U-S jobless claims balloon, but fall in Oconee

Approaching 40 million, joblessness across the country has hit unprecedented numbers.  But, once again, first time claims are falling among the Oconee County workforce.  The county’s first-time claimants were reported today at 305, descending downward from the 1,000 levels from the first known weeks of COVID-19.  As counted by the state Department of Employment and Workforce, here’s the picture in some of Oconee’s South Carolina neighboring counties.  Last week there were 602 new claimant applications from Pickens County; 1,252 from Anderson; and 2,845 from Greenville.  In a statement today Dan Ellzey, department executive director, said, “We want to re-assure all claimants that if and when they are found eligible, critical payments will be paid to them.  Since the pandemic began in March of this year, we have received 515,595 initial claims for unemployment and paid out more than $1.35 billion dollars.  Additionally, we are close to launching our third and final federal program, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which will be available to South Carolinians who exhaust their 20 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits and are still unemployed.”