Officials warn COVID-19 job recovery not happening in SC

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina officials said the recovery of jobs they hoped for after reopening from the COVID-19 shutdown has not materialized.

Nearly 17,000 people filed unemployment claims for the week ending June 27 in South Carolina, basically unchanged from the week before. That number is still higher than any other week before the pandemic in the past decade.

The state Department of Employment and Workforce says since the pandemic began 15 weeks ago, about 636,000 people have filed jobless claims.

After massive losses in restaurant, hotel and other hospitality jobs, unemployment is spreading into manufacturing, health care and professional services.