our figures until the October and November data are released.”

The state’s labor force decreased nearly 6,000 in September to 2,159,180, while the number of unemployed declined by 6,500 to 157,047.

In Darlington County, the labor force dropped in September by 409 to 32,347, while the number of jobless decreased by 145 to 2,912. In September of 2007, Darlington County had a labor force of 31,782 with 2,106 unemployed for a jobless rate of 6.6 percent.

Chesterfield County saw its labor force decline by 197 for the month to 18,726, while the number of jobless decreased by 47 to 1,887. One year ago, Chesterfield County’s jobless rate stood at 7.6 percent with 1,403 unemployed out of a labor force of 18,449.

Darlington County’s September rate placed it 21st highest in unemployment among South Carolina’s 46 counties, while Chesterfield ranked 15th.

Allendale County led the state in unemployment for the month at 16.9 percent versus 17 percent in August. Beaufort and Lexington counties tied with the lowest rate at 5.3 percent, down from 5.8 percent and 5.6 percent respectively in August.

Among other area counties, Marion posted the second highest rate in the state at 15 percent versus 15.1 percent in August, while Marlboro ranked fourth highest at 12.9 percent compared to 13.2 percent in August.

Dillon County ranked 11th with a rate of 11 percent, down from August’s 11.3 percent, while Lee County ranked 16th at 9.9 percent versus 10.5 percent in August.

Florence County ranked 28th along with York County at 7.6 percent, compared to 8.1 percent and 7.8 percent respectively in August.

Across South Carolina the number of jobs fell by 14,400 over the month, the largest September decrease on record, the commission said.

All major industry sectors lost jobs in September except education and health services, which rose by 2,100, and government, which increased by 4,900. The gains were the result of state, local and private schools restaffing for the fall term, the commission said.

Leisure and hospitality experienced a seasonal loss of 11,100 jobs as the tourist season began to wind down. Notable losses also occurred in retail trade, down by 3,300, manufacturing, down by 2,300, professional and business services, down by 1,300, financial activities, down by 900, and construction, down by 700, according to the commission. Construction jobs have declined for the last 11 consecutive months, the commission said.

This marks the second month in a row that the number of jobs in the state has fallen below year-ago levels, the commission said.