SC Dew Reemployment Efforts

May 6, 2021

A Message from SC Department of Employment and Workforce

The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on South Carolina’s workforce. Covid-19 has also taken a huge toll on South Carolina employers. The time has now come to focus on the needs of businesses who are having difficulty obtaining employees. Our agency has initiated an ambitious number of new programs aimed at moving people from unemployment to employment. This document outlines reemployment programs that are currently effective.
 
Please let us know what we can do to help you implement any of these programs that interest you. You can begin the process by contacting EmployerSupport@dew.sc.gov.

1. Work Search
•  Claimants are required to perform two online job searches per week through SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) in order to receive Ul benefits.
• Absent good cause, a claimant is not eligible to receive UI benefits if they do not conduct the work searches for that week.
• Extensive communications to notify claimants have been ongoing and will continue.
• Employers are encouraged to post their open jobs on SCWOS.
  
  
2. Weekly Job Match
• Every Monday, we conduct weekly job matching with our claimant database.
• We match company posted job requirements with unemployment claimant experience. 
• After matching, we send emails to the applicable claimants in the geographical area with the right skill set.
• We have sent over 4.6 million direct email messages.
• We will work with any interested employers in providing potential recruits.
  
  
3. Enhanced Referral
• Starting April 18th, we rolled out a new enhanced referral program. 
• We hold virtual meetings for claimants to work on resumes, interview skills, etc.
• Claimants who are registered and do not attend the scheduled meeting will not receive UI benefits until after they complete a make-up session.
• All claimants at the meeting are given a list of applicable employers to apply with. These employers have available, suitable job openings that match the claimants skills and experiences.
• Claimants who do not apply for suitable, available employment as directed by DEW will disqualify themselves from benefits, unless they had good cause for not applying.
• Claimants who refuse a suitable offer of employment without good cause, will disqualify themselves from benefits.
• This program requires employer agreement and cooperation.
  
  
4. Recall Taskforce: All Laid Off Employees
• Employers currently seeking additional employees should begin by recalling all employees that have experience in the needed positions. 
• Our recall taskforce works with employers to ensure that recall offers are appropriate and can be enforced. We have an email address where employers can report their former employees who do not respond to a recall notice for a suitable offer of work: recall_taskforce@dew.sc.gov.
• Claimants who refuse a suitable offer to return to their old employment without good cause, will disqualify themselves from benefits. 
• This program requires employer agreement and cooperation. 
  
  
5. Virtual Job Fairs
• We are conducting job fairs across the state as quickly as we can.
• These include live job fairs, walk through job fairs, and drive through job fairs.
• We are in the process of implementing virtual job fairs. The first will be done in conjunction with the SC Restaurant and Lodging Association. 
  
  
6. Individual Employer Plans
• We work with individual employers to develop a plan for them to obtain appropriate employees. 
• These efforts are led by a member of management working with the appropriate personnel from the local workforce areas. 
• The assigned employer team works with the employer to determine the best plan for recruiting and identifying appropriate employees for the jobs. 
• These plans include the job match program, virtual job fairs, recall assistance and enhanced referral. 

Recall Resistance

Unemployment Benefits vs. Weekly Wage Examples

With the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program, the math usually works out that someone making $15/hour or less is likely making more money on unemployment than they are working, assuming a 40 hour work week.
 
The following table provides examples of employees with various hourly wage rates who previously worked 40 hours per week for the entire year before being laid off. Their hourly rate, weekly earnings, estimated state unemployment weekly benefit amount, and federal supplement (currently $300 per week) are shown for illustrative purposes.
 
The wage replacement rate is the the amount received in unemployment benefits (plus federal supplements) divided by prior weekly earnings. A number greater than 100% indicates that the individual is likely receiving more per week on unemployment benefits than they did while working their previous job. 

Hourly Wage	Weekly Earnings	State UI Benefits	UI Benefits with Federal Supplement	Wage Replacement Rate
$7.25	$290	$145	$445	153.4%
$9.00	$360	$180	$480	133.3%
$15.00	$600	$300	$600	100.0%
$20.00	$800	$326	$626	78.3%
$25.00	$1,000	$326	$626	62.6%