DEW Announces Labor Force Participation Task Force

In recent weeks, the SC Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) announced the creation of a task force that seeks to understand and address the state’s low labor force participation rate. While the state’s unemployment rate is 3.5%, the labor force participation rate is 57.2% which is below the national average of 62.3% and one of the lowest rates in the country. Additionally, the state has over 112,000 open jobs available, indicating strong employer demand for workers.

In announcing the task force, DEW Director Dan Ellzey noted that “A higher participation rate increases the wealth of a state. We need to know the root causes of our low participation rate before truly making any improvements. This is why the Task Force is so critical at this time.”

To read the full article, click here.