Fewer Horry County residents seek unemployment benefits as economy reopens
The Myrtle Beach area continues to see fewer workers seek unemployment benefits for three weeks straight.
More than 4,000 new Horry County residents applied for unemployment benefits last week, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
These numbers reflect only those who applied for unemployment and not those receiving benefits.
Horry County had 4,318 new unemployment claims, the second in the state. Greenville County has the most.
Since March, Horry County has had 50,888 people seek unemployment but some of those workers may have returned to their jobs.
Typically, Horry County has a workforce of about 140,000 employees. This unofficially brings the unemployment rate in Horry County to around 35 percent.
Greenville County leads the state in overall unemployment filings since March with 52,821 people seeking benefits.
Across the state, more than 46,747 people sought benefits last week. More than 453,000 people in South Carolina have applied for unemployment and $800 million has been paid out.
To file an unemployment claim, visit DEW’s website or call 1-866-831-1724.
This story was originally published May 7, 2020 at 8:34 AM.
