How to File for Unemployment in South Carolina
Updated July 2026
Quick Answer
In South Carolina, unemployment claims are filed through Department of Employment and Workforce. Most initial claims are processed within two to three weeks, though it can take longer if there's an issue with your claim.
South Carolina makes you clear an ID.me identity check before you can even open a MyBenefits account, and once you're approved, state law requires two documented job searches a week through SC Works Online Services just to stay eligible — that's stricter than most neighboring states. One quirk worth knowing: you file where your employer is based, not where you happen to live.
What You'll Need
- Social Security number
- Employer business names, addresses, and phone numbers for the last 18 months
- Your salary for each employer
- Alien registration number, if not a U.S. citizen
- DD-214 (Member 4 copy) or SF-8/SF-50, if applicable
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1
Collect 18 months of employer records
Gather each employer's business name, address, phone number, and your salary, along with your Social Security number.
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2
Create your MyBenefits account and verify with ID.me
Register at the MyBenefits portal and complete identity verification through ID.me before you can file.
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3
File your initial claim
Submit your claim in MyBenefits — remember you apply based on where your employer is located or where you earned wages, not your home address.
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4
Serve the one-week unpaid waiting period
No benefits are paid for your first eligible week, but it still counts toward your claim.
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5
File your weekly certification
Log into MyBenefits each week to certify and report any income earned.
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6
Complete two job searches a week in SCWOS
South Carolina law requires two documented work-search activities logged in SC Works Online Services every week you claim benefits.
File Your Claim
Compare Other States
Unemployment rules, benefit amounts, and filing steps are set state by state. These share South Carolina's census region — useful if you're moving, or comparing how another state runs the program.
Helpful Guides
Unemployment Eligibility Requirements: Who Qualifies
The three tests every state uses to decide unemployment eligibility, and the separation reasons that typically help or hurt your claim.
Learn more →How Unemployment Benefits Work
A plain-English overview of how the joint federal-state unemployment insurance system works, from filing your first claim to your last payment.
Learn more →Unemployment Benefits for Self-Employed and Gig Workers
Regular unemployment insurance is built around W-2 payroll taxes, which is why freelancers and gig workers usually do not qualify — here is what does apply.
Learn more →Partial Unemployment Benefits: Working Part-Time While on Unemployment
Taking part-time work does not automatically end your unemployment claim — most states let you keep a reduced payment if you report your earnings correctly.
Learn more →