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Unemployment Insurance - Overview - South Carolina

The South Carolina Employment Security Commission pays "Job Insurance" benefits to insured workers who are unemployed and meet all eligibility requirements. Benefit payments are not based on need; they are based on wages earned in employment covered by the state Employment Security Law.

The following rules apply:

·      You must be laid off through no fault of your own

·      You must have worked for an employer (or employers) who paid taxes in your name

·      You must have earned a minimum amount of wages during the 12-month period occurring before the quarter in which you were laid off

After you file your initial claim, you will receive a notice that displays your wages from all covered employers during the base period, and informs you whether the wages are enough to qualify for benefits. If you have enough wages to qualify, you have established a benefit year.

To establish a weekly benefit amount you must meet three (3) requirements under the law:

·      You must have been paid wages of at least $540 in covered employment during the high quarter of your base period

·      You must have been paid a minimum of $900 in covered employment during your base period

·      Your total base period wages must equal or exceed one and one-half times the total of your high quarter wages.

If you have sufficient wages, your weekly benefit amount will be established in accordance with the procedure below:

Your maximum total benefit amount for a benefit year is the LESSER of twenty-six (26) times your weekly benefit amount OR one-third (1/3) of your total base period wages

Example:

High Quarter Wages $1,040.00

Base Period Wages $3,462.00

Average Weekly Wage $1,040.00 / 13 = $80.00

Weekly Benefit Amount $80.00 / 2 = $40.00

26 X $40.00 = $1,040.00

1/3 of $3,462.00 = $1,154.00

Maximum benefits would be $1,040 since that amount is less than $1,154.

If during your base period you earned wages in covered employment that were not shown on your initial determination, or if your initial determination lists wages that were not earned by you, you should request a re-determination of your claim.

Local Offices

To get answers to any question concerning Unemployment Insurance and your rights, contact your nearest local unemployment office or call (803) 737-3071 in Columbia, S.C.

You can locate the local office for each locality in the state at this web page:
http://www.sces.org/loff/locoff.htm.

Also see:

Unemployment Insurance - Eligibility Requirements

Unemployment Insurance - Insured Workers

Unemployment Insurance - Weekly Benefits Claims

Unemployment Insurance - Tax Rules

Unemployment Insurance - Employment Security Commission - South Carolina

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