Unemployment if you quit or were fired in South Carolina

Quit, fired or refused work

If you quit

If you left your most recent work voluntarily without good cause, you are ineligible until you work again and earn at least 8 times your weekly benefit amount. DEW decides whether you had good cause.

Examples the state names:

• Leaving because of domestic abuse, if you reasonably fear more abuse at or on the way to work, need to move to avoid it, or believe leaving is needed for your or your family's safety (documentation required)
• Your own illness or disability, if it was medically necessary to stop working or change jobs
• The illness or disability of your spouse, parent or dependent child that needs your care longer than your employer's leave allows
• Moving with your spouse who was transferred or took a job outside commuting distance

If you were fired

If you were fired for misconduct connected with your most recent work, you are ineligible for 20 weeks plus the waiting week, and your total benefits are cut by 20 times your weekly benefit. Misconduct means willful and wanton disregard of the employer's interests or serious, repeated carelessness. It does not include firing because of an extreme hardship, emergency, sickness or other extraordinary circumstance, or poor performance due to inefficiency or inability. Firing "for cause" that is not misconduct means 5 to 19 weeks of ineligibility. Firing for gross misconduct (such as theft over $50, assault, insubordination as defined by law) or illegal drug use means no benefits until you earn 8 times your weekly benefit in new work.

If benefits are denied for the separation

Quit without good cause, gross misconduct, illegal drug use or refusing suitable work: no benefits until you work again and earn at least 8 times your weekly benefit amount. Misconduct: 20 weeks plus the waiting week, with a 20-week cut in your benefit total. Discharge for other cause: 5 to 19 weeks, with a matching cut.

Refusing work

If you fail without good cause to apply for or accept suitable work, you are ineligible until you work again and earn at least 8 times your weekly benefit amount. DEW considers your health and safety, training, experience, prior pay, how long you have been out of work and the distance to the job.

Law: S.C. Code secs. 41-35-120, 41-35-125

Official source: Source page

You usually must be unemployed through no fault of your own. In most states this means you lost your job because there was not enough work.

Able, available and looking for work

Job contacts per week: 2

Each week you claim, you must complete at least two electronically verifiable work searches in SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) while logged into your account, starting the week you file. You must look for full-time work unless DEW tells you otherwise; people who worked mostly part time in their base period may be allowed to look for part-time work if DEW approves.

Records to keep

Your work searches are recorded in SCWOS. Keep your own records of all earnings too; DEW routinely audits weekly claims.

Law: S.C. Code sec. 41-35-110(3)

Official source: Source page

To be paid for a week, you must be able to work, available to work and actively seeking work.

Law: 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(12)

Free help

Call 1-866-831-1724. Legal aid and other free help in South Carolina → Official sources →