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Published: Thursday, Mar. 11, 2010 / Updated: Thursday, Mar. 11, 2010 10:00 AM

York, Chester, Lancaster jobless rates climb again

Jobless rates in York, Chester and Lancaster counties all increased by at least one percentage point in January, the S.C. Employment Security Commission said Wednesday.

York County saw the highest increase locally, with its unemployment rate climbing to 16.4 percent in January from a revised rate of 15 percent in December.

The increase appears to be just another fluctuation in jobless claims, said Annie Reid, director of the Rock Hill Workforce Center, because there is no obvious reason for the surge.

“I’m more inclined to think it was some of the holiday layoffs,” Reid said. “We don’t have anything that was a great bunch of people being laid off.”

Chester County’s rate rose to 22.3 percent from 21.3 percent, while Lancaster County’s rate rose to 19 percent, up from 18 percent in December.

Statewide, the unemployment rate climbed to a new all-time high of 12.6 percent in January, up from a revised December rate of 12.4 percent.

Travis George, director of the Chester County Workforce Center, also had no theory to explain the county’s latest increase.

“It’s just been the status quo,” he said.

“We stay pretty busy.”

In Lancaster County, though, the reason for the increase was more apparent.

Glenda Parkman, director of the Lancaster Workforce Center, attributed her county’s increase to layoffs at companies in other areas that employed Lancaster workers, such as Hella Lighting in York and a refrigeration company in Camden.

Parkman expects another increase next month because of an extension in unemployment benefits.

The state’s labor force was estimated at 2,175,217 in January, up 3,569 over the December level. The number of unemployed people climbed 4,605 to a record 273,455.

Among the hardest hit sectors in January were retail (7,700 jobs), leisure and hospitality (4,800 jobs) and professional and business services (4,100 jobs). Education and health services, construction and government also saw significant job losses.

The state’s overall job count in January was 42,800 below the same time in 2009.

Nationally, the jobless rate decreased from 10 percent in December to 9.7 percent in January.

Officials say not much should be inferred from minor month-to-month changes in unemployment rates. But sometimes the constant fluctuation can play with emotions, Reid said.

“I so want it to get better,” she said. “You try to get optimistic when it drops a bit, but then – bam! – it goes up again.”

But even hope can be drawn from constant fluctuations, Reid said.

“At least we’re not down and staying down.”