Millions expended to cover pandemic jobless benefits

At the start of the work week, according to the Department of Employment and Workforce in Columbia, South Carolina paid more than $10 million to the first round of claimants eligible for federal pandemic supplemental benefits.  “We are extremely  excited to begin paying these important funds without interruption to continuing claimants with eligible weeks,” said DEW Executive Director Dan Ellzey.  “Our agency has only received the very first of the guidance from the US Department of Labor, and there is still a great deal of work to be done to study and implement these complex programs, but we are happy to begin the process and support South Carolinians during this difficult time.”  Starting with claim week ending Saturday, January 2, claimants who are eligible to receive at least $1 of unemployment will also receive an additional $300 on top of their weekly benefit amount. They can count on those amounts through the week that’ll end March 30.  Numbers gleaned from the newest account of first-time jobless claims in the tri-counties show that during the week December 27-January 2, a total of 360 Oconeeans filed new claims; 289 in Pickens County; and 2,351 in Anderson.