Coronavirus impacting employment? Here’s what to do next in SC, tri-county area.
The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce announced a new resource hub Wednesday to answer questions related unemployment claims during what its director called unprecedented times related to COVID-19.
“In this unprecedented time, Employment and Workforce is working in real time with federal and state officials to create solutions and support for individuals and businesses,” said department director Dan Ellzey in a statement. “As we continue to work with these partners, we have collected common questions and challenges that the South Carolina workforce is facing in this uncommon time.”
The new hub answers many of the more common questions on who qualifies for unemployment benefits and when. It provides information for businesses, too. It updates health and employment recommendations as they occur.
“We are having ongoing conversations with business associations, business leaders and individual employers on their needs and how we can assist them,” Ellzey said.
To access the resource hub, the public can go online to the employment and workforce site at dew.sc.gov.
Anyone whose employment has been impacted by the coronavirus due to illness, a school or daycare closing or a care for family member with the illness could get sick leave of paid time off through their employer. Someone out of work due to a business closing, layoff or reduction in hours related to coronavirus should file for unemployment insurance benefits.
Additional funding sources for workers and businesses may be available through the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The state workforce department encourages anyone uncertain about eligibility to apply for unemployment insurance benefits.
Applicants may expect delays. Information on the hub Thursday morning notes high demand. The site reads:
“Employment and Workforce is currently experiencing high call volume and increased user activity on the Claimant Self Service Portal. We are working to expedite response time and portal access. We apologize for the inconvenience, but please know that our staff is committed to helping every individual during this difficult time, and we appreciate your patience. If you are having challenges, please revisit the site again at a later time to file your claim.”
The Catawba region for the workforce office includes York, Lancaster and Chester counties. Centers on Wilson Street in Chester, North White Street in Lancaster and South Anderson Road in Rock Hill are closed due to social distancing. Representatives are available via phone or online.
Anyone in need of services can call 377-8147 in Chester County, 285-6966 in Lancaster County and 328-3881 in York County. More information on the Catawba service area is available online at scworkscatawba.com.
Here are some common questions and answers from the workforce department:
How do I apply for benefits?
You must first file a claim for state unemployment benefits by visiting dew.sc.gov and clicking on the “MyBenefits Login” located at the top right corner of the home page.
- If you have previously filed for unemployment benefits and remember your credentials, login with your username and password.
- If you have previously filed for unemployment benefits and do not remember your credentials, click “forgot username/password” link.
- If this is your first time filing for unemployment benefits, click the “I am new here. I need to register now” link.
How do I request payments for a week?
You must certify each week that you are still unemployed as a direct result of COVID-19 and that you meet the ongoing eligibility requirements. Weekly certifications can be completed online by visiting www.dew.sc.gov and clicking the MyBenefits Login in the top right corner of the page.
What are the requirement for reporting wages?
If you are not self-employed and work during a week that you request benefits, you must report your hours and gross earnings when you file your weekly claim. If you are self-employed, you must report all wages during the week in which you were paid, not when you performed the work. Please note, failure to properly report all gross earnings may result in overpayment that you will be required to pay back.
