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Job hunting in SC? Struggling to find workers? Share your COVID-19 work woes

On Thursday, Gov. Henry McMaster announced South Carolina would withdraw from the federal government’s expanded unemployment benefit programs in an effort to fill more than 80,000 job openings in the state.

The expanded benefits were added to help people during the ongoing pandemic, but critics have said they encouraged people to stay out of the workplace because they could make more money on unemployment.

The federal government initially awarded an additional $600 a week on top of the state unemployment benefits. The federal benefit was later reduced to an additional $300 a week. The federal program runs through Sept. 6 for states that don’t opt out.

The State newspaper wants to speak to people who will be affected by McMaster’s decision, which goes into effect June 30, whether you are an employer looking to fill openings, or a worker receiving the expanded benefits but still hasn’t returned to the workplace.

Please fill out our Google form so we can reach back out to you, or send an email to jbustos@thestate.com.