While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and the following answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
Unemployment Insurance is a benefit program designed to replace part of the income of recently unemployed or underemployed workers. Unemployment Insurance is available to workers who are out of work through no fault of their own.
Learn more about Unemployment on South Carolina’s Unemployment Program Overview page here.
Unemployment Insurance benefits are weekly payments that are given to eligible workers who apply to and are accepted into the program. These payments can be provided via a direct deposit to their bank account.
You can learn more about how Unemployment Insurance payments work here by scrolling to “What are my payment options?”
To qualify for Unemployment Insurance in South Carolina, you must:
Learn more about South Carolina’s monetary requirements and personal eligibility requirements here.
Apply for benefits online here during the week you are seeking payment, when your hours have been reduced or when you are no longer employed. If possible, do NOT wait until the week is over.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in South Carolina, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need here.
The South Carolina Unemployment Office does not accept claims over the telephone.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access the state portal.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in person, click here to find your nearest South Carolina Unemployment Office location.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, you can contact the main office at the following lines Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM:
The amount of Unemployment Benefits you receive is based on your past reported earnings by employers that you have worked for in South Carolina. To determine the amount you will receive each week, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) looks at the highest-earning quarter in the applicant’s base period.
The average weekly benefit amount in South Carolina is $236, and the maximum benefit amount is $326.
You can learn more about how the South Carolina DEW calculates your benefit amount here.
The week after you file your unemployment claim is called the Waiting Week. During the Waiting Week, you must file a Weekly Certification Application through the claimant portal here and the Unemployment Office will make sure you are still unemployed or underemployed, and meet all other eligibility requirements. If approved, you will begin receiving your weekly benefits the following week. You are not paid for the Waiting Week, but you do receive a Waiting Week credit.
Learn more about the Waiting Week here. Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.
Keep track of your work-search contacts. You are required to make at least two contacts per week to receive payments and waiting week credit.
If you were discharged or quit your last job, expect a call (or email if that is your preferred contact method) to determine if you are eligible for unemployment insurance.
You can learn more about what to expect after applying here.
You must file a Weekly Certification Application every week you are receiving Unemployment Benefits until you are employed again. This weekly claim is like a follow-up application that certifies your continued eligibility for the program, and proves you are actively applying for new jobs.
Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here. File your Weekly Certification Applications here.
It’s important to remember that you will stop receiving Unemployment Benefits and your Unemployment Claim will be canceled if you have not filed Weekly Certifications for two or more consecutive weeks.
If you do not agree with the benefit determination the Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) gives you, you may file an appeal to challenge the decision within 10 days of receiving your benefit designation letter.
To file an appeal, you can complete a Notice of Appeal form, which you can find download from this page. You can also write your own letter based on the information and instructions found in your Unemployment Benefits designation letter. Whichever you choose, the appeal you send to the DEW must have your signature and Social Security Number (SSN).
After competing your appeal letter or notice form, you can fax it to the DEW at (803) 737-0287 or send it by mail to the following address:
S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce
Appeal Tribunal
P.O. Box 995
Columbia, SC 29202
Remember to continue filing your weekly unemployment claim while you are waiting for your appeal to be processed. If you do not continue to file for Unemployment Insurance, you will not receive benefits for those weeks even if your appeal is approved.
If you need help with an application or you have any further questions about your claim, you can call the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce at (866) 831-1724 for services in English or (866) 572-3148 for services in Spanish.
The Department of Employment and Workforce customer service line is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM.
You can also visit or call your nearest local office for further assistance. You can find the location nearest you and its contact information here.
While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view or download our free guide here.
For general questions, call South Carolina’s Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) at (803) 737-2400. This line can be reached Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Dial 711 for TTY assistance if you are hard of hearing.
For unemployment benefit inquiries, call South Carolina’s TelClaim line for claimant services at (866) 831-1724. For services in Spanish, call (866) 572-3148.
If you have questions about appeals and appealing a claim denial, overpayments, or fraud, call DEW at (803) 737-2400 and choose option 1.
If you are an employer looking for assistance from the Department of Employment and Workforce, call (803) 737-2400 and select option 3.
South Carolina has 45 Unemployment Offices, known as SC Works Centers. Find your nearest local Unemployment Office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number below. Or, go to the South Carolina DEW About Us page here.
| Location | Address | Phone Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeville | 901 W. Greenwood St. Abbeville, SC 29620 |
(864) 554-2067 | Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:00am to 5:00pm |
| Aiken | 1571 Richland Ave. East Aiken, SC 29801 |
(803) 641-1065 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Allendale | 398 Barnwell Highway Allendale, SC 29810 |
(803) 702-2020 | Tuesday & Thursday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
| Anderson | 512 Michelin Blvd Anderson, SC 29625 |
(866) 831-1724 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 12:00pm, 1:00pm to 5:00pm |
| Bamberg | The Brooker Center 19 Maple Avenue Denmark, SC 29042 |
(803) 956-6030 | Tuesday & Thursday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
| Barnwell | 248 Wall Street Barnwell, SC 29812 |
(803) 450-1000 | Monday – Thursday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
| Beaufort | 164 Castle Rock Road Beaufort, SC 29901 |
(843) 524-3351 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Bennettsville | 460 Highway 9 West Bennettsville, SC 29179 |
(843) 456-7611 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm |
| Berkeley | 325 Main Street Moncks Corner, SC 29461 |
(843) 761-4400 | Monday – Wednesday 8:30am to 4:30pm |
| Calhoun | 101 Courthouse Drive St. Matthews, SC 29135 |
(803) 874-2443 | Wednesday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
| Camden | 1111 Broad Street Camden, SC 29020 |
(803) 432-5153 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm |
| Charleston | 1930 Hanahan Road Suite 200 North Charleston, SC 29406 |
(843) 574-1800 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Cheraw | 318 Front Street Cheraw, SC 29520 |
(843) 456-7611 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Cherokee | 111-C Tiffany Park Gaffney, SC 29341 |
(864) 342-7207 or (864) 902-1151 | Tuesday – Friday 8:30am to 1:00pm 2:00pm to 5:00pm |
| Chester | 764 Wilson Street Ext. Chester, SC 29706 |
(803) 377-8147 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Clemson | 1376 Tiger Blvd Clemson, SC 29631 |
(866) 831-1724 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 12:00pm, 1:00pm to 5:00pm |
| Colleton | 1085 Thunderbolt Drive Walterboro, SC 29488 |
(843) 694-7024 or (843) 539-2042 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm |
| Conway | 200-A Victory Lane Conway, SC 29526 |
(843) 234-9675 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Dillon | 2204 Highway 301 South Dillon, SC 29536 |
(843) 765-3151 | Tuesday – Thursday 9:00am to 4:00 pm |
| Dorchester | 1325-A Boone Hill Rd. Summerville, SC 29483 |
(843) 574-1800 | Monday-Thursday 8:00am to 12:00pm and 1:00pm to 4:00pm |
| Easley | 1774 Powdersville Rd Easley, SC 29642 |
(866) 831-1724 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 12:00pm, 1:00pm to 4:00pm |
| Edgefield | 21 Star Road Edgefield, SC 29824 |
(864) 323-2458 | Monday – Thursday 8:30am to 4:300pm |
| Florence | 1558 West Evans St. Florence, SC 29501 |
(843) 407-9683 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Geer (Limited Services Available) |
202 Victoria Street Greer, SC 29651 |
(864) 334-3512 | Monday – Friday 1:00pm to 5:00pm |
| Georgetown | 1105 Church Street Georgetown, SC 29440 |
(843) 546-8581 | Monday-Friday 8:30am to 11:30am and 1:30pm to 4:00pm |
| Greensville/ McAlister Square |
225 South Pleasantburg Drive Suite E-1 Greenville, SC 29607 |
(864) 467-8080 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Greenwood | 927 East Cambridge St. Greenwood, SC 29646 |
(864) 554-3632 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Hampton | 303 First St East Hampton, SC 29924 |
(843) 226-9254 | Monday – Thursday 8:30am to 4:30pm |
| Hartsville | 437 W. Carolina Avenue, Building 1 Hartsville, SC 29550 |
(843) 456-7611 | Monday – Wednesday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm |
| Kingstree | 530 Martin Luther King Ave. Kingstree, SC 29556 |
(843) 354-7436 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Laurens | 1029 West Main Street Laurens, SC 29360 |
(864) 923-6412 | Monday – Thursday 8:30am to 12:00pm, 1:00pm to 5:00pm |
| Lancaster | 705 N. White Street Lancaster, SC 29720 |
(803) 285-6966 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Lexington | 671 Main Street West Columbia, SC 29170 |
(803) 359-6131 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Manning | Harvin-Clarendon County Library 215 N. Brooks St. Manning, SC 29102 |
(803) 774-1300 | Thursdays 9:00am to 4:00pm |
| Marion | 2413 Highway 76 Marion, SC 29571 |
(843) 765-3151 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm |
| McCormick | 109 W. Augusta St. McCormick, SC 29835 |
(864) 554-0804 | Monday – Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Midlands | 700 Taylor Street Columbia, SC 29201 |
(803) 737-5627 | Monday-Thursday 8:00 am to 6:30 pm, Friday 8:00 am to 5:00pm |
| Newberry | 1840 Wilson Road Newberry, SC 29108 |
(864) 944-0685 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Orangeburg | 1804 Joe S. Jeffords Highway Orangeburg, SC 29116 |
(803) 534-3336 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Rock Hill | 454 South Anderson Road BTC 505, Suite 202 Rock Hill, SC 29370 |
(803) 328-3881 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Seneca | 104 Vocational Dr Seneca, SC 29672 |
(866) 831-1724 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 12:00pm, 1:00pm to 4:00pm |
| Slauda | 407 W. Butler Ave. Saluda, SC 29138 |
(864) 323-2458 | Monday-Tuesday 9:00pm to 4:00pm Wednesday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Spartanburg | 220 East Kennedy Street Spartanburg, SC 29302 |
(864) 764-1966 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Sumter | 31 E. Calhoun St. Sumter, SC 29150 |
(803) 774-1300 | Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm |
| Winnsboro | 96 Highway 321 Bypass South Winnsboro, SC 29180 |
(803) 635-2812 | Monday – Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm |
To find more information on South Carolina Unemployment Benefits and Services, visit:
To file an Unemployment Insurance claim:
If you have a question about South Carolina Business Unemployment Insurance, visit the South Carolina Business Registration page here.
While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view or download our free guide here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in South Carolina, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need here.
The South Carolina Unemployment Office does not accept claims over the phone.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access the state portal.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in person, click here to find your nearest South Carolina Unemployment Office location.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance applying, you can contact South Carolina’s main Unemployment office at the following lines Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM:
If you have already applied for Unemployment Insurance online, you can check the status of your application by logging into your account through the South Carolina MyBenefits Portal here.
You can also check the status of your Unemployment application by calling South Carolina’s TelClaim line at (866) 831-1724 for service in English or (866) 572-3148 for service in Spanish.
Phone services are available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
You will not begin receiving Unemployment Benefits immediately after submitting the application. By law, you must wait one week before finding out whether you will begin receiving benefits. This is called the Waiting Week.
The Waiting Week is the week after you file your unemployment claim. During the Waiting Week, you must file a Weekly Certification Application through the claimant portal here and the Unemployment Office will make sure you are still unemployed or underemployed, and meet all other eligibility requirements. If approved, you will begin receiving your weekly benefits the following week. You are not paid for the Waiting Week, but you do receive a Waiting Week credit.
Learn more about the Waiting Week here.
Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.
If you do not agree with the benefit determination the Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) gives you, you may file an appeal to challenge the decision within 10 days of receiving your benefit designation letter.
To file an appeal, you can complete a Notice of Appeal form, which you can download from the this page. You can also write your own letter based on the information and instructions found in your Unemployment Benefits designation letter. Whichever you choose, the appeal you send to the DEW must have your signature and Social Security Number (SSN).
After competing your appeal letter or notice form, you can fax it to the DEW at (803) 737-0287 or send it by mail to the following address:
S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce
Appeal Tribunal
P.O. Box 995
Columbia, SC 29202
Remember to continue filing your weekly unemployment claim while you are waiting for your appeal to be processed. If you do not continue to file for Unemployment Insurance, you will not receive benefits for those weeks even if your appeal is approved.
If you need help with an application or you have any further questions about your claim, you can call the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce at (866) 831-1724 for services in English or (866) 572-3148 for services in Spanish.
The Department of Employment and Workforce customer service line is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM.
You can also visit or call your nearest local office for further assistance. You can find the location nearest you and its contact information here.
While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view or download our free guide here.
