South Carolina’s Employment Situation November 2013

Rate drops and is the closest South Carolina has been to the national rate since 2002
 
COLUMBIA, SC – December 20, 2013 – In November, the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate declined significantly to 7.1 percent from the October rate of 7.5 percent. The number of unemployed persons was 152,584, a decrease of approximately 10,230, and employed persons increased by 6,343 from October to November to a total of 2,000,756. The labor force was estimated at 2,153,340 people, reflecting a decline of 3,887.
 
Since November 2012, the unemployment rate has decreased by 1.5 percent, and the estimated number of unemployed people has declined by 34,674. Over the same period, 19,991 people found work, and 14,683 people left the labor force.
 
The national unemployment rate for November was estimated at 7.0 percent down from 7.3 percent in October.
 
Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Seasonally Adjusted1)
 
With an increase of over 4,600 since last month, November’s seasonally-adjusted, non-farm payrolls reached a year-high level of 1,907,100. This was the sixth over-the-month increase since May 2013.
 

• The largest gains were in Government (+1,800); Leisure and Hospitality (+1,300); and Educational and Health Services (+1,100). Additional gains occurred in Professional and Business Services (+700); Manufacturing (+600); and Other Services (+200).
• Industry declines were reported in Financial Activities (-600); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-200); and Information (-200). Construction had a minimal decline of 100.

 
Since November of 2012, seasonally-adjusted, non-farm jobs were up 34,100.
 

• Healthy gains were noted in Professional and Business Services (+7,000); Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+6,300); Construction (+4,800); Leisure and Hospitality (+4,700); Education and Health Services (+4,100); Government (+4,000); and Manufacturing (+3,600).
• Declines were seen in Other Services (-1,800) and Information (-400).

 
 
 
 
Nonagricultural Employment by Industry (Not Seasonally Adjusted2)
 
Not seasonally-adjusted, non-farm payroll employment in November increased by 4,300 since October to 1,912,600, which is typical in November as the trade industry begins its seasonal hiring. Sizeable gains were felt in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+4,600); Government (+2,700); Manufacturing (+1,100); and Education and Health Services (+900). Leisure and Hospitality continued its normal summer downturn in employment with a decline of (-2,300). Also experiencing declines were Professional and Business Services (-1,200); Financial Activities (-700); and Construction (-700). Since November 2012, not-seasonally adjusted, non-farm jobs were up 34,500 overall in South Carolina’s workforce.