Last Updated on 3/20/2010

Published on 6/21/2009

County jobless rate rises 12 percent
The unemployment rate in Georgetown County jumped a half-point from April to May, according to the latest figures from the state.
The jobless rate in the county in May was 12-percent, up from 11.5-percent in April, the state Employment Security Commission announced Friday.
Normally the rates fall in May because that is when many tourism-related businesses start hiring for the summer.
In May, 2008, the jobless rate was 6.2-percent locally.
In Horry County, where the unemployment rate was 11.4 percent this May, things were slightly better than in Georgetown County.
Statewide, the jobless rate has now hit 12.1-percent.
Put simply that means about one out of every eight South Carolinians who want to find work can’t.
The number of jobs throughout the state actually grew by 11,800 positions during May, according to the employment commission.
But that job growth wasn’t enough to provide work for every job seeker, which is why the rate still worsened.
South Carolina is one of eight states that set a record high unemployment rate in May.
The others are California, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Florida and Georgia.