But so does number of jobs, labor participation rate
The good news is unemployment in the Upstate and in South Carolina fell in July.
The bad news is that so did the number of jobs and the state’s civilian labor force participation rate.
The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce reported that Greenville County’s unemployment rate fell – to 5.4 percent in July, down from 5.7 percent in June and in July 2014. So did the rate in Spartanburg, Pickens, Oconee and Anderson counties.
In fact, unemployment fell statewide and in all but four South Carolina counties – Orangeburg, Bamberg, Fairfield and Calhoun.
But while the unemployment rate fell, so did the labor force.
In Greenville County, there were 161 fewer workers in the labor force than in June. The other Upstate counties saw a reduction as well.
The state’s civilian labor force participation rate fell to 59.1 percent in July, down from 59.3 percent. The labor participation rate is the percentage of the population 16 and older that is employed or actively seeking work. The federal labor participation rate was 62.6 percent.
For the detailed report, go to bit.ly/SC-employment-July15.
